Why Silicon Valley isn't necessarily the best place for a Tech Career

Thank you to Formation for partnering with me on this video! Formation is an online fellowship helping early career software engineers break into top tier companies like Google, Dropbox and Lyft. Every Fellowship is custom tailored to each Fellow's specific career goals and incoming skill levels so that our mentorship and training is targeting the Fellow's specific skill gaps. All Fellows are supported unconditionally until they have a signed offer letter, with ongoing feedback and mentorship from senior engineers from the top companies in the world. Find out more here: fm.dev/88v
Thank you again to the guests on this episode!
Buster Benson
Kate Finlay
Shawn Krisman
Philip Su
Daniel Tomko
Adam Wolff
🔖c h a p t e r s 🔖
00:00 - Intro
03:46 - Part 1: A history of Silicon Valley
06:46 - Part 2: Modern Day Silicon Valley (aka the SF Bay Area)
17:56 - Part 3: Things aren't the same (post-Pandemic)
22:45 - Part 4: So, should you move there?
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Mayuko Inoue is a content creator and Software Engineer. After working in Silicon Valley tech companies like Intuit, Patreon, and Netflix for six years as an iOS Engineer, she became a full-time creator in 2020. Her work aims to help people find their way through the tech industry by sharing her own experiences navigating this world through technology, career advice, and lifestyle videos. She is passionate about discussions around mental health, cultural identity, and creating technology with empathy and compassion.
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This video was sponsored by Formation.

[@raiden63]

watching this from silicon valley like 👁👄👁

[@madbug1965]

I have high school friends whose companies were bought up by CISCO Systems and their company shares were converted to CISCO shares. When CISCO stock hit it's high, they quit their programming jobs with CISCO, and they are now venture capitalists. It was pretty awesome for them.

[@vulpixelful]

I'm with Daniel on this one, it seems like silicon valley culture is focused on work for its own sake and can be a bit out of touch. I say this as an swe in a six figure position not in the Bay area so I know how it can take a lil extra effort for us to put down the company kool-aid and touch grass (physically and mentally) 🧘🏾‍♀️

[@vulpixelful]

@@deuce5243 In the US, there's a huge gap between "poverty" and FAANG level compensation. I make more than double the median income in my area working at a non-FAANG company with great work life balance. I'm good, and enjoy my life without bringing up work to my loved ones 😌

[@emilyau8023]

I saw one literally say 6 figs is not a lot of money. Yes, they have such a distortion of reality.

[@siddharthmanumusic]

You really make thorough videos, putting in a lot of effort to bring in different perspectives, history and geography and a balanced view on things. Appreciate it!

[@TravelingTaco86]

I was born in Palo Alto in the 90s. Tech has ruined the Bay Area. It is not the same anymore. Traffic everywhere, and can't afford to live anywhere anymore unless you are making 150k+ and if you're not making that much you are just working to live, and living to work. Majority of the Bay Area natives have been forced out of the bay area because of everyone coming here. I work in IT as well and still cannot make enough because I am not a software engineer making 120k+ it really is just sad having grown up here. In 2012 a median home in my hometown was high 200k. Now they're 900k+ how am I ever supposed to afford that?

[@huzhanchi6510]

In China now, the four super tiers city's house cost more than 900k+ dollars

[@huzhanchi6510]

And also many young people leave off Beijing and Shanghai

[@RS-do2yd]

I am a Santa Clara county native, living at home in Mountain View. I don’t know if I can actually afford a house here because I am not in tech, I am in mental health. It really sucks, I don’t want to move, but continuing to live here isn’t sustainable at all, unless I live at home with my parents for my entire life.

[@TravelingTaco86]

@@RS-do2yd Yeah it can be really depressing. If you aren't a software engineer full-time here then it's like people don't really care about you, and everything is just out of reach. at this point, I don't even know what to do with my life whether I change careers to a software engineer or find something I actually love instead of following the money. In 2012 it was all CS, and IT. Now it's all software engineering and it looks like it's staying. Hope you find your way, living at home isn't too bad if you don't mind it heck just stack your coooin.

[@wafercrackerjack880]

It's not ruined. It's just not for people like you anymore. It outgrew you. Think of it on how Europeans took over North America. You jus gotta accept it.

