Opinions sought...

[denny]

Today I received my first ever offer to work for pie-in-the-sky. I'm intrigued, tempted, and deeply suspicious. If anyone has any experience/opinions to cast on the following offer, please please share them with me...

From: [ name and email address ]
Sent: 13 May 2003 16:05
To: [ my professional contact address ]
Subject: Web project


Hi Denny

My name is [ name ], I'm the founder of a tech start-up company based
in the Greater London area.

My reason for contacting you is simple - I'm looking for a good perl
developer.

How did I find you?  I did a google search using the following search
criteria: "perl developer" "uk" "cv"

My company is developing a stand-alone Web-based email service that will
provide custom email solutions to a large international professionals
market.

Business highlights:

- Untapped market niche
- Defendable competitive advantage
- Cost effective traffic-driving marketing strategy
- Subscription-based revenue model
- Fixed technology needs
- Low monthly overheads


To prove the viability of our business model, we plan to launch a
prototype Web mail facility with minimal capital investment by July
2003.

In order to keep capital requirements to a minimum during test
marketing, a team of entrepreneurial minded professionals provide their
time and experience - on a part-time basis - in exchange for part
ownership in the business.  We currently seek a perl developer to
complete this team.

I'd really like to discuss this opportunity with you on the telephone
Denny.  Just give me 15 minutes to talk you through our business model.

I look forward to talking with you.

[ SNIP signoff and .sig ]

Among the things that make me suspicious are the deeply sales-oriented feel to the email, including what feels a lot like the mass-mailing bullshit trick of using my name towards the end of the text, to make it feel personalised. But I am looking for something new in my career, and this, if legit, would be very interesting to me. I just don't know how cynical to be about the whole thing...

Update: I should probably have mentioned that his .sig included a link to the company's website, which has a fairly professional looking webmail system up and running, including an offer of free trial accounts to interested potential customers. So they're not in the early early stages here - which makes me wonder if they've lost their original developer, and if so, why.

Comments

Show me the money!

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

I don't think talking to the guy for 15 minutes will hurt, though frankly if all he has as a business model so far is an over-the-phone spiel, I'd be highly suspicious - he should at least be able to mail you a shiny folder of something Powerpointed (hell, for part-ownership of the business and £7 an hour, I'll be his publicity bint!).

Make sure he gives you a bit of a clearer idea about salary; bearing in mind it's in London I imagine you'll want at least the wage you're on now.

Re: Show me the money!

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

As far as I read that email, there is no salary. It's my time on a part-time basis (read, every single spare minute I have evenings/weekends, possibly) in return for shares in a business that doesn't actually have a revenue stream yet.

I did say it sounded dodgy :) But potentially, this kind of thing can turn out legit, and worthwhile. I'd hate to miss an interesting opportunity because I was too suspicious... but even more I'd hate to get screwed over because I wasn't cynical enough. *ponders*

I suspect I'm going to go with ciphergoth's approach and mail him back asking for more details. Mostly I'll want to know what they're likely to expect from me, as I don't even know what the right questions are to ask about the whole shares-instead-of-wages thing...

Re: Show me the money!

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

I'd hate to miss an interesting opportunity because I was too suspicious...

Don't be. You're looking for a job, not a "business opportunity". Business opportunities are for people who have a lot of money, and even then they're 99% bogus.

If they can't pay you a real salary, you'll probably work your guts out for the constant promise of money just around the corner that never materialises.