completed 1 year today in corporate

Currently working in a startup and contributing in data science projects. Learning is good but a lot of time goes down in meetings and discussions and I have to do late night work. Everyday starts to feel like the same and I am not able to get time for extra learning to enhance my knowledge and tech stack. Also thinking of company change but most of them need 3-4 years exp to the data science team. 😭

I am a Software Engineer with 6 years of work experience. Currently working for a US based startup. Previously I have worked for Amazon and a couple of Indian startups. My current org is remote and I am working from my hometown. It's super chill in this company and work is only to build CRUD and APIs. I feel too stagnant here, my manager is also super chill and is in retirement mode. I feel this will message my future. I joined this company so I can work on my start up but haven't been very active there too. Recently a Google recruiter contacted me for a L4 role and had the recruiter screen and he scheduled the interview for the next month. Google base monthly salary for L4 is way below my current since it's a US based startup. But with RSUs Google annual CTC his higher. I am confused whether to continue in my org and focus back on startup or start preparing for Google interview. In the long term I want to start my company. At the same time Google will offer an AI ecosystem and resources that will help my startup. Please share your views.

To tell in one line: I know I am not CEO material. I am not ok with the never ending corporate rat race and it's time to optimise my time and start building something on my own. The game is rigged towards high end degrees and rightly so. I don't want to aim for a unicorn level but a simple trader who rakes in 2 lakh a month - that's the level I want to achieve and grow at a steady pace.

I am thinking of leaving my current job and focus on myself, getting to know myself better etc. Currently I have enough money saved for my expenses for next 6-8 months. Everyone I have asked about this say don't leave your job if you don't have another lined up, in this tech winter. I understand their view point. It aligns with what my parents think as well. Is there anyone who has had done this in the past? Do you recommend this route? Are the consequences far too severe? Does anyone have a different opinion from one stated above?

Rant alert: Have you felt the same way? How many years of work ex after which you started feeling this way? Stability and money I’m grateful for. But I hate the constant comparison and competitiveness among peers/colleagues. Makes me want to quit and do a Teach for India fellowship. A little corporate detox. Wish I had become an athlete instead. I know it’s not an easy life, but It’s the kind of competitiveness I’m inclined towards. Not inclined towards the kind where you compete with people to please a company that will never care for you as a human. But people fail to recognise that, lose perspective, and lose themselves too. People have no class in this shitty world. If I have kids, they’re definitely becoming athletes and not entering this hellhole. Most ironically, I’m borderline considering an MBA to escape the corporate life for 2 years, but obviously I’m aware I will only get entrenched further in it due to the degree.

Being anonymous gives me a safe space. But life is getting tougher than ever each day. I wish I had a better paying job. I wish I had time to have slow mornings. I wish I could provide for my family and give them the things they much deserve. I wish I had a chance to rewire rewind and restart. I wish I could do more than I wish to do. It's all wishes guys . It's all hopes. . Nothing seems fulfilling. Nothing seems to make me happy. I have forgotten what carefree days were like. Adulting is kinda hitting hard. I am not able to cope up. Can someone relate?

Been in Bangalore for 6+ years and love everything the city has given me. This city ( more like people here) taught me what software engineering and product sense is, how to entrepreneurs function, whats a 100X coder like. Made many memories, weekend trips to nearby places were so nice. Dated, moved in and then married my girlfriend, adopted a dog. So Bangalore has given me a lot. But in hindsight it takes a way a lot also - 1. Everybody is in constant work mode, even in parties its just about who is doing what 2. Everybody is in loot mode here - i have seen locals pay less for veggies/fruits in front of me, then the veggies apparently have lead in them 3. Rents/builders/brokers/roads - we all know whats up with them Though it was nice initially, now i feel like even after earning so much ( ctc > 1cr) if i just spend it all here ( monthly expenses ~2lacs same is with all my married friends), what is the point even. Hence making a move to slow life now, where you get a house with garden for 25k and fresh veggies and you can actually develop some relationship with community. This urge to always outperform in career is not really needed, we all eventually work towards savings and hence if i earn less but spend even lesser, its more or less the same thing for me. But i dont want to live in a matchbox, travel 1 hour to meet a friend, eat a roti for 150bucks and be in constant anxiety about climbing the ladder. All i want is to focus on health, and sit in a garden in some sunshine with my wife and my dog and enjoy a cup of tea. So yes, I AM DONE. Moving to a tier 2 ( more like tier 2.5 town ) Happy to answer any questions if anybody has any.

I am a 2024 graduate. I got a job of 8.55 lpa . I am from a tier 3 college. I regret not doing Competitive coding or open source. I was just doing leetcode questions and leetcode contest. I thought I could easily get 15 lpa job ( my bad ) . But now I want to switch from here within a year . What should I do ?

Lead social, brand, perf, SEO, partnerships, community, growth, pretty much everything across zero to fairly high budgets. Happy to help.