I honestly think that perhaps what stage of your career greatly influences these types of decisions. I have been in the industry since the ‘90’s, way before FAA

I honestly think that perhaps what stage of your career greatly influences these types of decisions. I have been in the industry since the ‘90’s, way before FAANG and “big tech” arrived to the scene. Once they did I never understood why everyone seemed to flock to these jobs. Of course it is money stupid I said to myself but there is lots of money to be made elsewhere. If we are after money alone I honestly never understood yet again why big tech - in my career I figured that the absolute best way to have a prosperous career (and make a shitton of money along the way) is to get to the point where you are more valuable to the company than company is to you. I ballpark there are 10 such employees at each big tech while I ballpark there is at least 1 (or few) and most if not all not-big-tech. And there are A LOT of not-big-tech companies and you don’t have to spend months/years… to prepare for some BS interview or do some silly shit on leetcode or whatever. Find a company that has been in the business for a long time and has good books (my decision on whether to pursue a job at a given company are largely based on two things - would I invest money in the company and whether or not I think what they do is meaningful (I interned at Monsanto while in college and cannot ever forgive myself for that - since then what company does is more important than what my compensation is). Once you land a job slowly start looking at things everyone else stays away from - that will always be the case. It’ll be something “some dude wrote - you shouldn’t touch it, no one knows how it works” … well except you, you badass will figure it out (better months spent than doing leetcode crap that is the biggest waste of time imaginable) and then after some time it is you, YOU are that gal/guy without whom nothing gets done, no fires get put out swiftly etc… I would never work for FAANG or big tech - first and foremost for the reasons you are pondering as well as additional reasons where I just can’t see ANY reason except money for someone to work there and there is money elsewhere…