Why do software engineers want to work at Netflix so much? Are there really interesting problems to be solved or is it the financial potential? It seems like it would be a second-class engineering community (no offense). Media content is what's most important? I interned at Disney and I know someone at HBO/GO. What's the difference from an engineering perspective?
Not much engineering potential
None of the other names you’ve mentioned have scaled to handle 36% of all North American internet traffic.
And it’s also a very selective company based on skills and culture... it’s like getting an invitation to some secret society. There are like 30?40k SWE at Google? I forget.
No immature youngsters like Uber and no bullshit politics like Microsoft. Plus it pays a shit tons better than most.
It's never a solved problem. Is search a solved problem? Is cab hailing a solved problem?
Come to GE if you wanna work on challenging problems for Aviation engines, Healthcare systems etc. However you should be ready to pay $700 for Healthcare from your pocket, take below average salary with no stocks and 3% bonus. I prefer high compensation that what matters to my family. At GE someone else will eat our lunch. So, it’s always best to work for the company who pays the most and tolerate other things until the point where money is not everything
Lots of learning opportunity and how they treat thier employees... Pay might be major reason though..
Think of everything that goes into budgeting, producing, marketing, and analyzing the success of a show for a global audience. There are lots of interesting engineering opportunities and challenges here.
When your application uses almost 40% of the internet traffic of North America in peak time and trying to achieve the same globally, there are so many engineering problems to solve which you never imagined.
Financial potential.