Some tech company types I've encountered in the past. A company can be a blend of multiple types.
1. Famous companies
Massive subsidies from digital distribution
Let them call you - *always*. Can be dehumanizing and super abusive.
Results don't really matter. Soviet-like purges. Insane, power mad staff.
2. Megacorps
Massive dilbert-like internal politics between and within groups. Can be decent if you find the right group that you fit into.
Results only matter due to internal politics and constant reorgs/layoffs, not due to any intrinsic need for profits.
Great for those who want a somewhat stable lifestyle, if you can tolerate the politics and culture.
Workers turn the megacorp into their corporate tribe and absolutely obsess over internal politics at all times.
Can appear absolutely batshit insane from the outside.
May have illegally colluded with other megacorps to not hire each other's employees to keep wages and horizontal movement between firms down.
3. Satellite Companies
Firm acquired by large megacorp
The former insiders/founders become mid-level management at the megacorp.
Firm will try to keep its identity and culture but usually fails.
Resistance is futile: Either the firm ultimately becomes fully absorbed into the megacorp or it will be shut down.
Don't join until you figure out what the megacorp actually thinks of the acquired company and its mid-level managers.
The former owners will be super tight.
4. Well-established, well-respected firms
Products are legendary and set the bar.
There are two types of employees: The "old guard" and everyone else. If you're not on the inside you are outside.
Can be a good choice if you can fit in and get shit done.
Don't expect to become an insider anytime soon if ever.
Rare
5. Traditional Silicon Valley-style startups
Founders can appear absolutely batshit on social media, during public presentations etc.
For the gamblers. The earlier you get in, the higher the probability you'll get good stock.
Founders and investors get in bed with each other.
Non-savvy founders get eventually pushed out or lose power.
These startups come and go constantly, so if you work for one that almost inevitably goes bust just move your desk one block away.
Talk to ex-employees before joining. If they had to sign NDA's or got threatened if they talked, avoid.
6. Self-funded startups
Formed by a small, passionate group of insiders wanting to recapture past glories or just be independent.
Can be good, but don't expect it to last when the insiders break up.
Founders can be super passionate about their project and will continue investing in it even after it becomes obvious to everyone else that it's never going to make a dime.
These startups have lifespans of a few years or so unless they have a big success.
7. Scrappy contracting outfits beholden to a single publisher
Publisher is abusive. Company ignores it because it has no choice.
You will be treated like dogs. Crunch is expected.
Founders think they are making good money, but because they go for long periods of time without any income while still working they actually aren't.
Company has zero leverage with its publisher because it doesn't have any alternatives.
Can be OK if you work there hourly, but avoid full-time contracts because you will be crunched to death and treated badly.
Darth Vader-like publisher will break all the rules, recruit your best staff, make changes to your team or contract, etc. at will - because it can.
8. Firms working with multiple publishers
Company keeps multiple products in the pipeline with multiple publishers.
Firm lies to each publisher about who is working on what.
May have secret passion-projects in the background covertly funded with publisher funds.
Fragile. If one team fails, the company is in trouble and expect layoffs. If two or more teams fail, the company is toast.
Always talk to all teams in the firm to build a picture of how healthy each product is.
Can be great places to work as long as you realize it probably won't last.
9. Phoenix-like companies started after mass layoffs in small cities
Company formed after mass layoff trauma.
Two groups: Insiders and Outsiders. Insiders are *tight*. Outsiders will never become insiders - new insiders will be brought in.
Eventual Buyout Mentality: You will be constantly told that the company will eventually be sold and you'll become rich off your stock - just like last time.
Local shadowy investors prop the company up during hard times.
Publisher(s) are kept at arms length and generally aren't allowed to interact with employees - always through managers.
Stock is absolutely, totally worthless unless the Insiders love you during a buyout.
Unstable until established. Buyout may never actually happen.
Small-town environment may make the company somewhat shady. Horizontal movement between tech companies in the same small town is virtually impossible due to illegal collusion between companies to not compete over employees.
The company actually exists to make the insiders wealthy and to give the upper management a decent lifestyle. Everyone else is expendable.
10. Companies formed by a single god-like owner
No "Insiders": There's the dictator-like owner, upper management, and everyone else.
Always meet and interview with the owner first. Avoid if they give you the creeps or a bad vibe.
Company is an expression of the owner's weird development philosophies.
Best avoided if in a small city/town.
Check the background of the owner and figure out where their funding came from. If they are scam artists, have lots of ex-employees suing them, or have otherwise shady backgrounds, obviously avoid.
11. Engine Companies
At the center of a large ecosystem of content creators
At War with competitive engine companies, which the company absolutely hates.
Funded with large amounts of investor capitol and through support contracts with large firms.
Massive, sprawling corporation consisting of multiple smaller firms spread over the entire globe.
The engine company workers actually wind up secretly hating the developers who use their engine.
Joining as a single developer gets you nowhere. It's best to be acquired by the firm as a small group and given your own office. The company actively looks for these small groups to hire/acquire.
Can be a good gig in the right city but don't expect to get anywhere. It's just a job on a large sprawling piece of engine software nobody fully understands anymore.
1. Famous companies
Massive subsidies from digital distribution
Let them call you - *always*. Can be dehumanizing and super abusive.
