Stage of company, not name of company

When choosing your next company, first determine which stage (pre-product fit, post-product fit, growth, or scale) is the best match. Usually only 1 or 2 stages make sense for any given job search.

Post-product fit companies need functional experts who can introduce stability.

• People who thrive here can introduce the right amount of structure and process without frustrating founders and entrepreneurs.
  
• Growth is taking place slowly and consistently, and many areas of expertise are completely missing and unstaffed.
  
• If you are five to 10 years into your career, you are unlikely to be a director or executive in a late-stage company. But at this phase, if you get hired, you might be more experienced than anyone in the company and can lead a team. It’s the trade-off between being a crew member on an ocean liner versus captain of a small vessel.