If I were starting from scratch in 2025, I’d focus less on chasing prestige and more on building leverage. That means: Learn in public. Blog, tweet, share your projects. People notice. Get really good at one thing (frontend, backend, UX, whatever), then stack adjacent skills on top. Join a startup early if you can stomach the risk—you’ll learn 10x faster than at a giant company. Network like hell. Warm intros > cold apps. Don’t burn time on Leetcode unless you’re targeting Big Tech. Most jobs don’t care. And most importantly: build stuff. Even simple projects show way more than a polished resume ever will. Hunger matters, but direction matters more.

If one learns faster at a startup, will that help them earn more money in 10 years than someone working at Big Tech? As if in 10 years, who is more likely to have more $€£: someone who worked at fast-paced startups or someone who stayed at a FAANG company? Based on my circle of friends, Big Tech compounding RSUs and promotions = $1M+ over 10 years for many engineers. Yes, you build rare skills that are in demand and under-taught at Big Tech, but will you be able to secure a role after 10 years that pays significantly more than someone who spent the past 10 years in Big Tech?