I agree with this as well. I spent 7 years at my first job, and would have been much better off moving at least once. After that I tended to average closer to

I agree with this as well. I spent 7 years at my first job, and would have been much better off moving at least once. After that I tended to average closer to 3 - 4 years at jobs. I would recommend having at least one stop where you spend more than a year or two, just to show that you can get past the initial ramp up period. This avoids having a red flag on your resume, but that may be old fashioned thinking. The original stipulation is someone with the skills to get into a FAANG, so I'll focus less on that. I'm also going to ignore quality of life considerations. Cynical ideas, with a slant towards making the most money: - Don't be afraid to move, or take advantage of working remotely. - Get a job that pays Silicon Valley money / RSUs but then move somewhere cheap. - Pay more attention to potential stock benefits, that's where the bigger money can be. - When the market is running better again, jump to a company that should go public soon. This way you get the most shares with the least personal risk. If you get good a guessing who the "hot" company will be, you can do really well. - Companies aren't allowed to say when they're going public, or their stock may disappoint. Switch and try again if you've guessed wrong. - Don't stick around past your initial stock grant (generally 4 years). - Keep an ear out for the hot new tech / VC focus, and learn enough of those skills to get hired. - Get good at interviewing. Note: this is what's worked in the past, future conditions may be different.