[@keshavrungta4914]

As someone who just moved from San Diego to SCV I completely understand your decision (just something simple like the roads are so much better there). I love your content and am so pleased that we have the same alumnus! Proudly wearing your merch! Keep doing what you love!

[@usuck233]

Recently moved to the South Bay for work and this video captures a lot of my feelings and thoughts. Thanks for this great video :)

[@whiskeyshot562]

I'm not in tech, but I do have a job here in Silicon Valley and I'd just add that it's 1. not super comfortable to live in SV w/o a minimum of six figures, and even then, a low 100k is going to burn up very fast 2. there's not a lot here in terms of arts and culture, and, while this all personal preference, SV is not a particularly exciting place to live if you do anything but work 3. while SoCal has the reputation for sprawl, SV historically grew much, much faster than LA, and it shows: you will drive a lot, you will see a lot of places that look the same, and office parks and suburban amenities will be everywhere--which for some is pretty tedious. 4. I don't have kids, but the friends I know who do complain constantly about the cost and competitiveness of schools here.

[@kFoodz]

I used to live in San Diego. I had to move to the bay area to take a job. After living in the bay area my quality of life did go way down. Before I was able to afford my own apartment. When moving to the bay I had to have roommates due to rent cost. Parking was terrible. The work life balance was not good. I felt like I was expected to put in extra hours in at work. If I didn’t get home early I would literally have no place to park. Traffic was just getting worse and worse and the way the city's are managed it was not getting any better. I left the bay area and vowed to never move back for a good reason. San Diego is a great place! Quality of life matters and that’s one of the reasons why I would not consider moving back to the bay area again.

[@huzhanchi6510]

That's a great choice, these years's Internet information revolution create tremendous wealth, and also make people crazy, making money is becoming the final thing in daily's life, but is not true.

[@fielcabral5116]

I really loved hearing the perspectives of the guests.

[@ai-bino]

I used to think that moving to San Francisco was the only way to break into tech, but with the rise of remote work and through meeting extraordinary people everywhere, turns out you can have a successful career just about anywhere. Being based out of Alabama, having a tech job salary makes you a king here. Just wish we had access to good public transit tho

[@HelloImAlexa]

Omg Mayuko! Loved this video and the edit. Esp. the history of the Bay Area. Thanks for sharing!

[@oonaofsauceland6354]

As a black South African kid straight outta high school ,🤔 I aspire to one day start a company of my own but silicon valley just seems congested, the constant bustle of a tech rich environment might distract from the founding ideals that silicon valley stood for .From the sounds of it it's a sass pool of huge egos contending to keep up appearances .The bay might be a common area for some really intelligent engineers I could learn tons from but it's also prone to the basic human urge to create standards and norms that aim to homogenise people .I believe that the spirit of innovation isn't in a place but in the sheer need to make the world a better place so wherever u are, in a dingy shack in Africa or a closet in San Francisco as long as the world still has problems, u can solve em from anywhere. 😥 P.S The next trillion dollar company might be in an African kids head.😗

[@gilgamesh981]

like the richest african american, Elongated muskrat

[@robd1859]

There's no way I would move there. Too many people and the cost of living is outrageous. The average house is like 2 million dollars and that's a Bear minimum

[@deuce5243]

@@robd1859 don’t buy a house then, you can rent lol

[@patriciam6184]

Absolutely loved this video and all the insights that have been shared!

[@rachelliu804]

Amazing video, thank you so much. Appreciate a lot that you put so much efforts in your cotent creation❤

[@jayaquino3266]

I love the perspectives shown here. I have to agree with Philip on this one; wherever people go, people are buying themselves into what it "might" take to be happy. I feel like exploring our own happiness is often overlooked/forgotten and replaced by what our environment considers as success and happiness..

[@stevensong8784]

9:40 - 9:50 This is why SF must make living more affordable and engaging, including homes, expenses, recreation, etc. As remote tech jobs are rising I don't think you have to pick Silicon Valley to work for great companies necessarily. As a SoCal native, I hope the area won't become bankrupt like Detroit.

