Hey fam, so recently I was laid off by one of the big O database companies. I didn't get many interview calls and ended up joining one of the WITCH firms here in India. Surprisingly, I'm actually enjoying my time here. Yes, the pay is low, but the stress is low too. People aren't super competitive, there are no weekend on‑calls, we have Claude to build stuff and automate boring work. Our client is a rich investment company that doesn't give a damn about tech, so the tech folks are pretty chill. Life seems good.
I joined just to pay the bills and planned to leave as soon as I got a good offer from big tech, but now I'm reconsidering!! Is it worth joining big tech or FAANG? The layoffs, the work stress, the on‑calls, the competition—does any of that matter? Sure, the pay is fantastic, but the daily stress I felt at big tech is something I don't want again, no matter the salary.
I want to enjoy my work and life again. I don't need a big brand for ego or family validation—who cares? Just chill and enjoy life while it lasts.
It's not about WITCH or FAANG; they're just big companies. What really decides a good experience is having a good manager and a solid team. That's all.
The usual FANG playbook is: work 5‑10 years, then quit. You'll be pulling in 2‑3 lacs a month, enough to buy a house, a car, invest for your kids or yourself, and then move on. After that, you shift to a stable job or start your own business.
I also work at a startup, and contrary to the usual hype, I get a European‑standard work‑life balance, decent pay, and awesome colleagues. If you're happy with your situation, that's all that matters. FAANG might not be for you, but that doesn't mean it isn't right for someone else.
Some people find happiness in having more money to spend.
Bro assumes that because he doesn't have weekend calls, nobody in WITCH has weekend calls.
I'm in WITCH and almost every week there's weekend work, and we end up pulling late‑night shifts daily. It really depends on the project—nothing is straightforward.
The culture at WITCH is generally poorer. Even if you land a good project or a good team, it's often still lacking. People indulge in politics and blame‑games, and performance isn't a strong factor for them because many are just mediocre.
Bro, I'm in WITCH too. Even when there's no work, we still have to stay in the ODC for 9.5 hours.
As someone who has been in WITCH for 15 years—my entire career—here are the things you should think about.
1) Will you be happy with a 3‑5% hike or no hike at all? It's been three years without any hike here, and that can demotivate you and kill your drive.
2) Everything in WITCH depends on the team and the client. Weekend support and long hours can become the norm if your client cuts resources or moves to a different vendor, forcing you to switch teams.
3) The biggest risk is getting too comfortable with a boring, routine job that offers little learning. It can trap you. That's what happened to me; I got addicted to that style and now fear change.
If you've saved a lot of money and want a slow life, you can stay. Otherwise, keep preparing and move on when a better offer comes.
WITCH doesn't pay enough to enjoy life, to be honest.
Chill PBCs—usually European, sometimes American—offer the best work‑life balance and pay.
I work at one of the WITCH firms; I'm paid 47 LPA and I put in only 3‑5 hours of work a day.