All of the criticisms of megacorps listed here are just as applicable to startups (especially with any whiff of VC funding) and mid-sized companies, without com

All of the criticisms of megacorps listed here are just as applicable to startups (especially with any whiff of VC funding) and mid-sized companies, without competitive compensation. You very likely won’t be happier at other tech companies, because despite promises of career growth, autonomy, greater responsibility and company mission, it will just be the same ruthless corporate shilling, just with worse hours, worse vacation, worse pay, and worthless lottery-like equity. I urge a lot of caution. The only reason to work at a startup (all other constraints like visa issues, geolocation preferences, etc., being equal), is because you have absolute faith in the core business model. Choosing to work at a startup because of the technologies you will supposedly use, the seniority of the role you’ll supposedly be given, the fun-seeming optics and kid-like atmosphere, lack of dress code, etc., is a massive, massive mistake - not because those preferences are wrong, but because startups absolutely don’t fulfill them. They just pay lip service to it. For 90% of employees, the choice is purely between medium-corp and mega-corp, based on your relative appraisal of work/life balance and compensation. It would be great if this were different and the charismatic nature of startups really did offer offsetting benefits through learning, autonomy, etc. But that is just across the board a total false promise bill of lies in startup marketing to bait & switch tech workers they otherwise can’t afford on the basis of market compensation.