[@idiocracyishere4531]

They will bankrupt the citizens first

[@incrediblygay]

It's already beyond that point in many ways

[@cayenne767]

Hey Mayuko, this was your best video! I loved the whole history part and storytelling:) And yes, I work in tech, but couldn’t see myself living in SF :)

[@Tech.Unicorn]

Love this history of SF! Super insightful 👏👏👏

[@nyanturismo]

Wow this is super helpful for someone considering moving to Silicon Valley - thanks!

[@batuhanaydn7510]

Loved that videooooo! Thank you so much!

[@liviutimar]

Awesome video, Mayuko! One of your best!!

[@marioserano4098]

what a great badass video. thought i'd be bored in a minute and just looking for video to pass time while eating. got burst of interesting information from the history of silicon valley and the whole narrative is great. great jobb!!!!!

[@libincheeran6572]

Moved to Bay Area from Texas .. love it here .. it lives up to all its hype

[@TechGalDiaries]

Thank you! There’s so many awesome cities to live in besides the few popular ones

[@kendallcamp5866]

This is such a well put together video! A lot more new grads who are going in to the tech should watch this

[@ivanbecerril4227]

I do think the same, sure all the tech HQ companies are there and it is an amazing place, but it's really inconvenient, since it's California, it's expensive to live there, basically I'd say if you're aiming for a FAANG company, it doesn't have to necessarily be silicon Valley, I live in Chicago which is an expensive city but not as expensive as Cali, I'd say it'd be more wise to think about how the location of the place you wanna work at benefits you as well, cuz I feel like here in Chicago my tech career could advance just as much as silicon valley, since we have tech companies here too including some FAANG companie without any inconveniences and all the comforts of home

[@A4orce84]

Great video Mayuko, really eye opening! A future video idea may be what 'other' tech cities that exist in the US (Atlanta, Seattle, Austin, NYC, etc.) today and why companies are branching out in these cities (For example Google and Apple opening huge offices in Austin,TX). Great job, keep up the good work!

[@harshpatel105]

This is therapy, quality content mayuko :D

[@DavidMussington]

This is a great video, and really explains what it is like and what it is to make choices in Silicon Valley and the Tech ecosystem.

[@risacan]

漠然とシリコンバレーに憧れていたけど、インタビューを聞いて、本当に求めてることなのかな？って考えるきっかけになった！💡 とてもていねいにまとめられてて、すばらしい…感謝〜

[@anhnguyenthingoc9504]

Wonderful video. I totally agree with Philip Su. Peer pressure in the Bay is huge. I understand it's the motivation for the magical and innovative world we live right now. However, that's a huge pressure. I may not be suitable for this lifestyle.

[@iftekharuddin]

This was a great, thorough, video.

[@logancope21]

Totally awesome that you decided to move to out of the Bay even though you're in tech. I work as a SWE remotely in Florida. My team is in WA so it's pretty interesting with the time difference. But I love FL, and am happy to be remote. Maybe one day I'll check out the Silicon Valley hype for myself, but I love your advice about understanding what I want in life and using that to make an informed decision. Anyway, thanks for the video!

[@stevensong8784]

I heard that tech market is rising in Miami. Is that where you live?

[@logancope21]

@@stevensong8784 I'm in the Tampa area, but you're right! There's been a flood of people to South Florida recently. Are you in tech as well?

[@stevensong8784]

@@logancope21 yes. I did bootcamp, now I'm pursuing bachelor's in CS. I wonder how you guys can endure humidity. ha ha.

[@logancope21]

@@stevensong8784 yo that's awesome! Congrats. So why the degree after the bootcamp if you don't mind me asking? Seems like you could head to the work force instead

[@andile5945]

@@logancope21 very good question. I was under the impression Boot Camp was the key into SWE

[@________1516]

Great video, thank you for sharing!

[@placeholder_name321]

Awesome commentary, thanks for sharing. The way I see it it can go either way; you can find "Silicon Valley" essentially anywhere through remote work as a software engineer. may not be the truth but just me.

[@victorbabalola1047]

i hardly comment on youtube videos, but this is a really good one. Thank you for this.

[@hellochii1675]

Thanks a lot for sharing the insight! Super helpful

[@hellomayuko]

Thank you so much Chii!!!

