Nah most companies still insist on their process but I don't think I've ever been denied an interview (it's usually HR screening resumes and they won't pass on

Nah most companies still insist on their process but I don't think I've ever been denied an interview (it's usually HR screening resumes and they won't pass on people with a background at companies like FB/Google). It helped a lot in convincing me working at a large tech company was not the right path for me personally (if you can't tolerate it at FB/Google, it's unlikely you would be able to do so anywhere else). Perhaps the biggest benefit is security: you can safely take startup risks without worrying about getting back into the industry. That's been the most important benefit I think.