The Path To Career Success

Before diving into the pros and cons of Big Tech, we introduce two foundational career frameworks that offer different approaches to growth. These models help structure decision-making as one considers roles at large tech companies.

• Explore vs. Exploit (David Epstein’s “Range”): In the early career stages, it’s valuable to gather a wide range of experiences—trying different roles or disciplines—to discover personal strengths and interests. This sampling period can lead to deeper, more informed commitments later.
• Cultivate Passion through Skill (Cal Newport’s “So Good They Can’t Ignore You”): Rather than waiting to find a passion, pick a field and become excellent at it. Passion often emerges through mastery and impact in a chosen domain.
• Both frameworks offer valid paths and should be selected based on personal goals and life stage. The talk later connects these frameworks to the realities of working in Big Tech.