Netflix vs Snowflake
Got offers from both Netflix and Snowflake. Assuming I like both teams roughly equally, which should I pick? Things I’m optimizing for: career growth (main), company reputation, and culture. Feeling a little frustrated in my current role, so I’d look into an internal transfer if I don’t hop. One thing worth noting is Netflix does 14k in 401k match, which Snowflake doesn’t. Snow in turn has ESPP for 15% of base at 15% discount. YoE: 2 Current TC: L4 300k after stock pump
Netflix has a brutal culture. People just disappear as there are few controls from a manager just deciding they don't want you around anymore. At least 50% or more of people who you see left Netflix at some point were pushed out.
Basically all the Snowflake roles are listed as senior level. Did you just apply to those anyways?
A recruiter reached out to me for a level below senior. They still have open headcount at that level if i understand correctly.
Wait — what about WLB? Did you forget it or are you not optimizing for it?
its not like Google has great WLB currently. with layoffs, cost cuts, micro management is at all time high.
WLB at Google is still good to the most part. Layoffs and cost cutting add some stress around uncertainty and kill morale, but don’t change the day-to-day much. I don’t want to be expected to work more than 40 hour weeks, even if I might choose to do so willingly. Are Netflix or Snowflae worse than that?
any reason why you want to leave google? you seem to be on good career trajectory with good comp, especially for your yoe.
I’m not really going anywhere on my current team (no path to promotion), and we’re heavily offshoring to Bangalore in my team so there’s risk of cuts. I’d anyway want to switch teams, which is practically equivalent to switching companies.
Snowflake business model and future better than Netflix.
PhD or MLE? How to achieve such offer given just 2YOE?
Not MLE but in SWE in ML space. While these numbers are good, I don’t think they’re unheard of for 2 YoE if you look around levels.fyi and blind.
None of the offers really changing your status too much. Internal transfer might be less friction if available. Haven’t worked at Netflix but based on general gossip you probably will be better rewarded for your efforts there vs Snowflake.
Netflix has good WLB for most teams. The company has a culture deck saying how many hours you work is not important, you just need to get the job done. If you are a 5x engineer you have an easy life, if you are 0.5x, it's only a matter of time you are let go. That's what it's about
How does one get an interview at Netflix? I applied to roles where I'm a great fit and also messaged recruiters directly on LinkedIn. No luck smh. Seems like it's one of the few companies where it's almost impossible to interview at.
You got offers from two of the companies known for the worst WLB around, for only a ~20% bump overall. The cash/noncash balance is obviously better at Netflix but their business model has peaked. What is your salary like at Google? What's your sense of Snowflake's business model? Also, how is the commute to Snowflake vs your current one to Google and are they both 3 day RTO? And for Google are you in a revenue making division where you are at lower risks for layoff?
Haven’t heard of Netflix wlb being bad. Can you share more?
Thanks for the response and interesting thought questions! I’m currently making around $300k at Google, of which ~200k is cash/bonus. And the area I’m in aligns with what Snowflake core business does (but there’s still interesting teams at Google/Netflix working on it too). RTO is roughly a wash. I’ll move apartments in the summer to San Mateo if I switch to Snowflake, and both are 3 days in office. Netflix has the option for full remote. I’m in a team that’s ripe for cuts right now and the direction is unclear, but if I plan to stay at Google longer term I’ll definitely switch teams.