Why are people so obsessed with FAANGS and CS?
FB and Amazon were small players 10 years ago. Apple and microsoft became less desirable and huge with a much lower bar of entry and lower TC’s. Why are people still so passionate about FAANG’s in 2018? Google is still desirable but the work you do at google is meaningless for about 90% of the folks (useless products, websites crap, support, internal tools, mobile apps). Are we all attracted by the money? If so, why do most of us go for CS instead of other domains that could pay much more? Surgeons, Anesthesiologist, lawyers, edge funds, etc.
Risk vs reward. There's very low risk to negatively affect someone's life in a SWE job versus everything else you mentioned. Your face is on everything you do and people can hold you personally liable, although your actions can also lead to positive recognition for your contributions. Also, you can remain introverted and avoid interfacing with large groups of people, if you want. Although, even as swe, the more personable you are the better your career.
The obsession is largely based on the luck you might have with RSUs at one of these companies. On day 1 you might be looking at a total comp of $200K per year. But the way things have been going, your years 3 and 4 may suddenly turn into 400K per year. Everyone expects that to continue, but it won’t unless you are one of the few unicorn robots that the company wants to retain and promote. This means that tech workers today are now thinking like finance and “Wall Street” workers — that they’re gonna rock it and be in the top of the pack, the gravy train will keep rolling, they’ll get that corner office with $1mm+++ per year, and they can cash out whenever they get bored with it. What they don’t realize is that as you get older, you slowly sell your soul in exchange for this. And also that the funnel to the top is fucking brutal — you have to shed parts of your soul and humanity in order to make it. Colleagues you thought were friends are not, it’s business — not their business, but they’re still looking out for themselves first. You then belong to the company, and that is simply who you are. If you’re lucky you have family you haven’t alienated and who know otherwise, but the rest of the world will never see it. A strong bond with your family and children will make up for most of it, should you be so lucky.
Well said
Who told u Apple has lower TC’s? I found it much harder to get into Apple than FB. Also the offer I got from Apple was much higher. I’m a new master’s grad BTW, not currently working at MSFT
When I was at Apple I was over performing and my TC was below market. They used to give awesome refreshers though, I won’t lie... but their argument was “it’s apple”. It worked back then, not today...
Apple’s initial RSU at the time of joining are usually lower that F/G but the RSU refreshes are of similar order as F/G. So initially your salary will be low but if you stay long enough (4 years), it will be is similar order as F/G (assuming everything else is constant).
Surgeons and doctors do not make more than senior devs.
Oh they do
^ Nope they do at least at FANNG
Because a career in tech is way more approachable than being a doctor/lawyer/hedge fund manager. There simply isn’t barriers to entry that there is in medicine/law. Anyone can start programming in a matter of weeks, but practicing medicine/law requires multiple years of dedicated commitment.
Takes a while for doctors to come online, right? Don’t some FAANG make this at 30-40 years old with no debt and just a Bachelor’s?
Yes. Easily.
Has the thought that there are people who actually enjoy working in tech and that most of the people on here are primarily tech people who don't represent the general population pooped up in you mind?
My mind does need to take a big dump.
because blind is an echo chamber of the top 10% of tech people who all live in the bubble of big tech, finance, consulting, capital rich internal R&D/tech departments and VC-istan startups. most software engineers are just plug and play coders that make very average amounts of money in very average settings.
TC seems to be doubled or tripled after this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Tech_Employee_Antitrust_Litigation
Coincidentally, the second tech boom seemed to follow that 🤔 Could it be that paying your employees better makes them work harder?
More money along with good WLB and less risk. More opportunities and flexibility to work from anywhere. I can keep going. The list is pretty big.
The jobs I mentioned above pay double. A surgeon could make $500k per year. Is it stressful? Do it for 5-10y then retire. Folks want to join a faang for 10y in the Bay then leave to chill. I’d say pick up a job that pays double
Do you think a manager at LinkedIn is making much less than $500k?