Which FAANG company is right for you? Current and Former Engineers Share an Inside Look

Working at a FAANG+ company is the dream for many software engineers. The most common question we get asked is "Which one is the best to work at?" This answer depends on you. To determine which company you would enjoy working at most and which is "the best to work at" you need to hear what it's like to work for each company. So let's take a look at what it's like to work for Facebook, Apple, Netflix, Google, Microsoft, and several others.

We asked past FAANG+ Engineers and our coaches what they think about working for these companies, here's what they had to say:

What's it like to work at Facebook? (Meta)

"I was a software engineer at Facebook for a few years. Here's my take on what it's like to work as a software engineer at Facebook:

Pay: The pay is very good. I never felt like I needed more money than what I was being paid.

Culture: The work culture is amazing - everyone is brilliant and very talented, but also very relaxed and open to collaboration. It feels like you're in a startup, but one that is backed by a massive company!

Leaders: The leaders are some of the most amazing people I have ever met - they are extremely intelligent, and care deeply about the well-being of their employees and the quality of their products. They are approachable and deeply care about creating an inclusive environment in which anyone can succeed. They are some of the best leaders I've ever worked with. (I'm not saying this just because I'm no longer there - all of these observations were held throughout my entire time there)

Work/Life Balance: Work/life balance is really great at Facebook - they have lots of amazing facilities on-site to help you relax and unwind after a long day of coding. There's lots of free food (and lots of free drinks too), which is great for employee bonding. There's also a lot of encouragement to work from home if you need to, for example, if you're unwell or if you have caring responsibilities (e.g., kids).

Divisions/Teams: One thing that's unique about Facebook is that the company is divided into different small teams (divisions), with each team only having 10–20 people working on it together. This means you'll be working directly with the team lead or project manager on your project, as well as many other team members on your team (rather than having 1–2 layers of management above you). This has many benefits, such as accelerated learning and understanding, as well as more opportunities to contribute and be heard by senior team members."

What's it like to work at Apple?

"You will be working in small teams with great colleagues who are brilliant and fun to work with. You’ll have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology and products that will shape the future of our industry.

Additionally, there is a lot of camaraderie within the team and across teams as there are regular meetups/hackathons/conferences where employees across different teams get to meet each other and share their passion.

If you are genuinely passionate about building amazing products, then I’d say that Apple is definitely the place for you."

What's it like to work at Netflix?

"I am newly employed as a software engineer at Netflix. I would say that the culture is awesome. The work environment is great and the benefits are amazing. It feels like a startup but with more maturity and stability. People are really nice to work with and very smart. There is plenty of opportunity for learning and growth through pair programming, mentorship, and open source contribution.

The pay is competitive and there's a stock plan as well. I was not expecting this from a company like Netflix."

What's it like to work at Google?

"I have been working as a Software Engineer at Google for nearly 2 years. Here is my opinion:

Google is a great place to work if you are passionate about technology and want to work on cutting-edge projects.

The work culture is very relaxed and flexible and there are frequent team outings. The benefits are amazing. Here are some examples:

– 20 days of paid holidays a year.

– Free lunch and dinner.

– 32 hours of guaranteed work-life balance.

– Wellness benefits which includes health and life insurance, 24⁄7 health support, and on-site classes.

If you imagine a perfect workplace, Google is probably close to that. The pay is very competitive. People at Google are very intelligent and friendly (from my experience). The work is challenging and exciting. And I think the quality of life is good as well (from my experience)."

What's it like to work at Microsoft?

"Working at Microsoft is more than just a job – it's an experience that offers endless opportunities to learn, grow and do your best work. With strong leadership, a supportive work environment, and incredible benefits, we're giving you the tools you need to succeed and thrive here.

Pay: The salary is competitive, and the benefits are great. You'll also have plenty of opportunities to learn new skills and build your resume (and your career).

Culture: People are incredibly friendly, collaborative, and supportive. The work is challenging, but there's plenty of opportunity for growth and development.

Benefits: We offer excellent benefits that can help you stay healthy, protected, and prepared for life's adventures."

What's it like to work at Tesla?

"I work at Tesla as a software engineer, so I can only speak about my own experience. But I'm very happy to be here.

The work culture is really amazing: friendly, productive, open-minded, and respectful. We have regular team meetings where anyone can ask questions or raise concerns. The office is also very nice, with an in-house café, gym, and massage rooms.

The pay is good, and there are plenty of benefits like stock units, Tesla cars for loan, and health insurance that's better than anything I've seen before."

What's it like to work at Samsung?

While we don't place students in jobs outside of the US currently, we still wanted to provide this information for those interested in what it's like to work at Samsung.

"I was employed at Samsung for about two years after graduating from university. First off, the pay is great, and the benefits are excellent. If you're working in Korea, they also give you housing assistance. Additionally, I got a nice laptop and a good smartphone (they have a huge selection of phones and you can pick one that suits you).

