Ideally, any business or project is be based on the principle to change the world for the better. Any change, in turn, needs a vision and a purpose.

A vision needs to fulfill three criteria to set it apart as really great: it needs to be inspiring, larger than shareholders, and.. uhum... visionary. The last one might seem a bit obvious, but it really isn't.

Working for a small company has a lot of benefits. It is easier to make your voice heard and get recognition for your work. Smaller companies sometimes take better care of their employees and offer benefits not available in larger corporations. Most of all, though, it’s a lot of fun!

Working in a startup is also associated with greater uncertainty. If the company is in a decisive period and management fails to make the right decisions, your job security is jeopardized.

Here are five things that you should ponder before accepting a job offer from a startup or small IT company.