I joined a startup recently (it was > 18 months ago at this point). It seemed promising but it was also strange...
I interviewed with the Engineering Director and a manager. Then I had a couple of rounds with ICs. Everything seemed great. I got an offer and accepted it.
When I started, though, one of the people who, during interviews was presented to me as an IC, was now my manager. They had an associate title. I tried to work through it. It was fucking horrible. It was hard but I walked from that job without anything lined up.
By the end of my employment there, I had learned that the entire C-suite was all friends through previous employment. That Director and the original manager were best friends from high school. The associate manager was also a friend of theirs from high school. The Ops/Infra director was also a friend of theirs from high school. And on and on it went.
I interviewed with the Engineering Director and a manager. Then I had a couple of rounds with ICs. Everything seemed great. I got an offer and accepted it.
When I started, though, one of the people who, during interviews was presented to me as an IC, was now my manager. They had an associate title. I tried to work through it. It was fucking horrible. It was hard but I walked from that job without anything lined up.
By the end of my employment there, I had learned that the entire C-suite was all friends through previous employment. That Director and the original manager were best friends from high school. The associate manager was also a friend of theirs from high school. The Ops/Infra director was also a friend of theirs from high school. And on and on it went.
OP, if you see this... Tread very carefully.