Results don't really matter. Soviet-like purges. Insane, power mad staff.
2. Megacorps
Massive dilbert-like internal politics between and within groups. Can be decent if you find the right group that you fit into.
Results only matter due to internal politics and constant reorgs/layoffs, not due to any intrinsic need for profits.
Great for those who want a somewhat stable lifestyle, if you can tolerate the politics and culture.
Workers turn the megacorp into their corporate tribe and absolutely obsess over internal politics at all times.
Can appear absolutely batshit insane from the outside.
May have illegally colluded with other megacorps to not hire each other's employees to keep wages and horizontal movement between firms down.
3. Satellite Companies
Firm acquired by large megacorp
The former insiders/founders become mid-level management at the megacorp.
Firm will try to keep its identity and culture but usually fails.
Resistance is futile: Either the firm ultimately becomes fully absorbed into the megacorp or it will be shut down.
Don't join until you figure out what the megacorp actually thinks of the acquired company and its mid-level managers.
The former owners will be super tight.
4. Well-established, well-respected firms
Products are legendary and set the bar.
There are two types of employees: The "old guard" and everyone else. If you're not on the inside you are outside.
Can be a good choice if you can fit in and get shit done.
Don't expect to become an insider anytime soon if ever.
Rare
5. Traditional Silicon Valley-style startups
Founders can appear absolutely batshit on social media, during public presentations etc.
For the gamblers. The earlier you get in, the higher the probability you'll get good stock.
Founders and investors get in bed with each other.
Non-savvy founders get eventually pushed out or lose power.
These startups come and go constantly, so if you work for one that almost inevitably goes bust just move your desk one block away.
Talk to ex-employees before joining. If they had to sign NDA's or got threatened if they talked, avoid.
6. Self-funded startups
Formed by a small, passionate group of insiders wanting to recapture past glories or just be independent.
Can be good, but don't expect it to last when the insiders break up.
Founders can be super passionate about their project and will continue investing in it even after it becomes obvious to everyone else that it's never going to make a dime.
These startups have lifespans of a few years or so unless they have a big success.
7. Scrappy contracting outfits beholden to a single publisher
Publisher is abusive. Company ignores it because it has no choice.
You will be treated like dogs. Crunch is expected.
Founders think they are making good money, but because they go for long periods of time without any income while still working they actually aren't.
Company has zero leverage with its publisher because it doesn't have any alternatives.
Can be OK if you work there hourly, but avoid full-time contracts because you will be crunched to death and treated badly.
Darth Vader-like publisher will break all the rules, recruit your best staff, make changes to your team or contract, etc. at will - because it can.
8. Firms working with multiple publishers
Company keeps multiple products in the pipeline with multiple publishers.
Firm lies to each publisher about who is working on what.
May have secret passion-projects in the background covertly funded with publisher funds.
Fragile. If one team fails, the company is in trouble and expect layoffs. If two or more teams fail, the company is toast.
Always talk to all teams in the firm to build a picture of how healthy each product is.
Can be great places to work as long as you realize it probably won't last.
9. Phoenix-like companies started after mass layoffs in small cities
Company formed after mass layoff trauma.
Two groups: Insiders and Outsiders. Insiders are *tight*. Outsiders will never become insiders - new insiders will be brought in.
Eventual Buyout Mentality: You will be constantly told that the company will eventually be sold and you'll become rich off your stock - just like last time.
Local shadowy investors prop the company up during hard times.
Publisher(s) are kept at arms length and generally aren't allowed to interact with employees - always through managers.
Stock is absolutely, totally worthless unless the Insiders love you during a buyout.
Unstable until established. Buyout may never actually happen.
Small-town environment may make the company somewhat shady. Horizontal movement between tech companies in the same small town is virtually impossible due to illegal collusion between companies to not compete over employees.
The company actually exists to make the insiders wealthy and to give the upper management a decent lifestyle. Everyone else is expendable.
10. Companies formed by a single god-like owner
No "Insiders": There's the dictator-like owner, upper management, and everyone else.
Always meet and interview with the owner first. Avoid if they give you the creeps or a bad vibe.
Company is an expression of the owner's weird development philosophies.
Best avoided if in a small city/town.
Check the background of the owner and figure out where their funding came from. If they are scam artists, have lots of ex-employees suing them, or have otherwise shady backgrounds, obviously avoid.
11. Engine Companies
At the center of a large ecosystem of content creators
At War with competitive engine companies, which the company absolutely hates.
Funded with large amounts of investor capitol and through support contracts with large firms.
Massive, sprawling corporation consisting of multiple smaller firms spread over the entire globe.
The engine company workers actually wind up secretly hating the developers who use their engine.
Joining as a single developer gets you nowhere. It's best to be acquired by the firm as a small group and given your own office. The company actively looks for these small groups to hire/acquire.
Can be a good gig in the right city but don't expect to get anywhere. It's just a job on a large sprawling piece of engine software nobody fully understands anymore.
Company can employ talent virtually anywhere on the globe.
Workers generally treated like crap. Contractors (especially in Eastern Europe or Russia) are massively underpaid and undervalued.
Company has a firm process and procedure for doing things and that's it.
Upper management layer is cult-like and very tight.
Upper management layer is cult-like and very tight.
Each office has its own strange small town-esque politics and culture.