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The "Open Secret" is there was always a "bunched distribution" at the top of the talent scale in SF/Bay Area that really only made it worth it for the FAANG-lev
by dccoolgai 5y ago
The "Open Secret" is there was always a "bunched distribution" at the top of the talent scale in SF/Bay Area that really only made it worth it for the FAANG-level orgs over the last decade or so. The top 10-20%? Absolutely better there in terms of talent than anywhere else in the country. Below that, you're just paying 500K when you could get an engineer of equal/better skill anywhere else for 120K. It makes sense for FAANG to lock up that top 20% with 500K salaries... it does not make sense for companies that aren't going to get one of those engineers to try and swim in that pond unless you're making a serious run at being in that level. It really hasn't for the last decade, COVID just made the music stop for a moment and forced everyone to reckon with that.
- JumpCrisscross 5y ago> you're just paying 500K when you could get an engineer of equal/better skill anywhere else for 120K I'm not bullish on the Bay Area. But top 50% engineer sitting next to a top 10% engineer will vastly outperform one alone in the middle of the country.
- dccoolgai 5y agoThe point is rather that _you're probably not getting one of those_ unless you're FAANG. But you're paying them like they are. Anecdotes are not data, but I've personally seen and worked for several mid-size tech companies open SF/Bay offices, plow a ton of cash into them for decidedly mediocre results that they could have gotten for 1/10th of the cost almost anywhere else and then sheepishly/quietly "phase them out".