[@startraveler24]

Thank you so much for this video, Mayuko! I'm 27 and just got my first job in tech remotely and my new company is based in SF but I've been really up in the air about moving there while looking at other cities with lower costs of living...etc. I definitely think there's value in if I would move there but at the end of the day I totally agree that it's more about your lifestyle outside of work that matters just as much as the job opportunities (whether they be in person or remote) This video gave me a lot to think about but in a great way! Super well done! :)

[@4ppych]

I got into Mayuko's videos when I was interviewing simultaneously for dream jobs at Apple and Pixar. I was sure I was going to have to move to SV and adjust to the culture (but make the big bucks). I made it through 12 hours of interviews and a presentation for each job, made it to the final decisions, and then didn't get either! DEVASTATING!!! So now I'm watching this video highly motivated to believe that SV isn't all that and also is dumb ;)

[@jsap09]

What a great video. I’ve been watching your videos for a while, and I was blown away by the quality of this one. Great job!!

[@xboxer808]

I’m 25 and have a job in my home state, I’m considering trying it out for just a year or two to at the very least see what it’s like for myself. If I like it then I’ll stay, if I don’t then I have the option to move back. As with all things in life you’ll never know what’s it’s like until you try. You won’t know how it feels to ride a bike until you go out and ride the bike

[@sheisgrowinggracefully]

Lived in the Bay, San Francisco specifically, for almost a year now due to work. I regret moving here for sure. The insane cost of living, the crime, the homelessness/drug/mental health crisis, the lack of arts & culture, the inability to buy a home here, and remote work becoming the norm make the Bay a place that I definitely DON’T want to stay in. I’m definitely interested in moving to San Diego after visiting recently and loving the vibes there!! 😍

[@zacharyyan4898]

SF has a good amount of fine arts culture, just be lucky you’re not in the South Bay lol

[@InternetMadeCoder]

We all need to find the place that aligns with what we want. Personally, I find the busy/tech culture energising but I also know that (like you) I would want to settle somewhere more relaxed

[@anoridinaryhumanbeing70]

You?! Here?! Welcome, mate! And ofcourse I love your content! XD

[@shawnsh]

Totally agree with your viewpoint... Living in the Silicon Valley is super expensive...

[@soutrikmaiti4133]

I love San Diego but had to move out to kickstart my career. San Diego is the best place to live but not good for people who are starting out. I hope to return after getting some experience. Thanks for this video 👍🏽

[@curtisdavis8594]

Great area.. Lived in Santa Cruz.. Enjoyed visiting SFO and Millbrae, Mountain view on weekend.. Thanks for history...

[@JadaEbong]

This is very well produced!

[@FRAMEDSKATEKREW69]

Would love to see you talk with Laura Jiang and be able to see the 2 different POV’s from the same industry(tech). Saw her upload earlier today and kinda got the idea 💡 during work lol

[@patriotlightning7791]

Very happy for you my dear.

[@DoItYourselfDIYAtHome]

Silicon Valley is a very special place. The quantity of tech companies there is unbelievable. Interacting with the people there, I get a feeling that everyone is tech savvy and are doing well in their field of work. The Bay Area is one of the best places to live and work for at least part of your life and career. Regardless of the field of work, whether it be IT, finance, science, engineering, construction, marketing, HR, service, or other, you have an opportunity to develop and broaden skills and knowledge. Working for four different Silicon Valley companies in the past has provided a skill set in the finance area that has greatly benefited me now and into the future. Next month, I am moving on to new job in San Diego.

[@goinggreenforlongevity9048]

Hi Mayuko, I love this content! Any insights for a good market and warm location for an up-and-coming data analyst with Supply Chain and project coordination experience? I am starting dual-enrollment for an MS in Data Science and Analytics as I finish up my bachelor's degree in the same field. By the way, I signed up for your LinkedIn recommendation of Hirect. Thank you for the great content!

[@MaxMonsterGaming]

I never considered the Bay Area, but I did consider Seattle from Philly. The problem is that the office is forever changed due to COVID and I don't know if that is good or bad long term. Even with hybrid work, people don't want to drive to the office.