The work culture is very traditional, with lots of hierarchies and bosses. The hours are long, but they do have mandatory overtime rotations so that everyone gets some time off. The systems are very rigid and rule-based - there is little room for creativity or autonomy. However, your boss will generally be more understanding than in most companies since they went through the same experiences themselves. I found this environment exhausting but others have adapted better to it.

For software engineers, there aren't many projects available to work on, so improvements are slow. Most of the work is maintenance on old systems or writing libraries for internal use (most code is closed-source). There's not much opportunity for growth in experience or responsibility. If you're looking to learn or to make a difference at a company though, this job is perfect for that: it'll expose you to all kinds of tech stacks used at Samsung and teach you everything from the ground up (development practices and processes are different from other companies)."

What's it like to work at Tencent?

While we don't place students in jobs outside of the US currently, we still wanted to provide this information for those interested in what it's like to work at Tencent.

"Great pay, vgreat work culture, good benefits.

If you are a software engineer, interacting with other engineers will be a part of your daily work.

All team meetings are conducted in English.

There are free cabs provided to go from one branch to another if the distance is close enough. Even if there is a need to go by public transport, the company will pay for your fare.

There are plenty of food options in the cafeteria and you can have some rest time on the sofas.

Tencent has many campuses in Beijing and Shenzhen, and even more buildings under construction right now. The campuses are well designed with green areas, basketball courts, and gyms.

The culture is open, people are friendly and helpful. I’m proud to say that I’m working at Tencent"

What's it like to work at Intel?

"This is a very difficult question to answer because it depends on so many different factors. Obviously, the overall company culture will vary from one office to the next, but I can provide you with a general idea of what it's like to work as a software engineer at Intel.

First of all, I can tell you that the company pays pretty well. In fact, they're one of the highest-paying tech companies in the world.

Additionally, the work culture at Intel is pretty relaxed and open-minded. They really value their employees and try to provide them with as many benefits as possible. For example, they offer incredible health and wellness benefits, including: Health and Wellness Centers, Fitness Centers, Massage Therapists, Pick-me-up Kitchens, and Lounges.

Additionally, there are a lot of fun events that are held throughout the year for employees and their families to participate in together—things like overnight picnics in summer and winter camping trips during winter break.

All in all, I would say that it's a great company to work for!!"

What's it like to work at TikTok?

"As a FEMALE Software Engineer at TikTok, I derive immense pleasure going to work every day. TikTok, a young technology start-up has all the ingredients that I look for in a company. Great pay, excellent work culture, awesome people, and amazing learning opportunities.

One of the most popular features was developed by me and my teammates. I feel overwhelmed by all the positive responses from users around the world using and loving this feature.

I have had unlimited access to mentorship and leadership development programs. What we learn becomes applicable not only at TikTok but everywhere else we work in our careers. With TikTok, I speak to people who genuinely care about my development as a professional and a person(Yes this exists)."

What's it like to work at Airbnb?

"I am an experienced software engineer at Airbnb and have worked here for 1.5 years. I work on the product team in San Francisco, California. I really enjoy working at Airbnb, and there are many reasons for that.

The first reason is the work culture—we have an open-plan office with lots of natural light, great food catered every day, amazing coworking spaces, fantastic fitness facilities, and regular events for team bonding and learning. All of these create a productive and pleasant environment.

The second reason is the amazing people I get to work with—they are talented and friendly, they challenge each other to do better and reach new heights of creativity. In my team, I work with people from different parts of the world with different backgrounds who genuinely care about making Airbnb better for our users. It’s inspiring to be part of such a great team!

The third reason is the opportunity to learn and apply new skills every day–I’m challenged to learn how to build products that people would love. We have regular retrospectives on our projects to reflect on what we learned and how we can do even better next time!"

What's it like to work at Robinhood?

"Being a Software Engineer at Robinhood was a great experience. We work on some of the most exciting projects in the company. It can be challenging, but we have amazing team members that are always ready to help. Our culture is open and friendly, and we have lots of fun events throughout the year.

It is great to work on products that are used by millions of people every day. The library of books is amazing too! I get to write code that helps people invest and save money, which is truly exciting.

- 100% employer-paid medical and dental

- 50% employer-paid life insurance

- 403b retirement plan with 50% employer matching up to 6%. That’s up to 4,000 a year!

- total combined summer and winter holiday shutdown: 12 days!

- The best lunch in town - Free lunches and breakfast from our kitchen every day."

What's it like to work at Binance?

While we don't place students in jobs outside of the US currently, we still wanted to provide this information for those interested in what it's like to work at Binance.

"I work as a software engineer at Binance in Switzerland and can say that it’s a great place to work.

Overall, the culture is friendly and driven. There is a lot of transparency in the company which makes it easier to fit in. The benefits are good - catered lunch, and gym memberships. There are also free cabs, health care, and flexible work hours. Most importantly there is great work culture where you learn a lot from your seniors and can be mentored by some of the best in the industry."

Conclusion

The companies in this article have had an impact on the world in various ways, from social media to technology. Where do you want to leave your impact on the software world?

Some of the information in this article was provided by past employees and some information may have changed.