For years, landing a job at one of the Big Tech companies—Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google—was the goal.
That shiny badge. The six-figure salary. Free lunches and ergonomic chairs. The validation that you’d “made it.”
So yeah, I chased it too. I did the LeetCode grind, memorized dynamic programming patterns, practiced mock interviews, followed the guides. I even reached final rounds a few times.
But in 2024, I stopped. Cold.
Not because I gave up. But because I woke up.
The FAANG Dream Is… Different Now
Here’s the thing: the tech industry in 2021 was not the tech industry in 2024.
Back then, companies were throwing money at developers. Offers were wild. I saw junior devs making $180K+. Everyone was hiring. Everyone was growing. Engineers were being treated like kings.
Fast forward to today, and it’s a different game.
- Layoffs hit hard. Not just at startups, but at Meta, Amazon, Google, you name it.
- Projects were cut. Teams dissolved. Entire divisions disappeared.
- People who had spent years grinding for that FAANG job were shown the door in a Slack message.
The myth of “job security in Big Tech” crumbled.
I Realized I Wasn’t Chasing My Dream
At some point, I had to ask myself: Why do I even want this?
Was it for the money? The brand name? The approval of other developers?
I never stopped to think whether I’d actually enjoy working in a massive organization where you’re just one cog in a huge machine. Where "impact" means shipping a feature behind a feature flag that 0.02% of users might see for a week.
I didn’t want to spend my days optimizing signup buttons or writing glue code between microservices I couldn’t control.
The Interview Process Burned Me Out
Honestly? Interviewing at FAANG companies started to feel like a second job.
I was coding all day… and then spending nights grinding algorithms I’d never use at work. Just to be asked some tree traversal question by someone who wouldn’t remember my name 10 minutes later.
And even when I did well? Ghosted. Or given vague feedback like “we’re moving forward with someone else.”
At some point, I realized I was pouring time and emotional energy into a process that didn’t even guarantee me anything in return.
What I’m Focusing On Instead
When I stepped off the FAANG treadmill, I started seeing the ecosystem more clearly.
Turns out, the world is way bigger than Silicon Valley darlings.
Smaller Companies, Bigger Opportunities
I started working with mid-size startups and profitable bootstrapped companies. Guess what?
- I had way more ownership.
- I made product decisions.
- I saw my work go live in days, not quarters.
- I wasn’t just “Software Engineer #1283.”
And I still got paid well.
Building My Own Stuff
I also started building side projects again. Real ones. SaaS apps, tools, scripts, products I wanted to use.
Not to pad a resume. Not to impress a recruiter. Just to learn, ship, and enjoy the process again.
One of them even started making money. Not a lot—but enough to remind me that there’s another path.
What I Learned
The past few years have been a reality check for a lot of developers. Myself included.
Here’s what I’ve taken away:
- Brand names don’t guarantee stability. Your startup job might outlast a Meta role.
- Interviewing is a skill. And it’s not always correlated with being a great developer.
- Ownership matters more than perks. You’ll grow faster where you have impact.
- Learning how to ship is more valuable than solving LeetCode Mediums.
- There’s no “one true path.” FAANG is not the only measure of success.
Final Thoughts
I’m not saying you shouldn’t apply to FAANG.
If you’re passionate about it—go for it. It’s still a great experience and a solid paycheck. But don’t do it just because the internet says it’s the holy grail.
Ask yourself what kind of work you actually want to do. What kind of problems you want to solve. What kind of developer you want to become.
Because the truth is, no one path fits all of us.
And in a world where AI is changing everything, adaptability, creativity, and autonomy might end up being your most valuable skills—not your company badge.
Have you stepped off the FAANG train too? Or are you still aiming for it? Let’s talk in the comments. I’d love to hear your take.
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