Honestly, if you're unhappy with your work it's worth looking around. I'd just think about what you would find fulfilling, because it differs from person to per

Honestly, if you're unhappy with your work it's worth looking around. I'd just think about what you would find fulfilling, because it differs from person to person. A good framework is from the book Drive by Daniel Pink. He argues work motivation can come from (a combination) of three things: autonomy (being able to self-direct your work), mastery (being good at and improving at your craft), and purpose (seeing a connection between your effort and some impact you care about). Which of those matter more and in what way are unique to you. If you care about mastery and intellectually stimulating work, you should seek it out. And not all challenges are purely technical, sometimes there are interesting product or team challenges as well. On the other hand if you're happier working on some mission you're passionate about, maybe that's more important to look for. I just felt like you held too much reverence for FAANG type companies. They are obviously successful and full of smart people, but may not scratch the itch you're looking for.