Why You Should Leave Your FAANG Job

FAANG jobs are comfortable—big salary, great perks, job security. But if you have even the smallest urge to build something on your own, staying too long is a trap. Here’s why leaving could be the best decision you ever make.

1️⃣ The Retention Trap

FAANG companies don’t just pay well—they design their compensation to keep you stuck.

• Vested Equity (Golden Handcuffs) – Your stock vests over 4 years, with most of it coming in the later years. This keeps you waiting for the next cycle, making it harder to leave.

• Level System – Promotions are slow and structured. They convince you to stay just one more year to reach the next level.

• Bonuses & Benefits – Big annual bonuses and perks (free food, gym, etc.) make you think, “Why leave when life is easy?”

Before you know it, 5+ years have passed, and your startup dreams feel way riskier than they did before.

2️⃣ The Work Doesn’t Prepare You for a Startup

At FAANG, you use their internal tools to complete tasks. These tools don’t exist outside of their ecosystem.

• You’re optimizing within their pre-built systems.

• You’re not dealing with real-world problems like customer acquisition, market fit, or sales.

• If you decide to start your own thing, you start from scratch.

Many FAANG engineers leave and realize they don’t know how to build something from zero. That’s a problem.

3️⃣ You’re Building Their Dream, Not Yours

The projects you work on? They’re not yours. Even if you solve a big problem, it’s just one small part of a massive company.

• You have little ownership over what you build.

• You can’t take your work with you if you leave.

• Your ideas need approval from layers of management.

If you have a vision, FAANG will never let you fully realize it.

4️⃣ Startups Teach You Way More

At a startup (or your own business), you wear multiple hats—engineering, marketing, sales, customer support.

• You get full control over what you build.

• You deal with real-world problems like growth, user retention, and revenue.

• You learn to move fast, while FAANG teaches you to follow process.

You’ll grow 10x faster in a startup than you ever will in a big company.

5️⃣ You Can Always Go Back

Worried about leaving? Don’t be. If your startup fails, FAANG will still hire you back.

But if you never leave, you might regret never trying.

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Lastly

FAANG gives you security. Startups give you growth.

If you’re serious about building something of your own, staying in FAANG too long might be the biggest risk of all.

Thinking about leaving? Drop your thoughts below!