I don't know anyone who works at those companies because they want to innovate. Everybody I know used to work at more innovative (e.g. smaller, younger companie

I don't know anyone who works at those companies because they want to innovate. Everybody I know used to work at more innovative (e.g. smaller, younger companies and startups) and went to those companies because the money and benefits were good. Sometimes there is some vague optimism about "working at scale", but nothing about innovation. And they end up working on some product that is a knock-off of something that already exists, because the larger org needs a presence in that space. So, that's not innovation. I see FAANG as becoming the modern equivalent of working for IBM or Microsoft in the 90s: a comfortable, good job you can expect to still have in 10 years if you want it.