That first job switch: Moving from a startup to a big company

My experience about working at a Startup, my decision to switch and my thoughts around working at a big company.

The goal is to help you all to understand key differences in areas such as engineering, organization, personal and career development between a startup and a big company.

This also shares the challenges around job search, interviewing and negotiating an offer when making the first switch.

Transcript

1. That first job switch Moving from a startup to a big company
2. Previously, Software Engineer at a Startup (2+ years) Masters in Computer Science, SUNY Buffalo, New York Who am I? @vinucharanya Software Engineer Cloud Infrastructure Management
3. Life at a Startup Life at a Big Company The Switch What am I going to talk about?
4. How did it all begin?
5. Source: bravebosom.com/access-to-brca-testing-yes-were-ready/we- can-do-it/
6. Source: rtbevent.com/splash-page-sf/
8. Life at a Startup
9. Adapt quickly to a fast and constantly changing environment
10. What it means… • Change is fast and constant (Leading to Uncertainty & Instability) ◦ Tactical and short term focus ◦ Panic doesn’t get you anywhere, remember to keep calm and get sh*t done. • Constrained Resources (time, people, capital) ◦ Learn new things (self, pair mostly) ◦ Juggle multiple things
11. Personal Growth and Career Development
12. • Work/Life Balance ◦ Working non-working hours felt great initially → sense of accomplishment when features went out ◦ Early stage startup makes it difficult to have work/life balance • Opportunities depends on startup’s state ◦ Personal development (ex: speaking at conferences, taking classes) can be difficult ◦ Career development opportunities can be narrow What it means…
13. Ownership, decision making and accountability
14. What it means… • Own what you build. Do everything yourself ◦ Role play was fun! -- architect, developer, tester, designer, product manager and support help desk ◦ Learned to do whatever it takes to deliver a product, over time impacted productivity • The willingness to let go of your work/take on others work ◦ Learned to not be emotionally tied to my projects ◦ Learned to give and accept direct feedback
15. The Switch
16. • Exhausted all learning opportunities ◦ Started feeling comfortable at what I was doing (never good!) ◦ A feeling of repetitive work, less room for experimentation • Lack of breadth ◦ Pursuing other interests within a startup is difficult Why did I choose to leave the startup?
17. The Job Search Process • Networking is key ◦ Meeting people is always better ◦ Talking to people eases tension, easier to talk again ◦ Being part of a community builds confidence & comfort • Leverage connections (Ex-Colleagues, Social Media and Meetup groups) ◦ Remember, MOST people are nice. They will help if you ask ◦ Look around you. Connect with them. You are not alone
18. Interest Culture People • How did I evaluate a role? ◦ Is the job exciting? Aligned with my interest? ◦ Can I work with the team, the people? ◦ Do I like the culture? Do I feel proud to work here? The Evaluation Process
19. • Basics ◦ Conference policy ◦ Maintaining VISA status ◦ Vacation, Parental Policy • Career & Compensation ◦ Title & Career growth opportunities ◦ Compensation: Equity and base pay (Risk v/s Benefits) ▪ Pre IPO companies - more equity ▪ Post IPO companies - more base The Negotiation Process
21. Life at a big company
22. Scale
23. Adapt quickly to a fast and constantly changing environment large evolving
24. • Change is constant but slow ◦ Strategic and long term ◦ Impact is realized overtime and not overnight • Wealth of knowledge ◦ Exposure to great talent improves learning opportunities & motivation • Constrained but negotiable resources (Time, People, Capital) What it means…
25. Personal Growth and Career Development
26. • Work/Life Balance ◦ Extremely flexible • Opportunities galore ◦ I have taken up Improv classes and numerous soft-skill development courses for personal development ◦ Numerous opportunities to grow within the organization (ex, Engineering, Management etc) What it means…
27. Ownership, decision making and accountability
28. • Multiple teams, domain experts ◦ No role playing anymore! ◦ Work with others through relationship building & influence ◦ Managing dependencies, timelines and delivery • Clear charters across problem domains ◦ Collectively owned by the team, manager, organization What it means…
29. Takeaways Engineering Ownership and Accountability Personal & Career Development
30. Engineering • Big company ◦ Collaboration is key ◦ Well defined processes, embodies software engineering ◦ Scale is massive. • Startup ◦ Getting things out is most important ◦ Lack of processes, many a times hacky (meet deadlines for customer demo)
31. • Big company ◦ Lot of Flexibility & Opportunities ◦ Invest in employees • Startup ◦ Uncertain and depends on stage of startup No matter what, don’t give up on this! Personal and Career Development
32. • Big company ◦ Clear charter, owners for various functions ◦ Takes time to move things because you have to depend on others ◦ Negotiation, relationships play a crucial role • Startup ◦ Uncertain and depends on stage of startup Ownership & Accountability
33. Conclusion Hit me up at @vinucharanya