First of all, Congratulations on achieving the 1000 milestone!
This is an enjoyable piece because it speaks truthfully and honestly about first-hand experiences in different working environments. Personally, I have experienced these differences in various roles, and it is always an enlightening experience to understand the various cultures that can propel my own professional career journey. Thanks for sharing your insight!
Either you are working at a startup and want to move to a Big tech company or you are in Big Tech companies and want to move to startups, then this is a must read!
This is a mature take on the the kind of jobs Engineers might want to work at. Everyone has different set of priorities in life and it is important to be informed about the work style.
Nice write-up! Especially the part about startups. It's a unique environment that can really accelerate your personal and professional growth in a short time. More responsibility at an earlier stage and the ability to finish projects in a very constrained fashion is a valuable skill, although not for everyone and not forever.
That makes a lot of sense. I was not super clear on the source to quote those numbers but also wanted to keep it focussed on learnings, but appreciate the feedback!
Enjoyed reading this write up on the differences between big tech, mid tech, and startups.
Loved this quote here as it’s very similar to my experience: “I had to unlearn many processes and coding practices. Most importantly, I had to unlearn 'asking for permission'. The autonomy and flexibility were great. They had the perfect blend of moving fast, showing impact quickly, and not overcomplicating. It positively blew my mind.”
I used to work at a hyper growth startup. We got acquired by a mid sized company and are now working to get out of the craziness that quick growth brings.
It’s definitely a learning curve to unlearn some of the habits on breaking things and moving at hyper speed… but also still has the benefits of moving fast, innovating, and providing quick wins for customers.
I think in startups you sometimes have to be comfortable with making decisions you wouldn't usually make due to time constraints. As much as you want to design the best thing, it doesn't mean much if you can't secure the next seed round or investor funding.
Though I will advocate the big tech for those who skim the article and miss the nuance you called out.
Big tech deals with a big scale so the processes protect them from having major incidents.
I have seen my company go from mid tier ish to big tech. Things we could do back then were right for the time but not now. Also the problems we solve now are of different nature which require different skills.
First of all, Congratulations on achieving the 1000 milestone!
This is an enjoyable piece because it speaks truthfully and honestly about first-hand experiences in different working environments. Personally, I have experienced these differences in various roles, and it is always an enlightening experience to understand the various cultures that can propel my own professional career journey. Thanks for sharing your insight!
Thank you Edward, appreciate your engagement.
Either you are working at a startup and want to move to a Big tech company or you are in Big Tech companies and want to move to startups, then this is a must read!
This is a mature take on the the kind of jobs Engineers might want to work at. Everyone has different set of priorities in life and it is important to be informed about the work style.
Loved the appreciation Avneesh!
Nice write-up! Especially the part about startups. It's a unique environment that can really accelerate your personal and professional growth in a short time. More responsibility at an earlier stage and the ability to finish projects in a very constrained fashion is a valuable skill, although not for everyone and not forever.
Thank you Steffen!
It's worth mentioning when you speak about small-to-mid size companies there is a big difference between:
- Thriving companies (100+% rev growth)
- Surviving companies (40-60% rev growth)
- Plateau companies (<40% growth).
There is a big difference in comp and engineering practices.
That makes a lot of sense. I was not super clear on the source to quote those numbers but also wanted to keep it focussed on learnings, but appreciate the feedback!
Enjoyed reading this write up on the differences between big tech, mid tech, and startups.
Loved this quote here as it’s very similar to my experience: “I had to unlearn many processes and coding practices. Most importantly, I had to unlearn 'asking for permission'. The autonomy and flexibility were great. They had the perfect blend of moving fast, showing impact quickly, and not overcomplicating. It positively blew my mind.”
I used to work at a hyper growth startup. We got acquired by a mid sized company and are now working to get out of the craziness that quick growth brings.
It’s definitely a learning curve to unlearn some of the habits on breaking things and moving at hyper speed… but also still has the benefits of moving fast, innovating, and providing quick wins for customers.
Love it! thank you so much Caleb. Your vast expertise and experience at startups and you sharing those nuggets in your newsletter is truely valuable.
Great comparison points. I am yet to work for a mid-tier or startup but these points provide a good overall understanding.
Thank you Hemant! Glad that it provided some insights to you!
I think in startups you sometimes have to be comfortable with making decisions you wouldn't usually make due to time constraints. As much as you want to design the best thing, it doesn't mean much if you can't secure the next seed round or investor funding.
Yes, that’s true. That’s the essence I have tried to convey. Thank you Jade!
Good article.
Though I will advocate the big tech for those who skim the article and miss the nuance you called out.
Big tech deals with a big scale so the processes protect them from having major incidents.
I have seen my company go from mid tier ish to big tech. Things we could do back then were right for the time but not now. Also the problems we solve now are of different nature which require different skills.