Startup Culture

My college degree doesn't matter anymore.

Okay, that was an exaggeration, but this new CS job market is tough. New grad positions require a lot of previous experience, certifications, and an absurd number of qualifications. Most companies aren't interviewing, simply because they don't know who to hire in the AI era.

It's funny to think about, but the traditional four-year college experience was safe. Study, go to a good school, get a degree, and land a FAANG job guaranteed after graduation with a minimum salary of $120k per year. Now, graduating from college doesn't mean anything. It's scary.

Startups are what everyone is raving about. Since companies aren't hiring, many developers like myself are creating our own companies with CS products that help people or solve problems. Our developer teams consist of friends and anyone who is passionate about coding.

One of the most interesting propositions is that startups right now are safer than a traditional 9–5 job because jobs aren't safe anymore. Layoffs happen every day. Amazon laid off over 16,000 people in its workforce, and many of them were qualified, hardworking employees.

With startup culture, you choose your hours. You are your own boss, surrounded by like-minded people.

However, the cost is branding. People brand their startups like they're the next big company, like Apple. You become so obsessed with the mission that you isolate yourself.

I personally have two ideas I'm pursuing (see my startup page), but it's hard to stay motivated sometimes. I code everything myself. I need to hold myself accountable and be reasonable.