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Indeed. Apart from option A (work hard at startup, get rich if startup exits successfully) and option B (work less hard FAANG, get paid with very high likelihoo
by WJW 4y ago
Indeed. Apart from option A (work hard at startup, get rich if startup exits successfully) and option B (work less hard FAANG, get paid with very high likelihood), there are also at least option C (work hard at startup, get almost nothing because the startup fails) and option D (work less hard at FAANG, don't get paid). Option C is much more likely than option A, but option D is much less likely than option B (unless you work at Twitter I guess).
- sverhagen 4y agoOr you'd never qualify for a FAANG, and startups are your only chance to riches...
- WJW 4y agoI think you focused too much on the "FAANG" part of my previous post and not enough on the "odds" part. Let me rephrase my previous point: Startups are not a reliable path to riches, anymore than the casino is. A "normal" career, whether in FAANG or in the less flashy parts of the industry, has a vastly lower variablility than the startup route with the same or higher expected value when measured over a few decades. Don't get fooled by the marketing posts that feature only successful founders while ignoring the mountain of failed startups that cost their early employees millions in opportunity costs.
- ghaff 4y agoThere's this certain FAANG vs. startup dichotomy in this thread. There are a ton of IT-related jobs that pay very decent professional salaries (in not necessarily the very most expensive locations to live) and have interesting --if not necessarily cutting-edge--work. A ton of people are just fine with that. It's not like you need to work at Google or a startup to not be a failure.
- brandall10 4y agoIt does seems that unicorny startups are full of ex-FAANG though.
- ghaff 4y agoIs that surprising? They've probably already made lots of money at a large company and want to do something they consider more exciting albeit financially risky.
- disgruntledphd2 4y agoNah, it's that they feel they didn't make enough from FAANG cos they got there too late (everyone in a successful growth company feels this way) and want to try again. Additionally, at the time they joined FAANG those companies weren't as big and they might prefer that environment (I know I do, at least).
- brandall10 4y agoNot at all, this is in response to the notion that it’s easier/lower barrier of entry than FAANG. The ones I’ve interviewed at were basically FAANG interviews conducted by ex FAANG engineers and managers.
- thrashh 4y agoThere's also many other options. My buddy works 15 hrs/week at a non-FAANG and non-startup tech company making 200k base. It's not FAANG money but it's still very good and he has a lot of free time.