It's true, and it's somewhat discouraging. When I was in my last year in college, I applied to various types of companies, in different stages of life, plus a quant fund.
In the end, while the salary/potential bonus for the fund was very enticing (despite not having graduated yet), I stuck with the middle-of-the-road tech company. (I also looked at Google and Dropbox but decided to go to FB). Google was desperate for people, and threw money at everyone who had a Facebook offer. I like that they offered $$$, but I knew that most people there aren't compensated as well, which suggested that future compensation might not be as enticing. Dropbox was actually really cool (the people I met there), and I was thinking about it a lot, but in the end, I just wanted to stay where I've been, and work in Palo Alto. (I know, it's weird: All my friends want to work in SF).
But it sucks, because while everyone thinks I took FB for the money ("It's pre IPO!"), that's the farthest from the truth. In fact, they're so surprised that I decided not to work in New York. "Are you stupid? That's more money than any of your peers make out of college!" Not to mention, the people there I met through two straight days of technical questions (compared to Google's easy-peasy 4, 45 minute sessions) were some of the smartest I've met. And I like working with smart people.
I was afraid that if I'd gone on that route, it would affect me as a person. Don't get me wrong: I've studied financial institutions and believe that they produce value, but in the end, it's more awesome to tell friends and family that I ship products rather than arb derivative contracts. I figured, the money will come.
What the hell are you gonna do with 500k a year, anyway?
"What the hell are you gonna do with 500k a year, anyway?"
Buy a house? A car? Invest in your own future business?
I agree with the sentiment of your post. I prefer earning less but working with intelligent, sensible people while also believing in my work because my mental health supersedes material needs.
Dude, I'm glad you took the FB offer. Don't discount the value of money. Stay there until the IPO, get your much deserved money, and then have the freedom to work wherever you want to work for the rest of your life.
You must be very intelligent to get so many offers from some of the best companies, but if you don't know what to do with $500K yet, please don't spend it all. Save it and retire. I'm not saying retire from coding or doing what you love, but having F-U money means you can continue to do what you love no matter what happens. This is worth more than having a fun job.
But I don't want to retire! I know that by doing what I love for the rest of my life, I'll have enough to sustain my basic needs. 500k seems excessive. It's simultaneously too much for me to spend efficiently for myself, yet too small for me to do bigger things like fight cancer, invest in education, etc (like Bill Gates).
Well Bill did exactly what you said you didn't want to. He worked hard, made alot of money and then retired from Microsoft.
He just happened to move to a new opportunity.
That's the key takeaway that you're missing from everyone responding to your what would I do with money comment.
In the end, while the salary/potential bonus for the fund was very enticing (despite not having graduated yet), I stuck with the middle-of-the-road tech company. (I also looked at Google and Dropbox but decided to go to FB). Google was desperate for people, and threw money at everyone who had a Facebook offer. I like that they offered $$$, but I knew that most people there aren't compensated as well, which suggested that future compensation might not be as enticing. Dropbox was actually really cool (the people I met there), and I was thinking about it a lot, but in the end, I just wanted to stay where I've been, and work in Palo Alto. (I know, it's weird: All my friends want to work in SF).
But it sucks, because while everyone thinks I took FB for the money ("It's pre IPO!"), that's the farthest from the truth. In fact, they're so surprised that I decided not to work in New York. "Are you stupid? That's more money than any of your peers make out of college!" Not to mention, the people there I met through two straight days of technical questions (compared to Google's easy-peasy 4, 45 minute sessions) were some of the smartest I've met. And I like working with smart people.
I was afraid that if I'd gone on that route, it would affect me as a person. Don't get me wrong: I've studied financial institutions and believe that they produce value, but in the end, it's more awesome to tell friends and family that I ship products rather than arb derivative contracts. I figured, the money will come.
What the hell are you gonna do with 500k a year, anyway?