You know how some things are as you expected while others surprise you. Well that’s what happened to me in late December when I was in Silicon Valley.
Some of America’s most expensive real estate and highest paying jobs are in Silicon Valley so I expected the cost of living to be high and it was!!!
What surprised me was how big Silicon Valley is – it’s not a city but a region encompassing multiple cities spanning around 120 square kilometres. Driving around you’ll see head offices for some of the worlds most known brands: Alphabet, Apple, eBay, Facebook, Netflix, PayPal, Tesla, Twitter, Visa etc.
It seemed fashionable to drive a Tesla as they were everywhere even though everyone doesn’t have facilities to charge them. At a carpark near some shops there were 10 charging stations. As I was out for a run 1 morning I stopped and asked a guy about charging. He said it was cheaper than petrol, took 20 - 30 minutes to charge, a recharge lasted about 430km and the time to recharge didn’t bother him as long as he didn’t have to queue up because it can sometimes take up to 1 hour. That left me scratching my head wondering whether this is progress….
Various ratings of the world’s best employers see a number in the top 20 headquartered in Silicon Valley. However, this is where clarification is necessary because what makes them great can vary from pay, perks, culture and hours. The common theme from people I spoke to was even with those considered great employers, the volume and expectations of work makes it a constant grind. Burnout rates are high.
Then there is the contrast between the haves and the have nots. Just because you work in Silicon Valley, doesn’t mean you’re working for a world leading company; there are start-ups everywhere and many are struggling to stay afloat. Workers actually gamble on getting in on the ground floor in the hope of making it rich if the start-up is successful. If the start-up flames out, then they look for the next one.
Most college students in the area I spoke to plan to work in Silicon Valley after they graduate even if their home is from other parts of the US. I asked why? The answer is wages are higher in Silicon Valley and they said if you go in at a wage level then it gets carried over if you transfer with the company to another state.
The parallel I drew from all of the above is work conditions are a matter of circumstances. We can choose to embrace them or not. Ultimately outcomes matter if you want to rub shoulders with the best. Whether it’s for you in the short or long term is a matter of personal choice.