I have preferred smaller companies for a long time, particularly those that make a profit and don’t have “growth at all costs” as their real mission statement.

I have preferred smaller companies for a long time, particularly those that make a profit and don’t have “growth at all costs” as their real mission statement. I’ve worked at some dysfunctional smaller companies too, but nothing like the big tech firms. Working for real customers you have to care about versus working for increasing the share price makes a difference. I don’t expect to derive my happiness from my job, but I can reduce the frustration and overwork and feeling like nothing I do matters by working at a place where my contribution has clear value and the org doesn’t have the management slack for lots of bullshit.