What would you pick?

Zepto is a mess, but if you're willing to endure then there may be a significant stock upside.

Flipkart might go public! I don’t know the upside left if you join them this late

Ask zepto to make it 69

Can someone help me understand how(And why)Product Management roles(Product Manager/Product Owner) gets so high packages?

Apart from Principal Engineer/Solution Architect(Architect of any other sorts) and developers I have not seen any other roles getting such high packages. Take for instance my own field. I'm into QA and the highest package I have seen someone get is, Exp5. But if you look at the author's comp, it is almost Exp10.

What is it that they exclusively bring to the table that fetches them such high salaries. Genuinely asking, because I'm currently at 6YOE and looking out for various domain/technology/roles to transition to in order to secure a high paying package and settle into it for some more years. If I start planning and preparing now, by the time I switch(Planning to switch now) I would have reached 10Y.O.E.

No personal life in zepto whatsoever. No weekend. No nights. No perks. No food.

• Compensation : Both the stock options are pretty poor in comparison to some other firms in same unicorn category. But at FK, if it is 10 per year then that is at the high end of what they offer for PM level. Zepto has fleeced you in this regard. For the level and salary you are getting, your ESOPs should be >20L per year min. But if you do not have a better competing ESOP offer, then it wouldn't be possible to move this.

• Level : FK offer seems to be at a PM2 level, and Zepto at an SPM level. Better to go with Z because levels matter both in your current role for promotions and when you apply to your next role. Also, FK has very rigid promotion timelines, you'd have to stay for a minimum of 1.5-2 years in your role to be considered for next level. Plus they also will have to cater first to those who joined at the same level before you, so by the time you get promoted it would be 2.5 yrs. And if you have not yet heard, there haven't been hikes at FK for the last 2-3 yrs. So do not expect salary to grow unless promotions come.

• Culture : FK from what i have heard is much much better in terms of product management culture. Your PRDs actually get reviewed by your boss and your boss's boss, and your responsibilities are much more clearer. They've been at this game for the last 10+ years and introduced prodman to india, so they have good PM practices. Z on the other hand appears to be more of a hustle culture, which would burn you out quite quickly. Think about putting in those midnights for a false sense of urgency created by your boss every week and having to take on the work of 5 people. Here are the exact words from a close source - '.. yahaan pe kuch bhi chalta h'.

My 2 cents - since you have cracked both now, if required you can do the same at a later point in time as well. If all else is okay in life, then take the risk to go to Z. If possible push for higher ESOPs.

Know that for the most part unless you join a company at its Series A/B stage, ESOPs are purely paper money. When you finally want to get them out, you will notice that your true value of those options would be cut by around atleast 50% (30% for tax, and remaining by the investor who is going to buy them). Which is why if you have a choice, push for higher esops.

Just curious. For this PM role did you do any extra certification or just technical skills are enough?

@nocode97 can you tell your previous and new designation

If you’re somebody that values work lifembalance and work culture, pls avoid Zepto. Atrocious work hours. A friend was working till 2am last Saturday and that too at a senior level.

Additionally much reports of verbally abusive behavior by one of the promoters.

All the best man wherever you go!