One thing you may be missing is that big tech companies are hiring people with scarcer skills. I think the difference goes something like Startup - Willing a

One thing you may be missing is that big tech companies are hiring people with scarcer skills. I think the difference goes something like Startup - Willing and able to learn new technologies. - Willing to be responsible for a wide range of things, and do grunt work that is below their skill level. - Willing to work longer hours, (since startups want to get a product out before the competition). Big tech companies - Can accept more rigid rules/bureaucracy. - Specialized technical knowledge (since big companies have more need for this). - Work smoothly with company politics.