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When big tech companies started paying $200k-$300k salaries to fresh grads, the startup dream kind of started to fade. Realistically speaking, going to whatever

When big tech companies started paying $200k-$300k salaries to fresh grads, the startup dream kind of started to fade. Realistically speaking, going to whatever big tech co has probably yielded a far better ROI to the majority of engineers if we look at their 10 year employment history, compared to their peers that went all-in on startups. (Yes, some founders obviously hit jackpot)

reidjs 4y ago
Yeah but those guys had to work at big tech companies. Not everything is about ROI or money, even in business. Some people genuinely prefer working on “their own thing” or somewhere they feel they have more impact even if there is less financial reward.
- wintogreen74 4y ago
  The pool of people who want to work on their own thing as a career and livelihood is likely smaller than you think. Lots of smart creatives apply this within their jobs and/or do their own thing outside of work. Doing what you love as a job can be a great way to kill it.
- burnished 4y ago
  Oh sure, but like all human traits it occurs along a spectrum, and fulfilling that need gets balanced against others - a tech salary solveth a multitude of problems after all. And I imagine for many getting started in tech seems like a great idea, learn a bunch and put aside a nest egg, and find out about the golden handcuffs later. My point being that the sort of intrinsic motivation you are describing gets sort of overwhelmed by huge benefits packages and total comp.
Beaver117 4y ago
Do you think big tech companies will stop paying that much? With the high interest rates I wouldn't be surprised to see the offers drop significantly. Also as an ex-FAANG engineer laid off, I'm having a lot of trouble finding a new job. I don't think I'll ever reach my old pay again. So founding a startup is looking more appealing
- rvba 4y ago
  The big tech companies generally have a positive cash flow and proven products so they can still pay those big salaries. It's the startups that will have to pay less, since they can borrow less. Also if startups pay less, big tech can pay less too. Big tech is mostly a mature business now, where the decision makers dont know what to do with cash. Facebook tried the metaverse garbage and failed, Google doesnt know how to do anything (even search sucks). Microsoft seems to have more rational ideas. All those companies are at the outsourcing stage, where they outsource their core product to low cost countries... and the product starts to suck. Good luck with your job search, perhaps try to find a boring compabyny doing boring stuff. Those horrible CRUDs are lifeblood of many moloch companies.

reidjs 4y ago

Yeah but those guys had to work at big tech companies. Not everything is about ROI or money, even in business. Some people genuinely prefer working on “their own thing” or somewhere they feel they have more impact even if there is less financial reward.

wintogreen74 4y ago
The pool of people who want to work on their own thing as a career and livelihood is likely smaller than you think. Lots of smart creatives apply this within their jobs and/or do their own thing outside of work. Doing what you love as a job can be a great way to kill it.
burnished 4y ago
Oh sure, but like all human traits it occurs along a spectrum, and fulfilling that need gets balanced against others - a tech salary solveth a multitude of problems after all. And I imagine for many getting started in tech seems like a great idea, learn a bunch and put aside a nest egg, and find out about the golden handcuffs later. My point being that the sort of intrinsic motivation you are describing gets sort of overwhelmed by huge benefits packages and total comp.

Beaver117 4y ago

Do you think big tech companies will stop paying that much? With the high interest rates I wouldn't be surprised to see the offers drop significantly. Also as an ex-FAANG engineer laid off, I'm having a lot of trouble finding a new job. I don't think I'll ever reach my old pay again. So founding a startup is looking more appealing

rvba 4y ago
The big tech companies generally have a positive cash flow and proven products so they can still pay those big salaries. It's the startups that will have to pay less, since they can borrow less. Also if startups pay less, big tech can pay less too. Big tech is mostly a mature business now, where the decision makers dont know what to do with cash. Facebook tried the metaverse garbage and failed, Google doesnt know how to do anything (even search sucks). Microsoft seems to have more rational ideas. All those companies are at the outsourcing stage, where they outsource their core product to low cost countries... and the product starts to suck. Good luck with your job search, perhaps try to find a boring compabyny doing boring stuff. Those horrible CRUDs are lifeblood of many moloch companies.