Ask HN: Cloud Consultant vs. FAANG Job? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Cloud Consultant vs. FAANG Job?

4 pointstuyguntn9 comments

I am thinking a lot about my career recently, since I am generalist engineer and getting older and older, thinking if I should make strict move to join FAANG company (I may qualify for Google L5, if I can pass their leetcode interview part) or pursue cloud consultant job (fairly qualified in AWS). Tired of being generalist backend engineer who does everything for any company, who are building some type of CRUD app with some business logic before/after retrieving/storing data.

Any recommendations?

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Working for a FAANG almost guarantees you will see yourself become the villain. But you will make the most money there, and probably have a fairly secure position.

A cloud consultant job (not at a FAANG, presumably) allows you to deliver the solution best for your customer, regardless of the source of the services.

I am thinking about place where I can do things little bit more right way and relax a little (in case of consultant job, take a rest from time to time for couple more weeks or months), instead of always in a rush, because customer X is asking for feature Y, they need it yesterday.

I had that option (AWS L7). My answer was to go independent.

Having done that, I'd strongly advise people to do the opposite unless they have no choice. There's a LOT of stuff inherent to running a business that doesn't map directly back to the thing you're good at / enjoy doing.

Can you tell us more about rejecting L7 offer at Amazon? I am trying to start a small software business but I have no experience running a business.

How did you make a decision? What skills you would recommend check for? What is a baseline or must have skills before making such decision?

Thanks.

AWS Noncompete.

https://www.lastweekinaws.com/blog/why-i-turned-down-an-aws-... goes into it in some depth.

do you think, if you had chosen AWS L7 career you would advise opposite of going FAANG way? nice to get feedback from Corey, your insights are helpful

FAANG, better pay, more respect, better career prospects, long term growth into management due to the prestige, and everything is becoming a monopoly

FAANG, no question. Its more money, huge benefits, and it's easier.

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