It's crucial to have a clear plan when starting a job at a FAANG company, including what you want to achieve and when you plan to leave.

Many people assume that working at a FAANG company is essential for gaining experience on hard technical problems, but in reality, most jobs involve mundane tasks that don't translate to startup success.

If you find yourself dreaming of quitting your job at a FAANG company, it's a strong indicator that you might need to consider leaving.

Working at a FAANG company can create a dependency on their tools and infrastructure, making it challenging for founders to adapt when starting their own companies without those resources.

Technical founders often misunderstand the value they can extract from working at FAANG companies, thinking they will work on significant projects, but often they end up doing less impactful tasks.

The perception that engineers from FAANG companies can easily raise venture capital is misleading; while it may help initially, staying too long can diminish that advantage.

Avoid getting trapped by lifestyle inflation, which can lead to a cycle of working a 40-hour job just to afford things you can't really afford.

I believe that the tech industry can create a scarcity mindset, making people feel they might never get a job at a big company again, but there are always opportunities to try again.

Big companies excel at retaining employees by offering signing bonuses and regular stock option grants, making it difficult for young people to leave and pursue their own ventures. Working at a big tech company can be a trap because it often leads to increased spending on lifestyle, such as nicer apartments and vacations, rather than gaining valuable experience for starting your own company.