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IMO your most likely to find 'lifer' types at a FAANG than many others. Job-hopping usually stops becoming an easy promo system once you've hit staff anyway.

by novok 4y ago

neilv 4y ago
I could totally see lifer being great at Google, especially with FIRE being an option eventually. And maybe at an unnamed other FAANG. Some of the others seem to have had a relative ruthlessness baked into their founding DNA, and I wouldn't bet on them working out long-term. (Because leadership shapes lasting culture; and someone who's nice to you, but nasty to others, will eventually be nasty to you.) Also, for any duration at those places, I'd also need to vet whomever I'd be reporting to, for whether they'd have my back if/when daggers started flying around internally. Another one seemed to have good founding DNA, but I know less about that one.
- nvarsj 4y ago
  I think things are starting to heat up at Google lately - with increased pip quotas and top down pressure. But it’s also the only FAANG I know with people who have been there for 8+ years. Definitely seems like it was a very comfortable, low stress place to work for a long time. I’m guessing places like Bell Labs had similar vibes, but it’s a pretty rare thing these days.
- Aromasin 4y ago
  You find a hell of a lot of lifers in the semiconductor industry from my experience. Intel, TSMC, AMD, Qualcomm, NVIDIA, IBM, ARM etc. It seems to tick all the boxes I guess. Fulfilling work, decent pay, good benefits, and plenty of room for growth both vertically into director role, and horizontally into other teams and domains. There's scope to make a global impact if you're good at what you do. I couldn't imagine staying at the company I'm at forever, but equally, I'm not particularly drawn to any other company right now.
  - neilv 4y ago
    Regarding IBM, there's allegations that at least part of IBM can be not very nice towards headcount: https://features.propublica.org/ibm/ibm-age-discrimination-american-workers/ https://features.propublica.org/ibm/ibm-age-discrimination-a...
  - marssaxman 4y ago
    I noticed that when Intel acquired a startup I had been working for: most of the people I met had spent many years there. The company culture seemed to be set up around taking good care of employees and retaining them for a long time. (They offer a paid sabbatical every seven years, for example, and it's not uncommon to meet people who have actually used it.) I cannot imagine wanting to stay at any company forever, but Intel was a pleasant place to be. If they hadn't bombed the "fulfilling work" and "room for growth" parts of the equation I might still be there.
  - ghaff 4y ago
    A long ago long-term manager of mine from the minicomputer industry (now Dell by way of successive acquisitions) just hit his 43rd service anniversary--started in sales out of school I think. I know a bunch of people at IBM who have been there two or more decades. I've been at several places 10+ years but I seem to hit my limit at about that point.
roland35 4y ago
Yeah, although there is fair degree of turnover to different big-tech companies as well (especially now to get a nice RSU new-hire grant at a lower share price). On pulse surveys there is always a question "how many years are you planning on staying" and it tops off at 9+ :) I joined my first FAANG as a staff engineer working remotely about a year ago and will stay as long as they will have me! Even with the location adjustment and market downturn I am making a great income for the Midwest and get to lead some interesting projects in embedded engineering. I am also too old and tired to interview again!

IMO your most likely to find 'lifer' types at a FAANG than many others. Job-hopping usually stops becoming an easy promo system once you've hit staff anyway.

by novok 4y ago

IMO your most likely to find 'lifer' types at a FAANG than many others. Job-hopping usually stops becoming an easy promo system once you've hit staff anyway.

neilv 4y ago

I could totally see lifer being great at Google, especially with FIRE being an option eventually. And maybe at an unnamed other FAANG. Some of the others seem to have had a relative ruthlessness baked into their founding DNA, and I wouldn't bet on them working out long-term. (Because leadership shapes lasting culture; and someone who's nice to you, but nasty to others, will eventually be nasty to you.) Also, for any duration at those places, I'd also need to vet whomever I'd be reporting to, for whether they'd have my back if/when daggers started flying around internally. Another one seemed to have good founding DNA, but I know less about that one.

nvarsj 4y ago
I think things are starting to heat up at Google lately - with increased pip quotas and top down pressure. But it’s also the only FAANG I know with people who have been there for 8+ years. Definitely seems like it was a very comfortable, low stress place to work for a long time. I’m guessing places like Bell Labs had similar vibes, but it’s a pretty rare thing these days.
Aromasin 4y ago
You find a hell of a lot of lifers in the semiconductor industry from my experience. Intel, TSMC, AMD, Qualcomm, NVIDIA, IBM, ARM etc. It seems to tick all the boxes I guess. Fulfilling work, decent pay, good benefits, and plenty of room for growth both vertically into director role, and horizontally into other teams and domains. There's scope to make a global impact if you're good at what you do. I couldn't imagine staying at the company I'm at forever, but equally, I'm not particularly drawn to any other company right now.
- neilv 4y ago
  Regarding IBM, there's allegations that at least part of IBM can be not very nice towards headcount: https://features.propublica.org/ibm/ibm-age-discrimination-american-workers/ https://features.propublica.org/ibm/ibm-age-discrimination-a...
- marssaxman 4y ago
  I noticed that when Intel acquired a startup I had been working for: most of the people I met had spent many years there. The company culture seemed to be set up around taking good care of employees and retaining them for a long time. (They offer a paid sabbatical every seven years, for example, and it's not uncommon to meet people who have actually used it.) I cannot imagine wanting to stay at any company forever, but Intel was a pleasant place to be. If they hadn't bombed the "fulfilling work" and "room for growth" parts of the equation I might still be there.
- ghaff 4y ago
  A long ago long-term manager of mine from the minicomputer industry (now Dell by way of successive acquisitions) just hit his 43rd service anniversary--started in sales out of school I think. I know a bunch of people at IBM who have been there two or more decades. I've been at several places 10+ years but I seem to hit my limit at about that point.

roland35 4y ago

Yeah, although there is fair degree of turnover to different big-tech companies as well (especially now to get a nice RSU new-hire grant at a lower share price). On pulse surveys there is always a question "how many years are you planning on staying" and it tops off at 9+ :) I joined my first FAANG as a staff engineer working remotely about a year ago and will stay as long as they will have me! Even with the location adjustment and market downturn I am making a great income for the Midwest and get to lead some interesting projects in embedded engineering. I am also too old and tired to interview again!