You definitely have heard your peers and colleagues say that they want to work at a FAANG. So, what exactly are the FAANG companies? According to Investopedia, FAANG is an acronym referring to the stocks of the five most popular and best-performing American technology companies: Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google.

It is a dream of every software engineer and developer to work at a FAANG company at least once in their career. In this video, we are going to share with you the Reasons why software engineers want to work at FAANG companies. And what are the 7 Pros and Cons of Working at FAANG Companies?

Stay tuned with us until the end of this because we are also going to share with you some Tips for You to Use the Cons of Working at FAANG companies to Your Advantage.

Let’s get started with The Reason Why Software Engineers Want to Work At FAANG Companies.

• FAANG companies are very visible.
• It is considered an honour to work at these High-tech companies.
• Software engineers think that they will have a guaranteed career if they work at FAANG companies.

There are many other reasons too. But let’s jump right into our topic for the day. The 7 Pros And Cons Of Working At FAANG Companies.

Working at FAANG companies is a dream of almost every software engineer. Here are The 7 Pros of Working At FAANG Companies.

7- Experience Of Working In A Corporation

Each FAANG company is a highly hierarchical and structured organisation. There are Set Procedures to perform every task and Defined Channels and methods to communicate across the entity. So, working at a FAANG company gives you the vast experience of working in a corporate environment. Working at corporations like FAANGs help you in;

• Time management
• Understanding the hierarchies of corporates
• Enhanced behaviour and interpersonal skills
• Understanding business practices etc.

6- Benefits

FAANG companies provide a lot of benefits to their employees. They may include,

• Health benefits
• Transportation costs
• Paid leaves
• Maternal and Paternal leaves
• Stipends for further education
• Costly off-sites for interns etc.

Providing benefits, as we mentioned, gives an edge to FAANG companies over other tech companies. These benefits also give the employees Job Security and Job Satisfaction. Due to this, they work even harder for these companies.

5- Impact

FAANG companies have a Huge Clientele all around the world. Millions of people are using their products and services every day. It means that working at a FAANG. There will be a lot of Better and New Projects every day. And while you are working on one of those projects, your work will have a Huge Impact on millions of people around the globe. Because every new code you write or every code you change is going to have an impact on the lives of the users. Such work experience makes your Resume Shine.

4- Perks

Along with many other benefits, FAANG companies also provide their employees with a lot of perks. These perks may range from the Provision of Free Food to providing Free Memberships of the Gyms and Training Areas.

Living in a city with a high cost of living puts a lot of pressure on the paycheck. But while working at FAANG companies and getting all those perks helps you a lot with Maintaining Your Expenses to a Limit. And allowing you to Save more of your income for your future goals.

 3- Stability

Working at FAANG companies gives a lot of Stability to your career as a software engineer or developer. FAANG companies are highly structured and well-maintained companies. They need to hire a lot of software engineers and developers with defined roles and responsibilities. This means that when you are working with them, your job is not going anywhere. For those who are looking for Job Security and Job Benefits to raise their families, FAANG companies are a really Good Choice for them.

2- Prestige

FAANG companies represent Brands that are Globally Recognised. Having the experience of working at any of the FAANG companies as a software engineer or developer, you find Fewer Dead Ends while hunting for jobs in the future. The work experience at these companies might not guarantee you a job, but they definitely help you Stand Out From The Crowd.

1- Remuneration

One of the top pros of working at FAANG companies is the remuneration they offer. FAANG companies provide their employees with a Handsome Amount of Salary and Stock Options. For example, according to GlassDoor, the average total remuneration of a software engineer at Facebook is $161,500 per year, and at Netflix, it can range from $87,356 – $371,969 per year. Along with the remuneration, employees also get Stock Options. As the FAANG companies are already Listed, they provide their stockholders with a Stable Income.

Aside from all these pros, the FAANG companies have a downside to them too. Here are The 7 Cons of Working At FAANG Companies.

7- Same Experience For Years

FAANG companies have Set Roles and Responsibilities for everyone working with them. This means that instead of having years of experience, you might have the Same Experience For Years. The work an average developer is given might not necessarily involve creativity. You will be doing the same job over and over again. Which kills your creativity, and you become bored of the same work. Along with that, as your work only includes a certain aspect of development, your Grip On Other Areas of development gets Weaker as time passes.

6- High Cost Of Living

Working at FAANG companies require you to live in cities such as Silicon Valley with a high cost of living. Although FAANG companies compensate their employees handsomely, it comes at the cost of living with Increased Living Expenses. Which eventually gets your Financials Back At Being Worse. With a high cost of living, your Savings are not Enough as you always Strive To Meet The Standards of others living around you.

5- Cogs In The Machine

Working at these High-tech companies as a software engineer comes at the cost of you being just a Tiny Element Of a Big Project. You Don’t Get To Work on an Entire Project From Start To Finish and see your ideas being implemented and impacting millions outside. You literally have one job, and the Scope of that work will also be very Limited. Your job is just like The Cogs In The Machine.

4- Uncreative Jobs

As we have mentioned earlier, working at FAANG companies comes At The Cost Of Your Creativity. Your problem-solving capacities, creative instincts are not used in performing your role at FAANGs. You just need to Do What You Are Told. And if you work for a long time at FAANG companies, it eventually Kills Your Creativity.

3- Disastrous Work-Life Balance

Unlike other corporates, working at FAANG companies Does Not Offer you a 9 to 5 Dream Job. You might have to work Long Hours and Even Night Shifts. This Disturbs your Work-Life Balance Drastically. If you are looking for a job where you can maintain a healthy work-life balance, working at FAANGs is not what you want.

2- Competition

When you are working at FAANG companies, you are Working With the Top Minds of the Industry. This means there will be a Tough Competition between you and your colleagues for promotions, bonuses and recognition. This also gives rise to a Tense Work Environment, eventually leading to Developer Burnout. It may even lead you to experience Imposter Syndrome, where you discredit your Own Achievement and Accomplishments.

1- Hierarchical Organisations

FAANG companies are highly structured and hierarchical organisations. This means there will be a lot of Bureaucracy. It will take A Lot Of Time for your request to Reach The Upper Levels of management, and the Implementation Processes will also be Slow. If you are going to work as an average software engineer, you might not have a chance to meet the upper management. Given this hierarchy, you will only be a Small Unit Of The Organisation. This Deprives you of a Sense Of Accomplishment and Importance.

Conclusion

After hearing all this, you might have been confused about whether to choose a FAANG or not. So, we present to you what we promised. The Tips To Use Cons Of Working At FAANG Companies To Your Advantage.

• Work for Only a Few Years at FAANG companies to get a Brand Name On Your Resume. This gives you an edge over other candidates applying for the same role.
• If you eventually want to Start Your Own Startup, working at a FAANG gives you a Better Insight Into How The Tech Business Works. Few years of Work and Savings can help you start your startup successfully.
• Working on the same thing Makes You An Expert on that thing. You can use this to excel in that Specific Niche of software engineering or development.

In the end, it is your decision whether to work at a FAANG company or not. Just like everything, FAANG companies have Pros and Cons associated with them. What Matters is How You Use These Pros and Cons To Your Advantage. What do you think of working at the FAANG companies? Do you think it is necessary for a software engineer to work at FAANG companies to have a Promising Career? Let us know in the comment section below.