I’m on my fifth company of my career. Every job I’ve joined as an IC.

My first job I got because I interned and they wanted me to join full time.

My second job I joined as a straight SE.

My third job was via an acquisition of the second company, and I started as an IC and became a Sr Director.

My fourth job I was a co-founder that did a little of everything.

My fifth job I joined as a senior IC, and basically pitched where I could have the most impact during my first week and then have just run from there.

The only thing that matters when joining a company is really your salary, as they are unlikely to fix that quickly. Role, title, focus, manager, etc, can all be changed quickly if you present a solution to leadership that makes sense to them.

Oh, and regarding what type of companies. For me the primary factor right now is remote. I plan on being remote for the rest of my career. That’s my number one priority when looking at companies to join.