I want to leave Bay Area for another smaller office, same company. I’m worried it will stall my career growth & hamper the possibility to move up. Any insight? 32 y/o
Google 5-8 years ago might be what facebook is now. People believed remote offices will have less chance for promo, and impossible to get to director level. From what I observed from my peers, former statement is not true until E5/L5. All my peers got promoted as fast as peers in FB, 2-3 years from new grad to senior. For those who choose HQ, it's all about luck. For E6/E7, you have to travel way more frequent, and adjust your working hours(sometimes terrible) if not in US. I don't have enough data points to get a strong enough conclusion, but the privilege and life style you earn is way better than HQ, if you value that. For Director or above, you must have strong support in HQ, and also depend on how your site grows so much that is enough to host another Director.
Thanks for the thoughtful response.
It depends where you're going. If you're from the Bay Area, I'd say don't leave based on my own personal experience (unless you want to go back to your home state / city / country). Hard to find the same type of career motivated/ extremely ambitious engineers and mentors outside of the Bay + some major cities.
From NY. Hate the Bay Area :( wanna move back or abroad.
Great context. I'd say go to where you feel happy. I left the Bay and had to go back after a year. Career development shouldn't be an issue.
Generally speaking you want to be closer to the action. Out of sight. Out of mind. Unless the team/project is largely based in the satellite office and most team/project decisions are made locally.