[@Bowie94960]

I grew up in the Bay Area and moved back again after grad school. I think there is a bubble of tech workers vs locals and you definitely have to try hard to intermix, otherwise it would just seem like a work obsessed monoculture. There’s definitely some resentment from locals towards tech because it makes it so hard for us to stay near our families. Being able to raise my kids near my parents will be tough. But there are a lot of different types of people here that are friendly and open to friendship, not just tech and not just networking dependent friendships.

[@bobblue_west]

Oracle moved from Redwood Shores (Silicon Valley) to Austin TX. The taxes and costs were going thru the roof. Also there's Silicon Beach in SoCal Venice Beach. Cheap when Silicon Valley startup abandoned Santa Clara, but now just as wildly expensive.

[@ATIWatchReviews]

Great vid and interesting opinions

[@capitoloneonine4026]

Hair and makeup is on point.

[@AnshMittal007]

This is somehow ended up motivating me to move to Silicon Valeey.

[@nicolebtch]

amazing video and great interviews i do wish the housing crisis in the bay can be resolved so that many people can have the option to live with like minded people. It allows for completion and greet collaboration. Same with any other major city i loved the Hollywood analogy. Great content! ty for sharing the history and allowing for the different perspectives

[@janed4727]

Just to split hairs, the (larger) bay area != silicon valley. Silicon Valley in modern casual parlance has been expanded to include SF and Oakland due to digital boom, but other places in the bay like Marin or Napa would definitely not fall under that umbrella. also yes as someone from the bay, please don't move here. the traffic, the housing costs, the inability to go anywhere without someone talking shop, aahhh

[@minnielovealways]

Can you do a video on other places that have tech opportunities besides the Bay Area? I have lived in San Diego most of my life and love it here I was not a fan of the SF Bay Area when I lived there but I’m an Artist and aspiring UX/UI designer hoping to find work here in SoCal.

[@companymen42]

I grew up in Napa. I miss it so much, but Oregon is much more affordable and still offers many of the things that I love about the Bay Area and Napa, but where a house payment is much more affordable.

[@maxsterling9908]

So, I'm from Toronto, some people call it the Silicon Valley North. In any case, I think we created more tech jobs in the last 1 (perhaps 2-3) years than San Fran + Seattle combined.

[@T--T]

great video!

[@snterp]

Nice job!

[@tkidd250]

Great video 😊

[@aren989]

Mayuko i have been watching ur videos and it has helped me alot thank you

[@stevensong8784]

Thanks!

[@hellomayuko]

Thank you Steven!!!

[@JackWMatrix]

Napa and Solano counties are also considered part if the San Francisco Bay Area. Back in the '90s many communication technology companies were located in Sonoma as well. Solano has lots of biotechnology jobs as well.

[@zedekai9456]

Great vid

[@TheFangGirl]

agreeed! there's so many other different tech hubs to explore

[@Bill0102]

I'm taken by this. I had the pleasure of reading something similar, and I was truly taken by it. "The Hidden Empire: Inside the Private Worlds of Elite CEOs" by Adam Skylight

[@eonryan8491]

6:50 8:32 9:37 10:51 13:33 19:28 21:01 23:10

[@user-fp8bv3jv3y]

Can we get a video on the market and opportunities in san diego?

[@mrflexii2067]

When will merch clothes be available again?

[@TheFallCast]

Amazing video. It definitely highlights that you should think about your priorities before making the jumó to SF. For me personally, family is number one and moving to the Bay Area would most likely not be the best choice for me so I’d rather stay remote.

[@aarontavio]

Funny to see how much parallelism with living in Munich and working in the tech sector (even if it is not silicon valley).

[@sharoncohen318]

Your map shows Palo Alto in San Mateo county but it's in Santa Clara county :)

[@LockYouOut]

Palo Alto is in Santa Clara County

[@bianchialex]

What are your thoughts on New York? I’m born and raised in NJ and moving to the west coast seems like a hard pill to swallow but I am definitely interested in the Silicon Valley culture

[@DivineRebornGaming]

NYC is a great place to be an engineer. Pay is comparable to the bay and most of the bay companies also have offices here.

[@photogenic2010]

helpful hint: The background music is still too loud in post, I'd start with it then turn it off all together, or bring it back in between phrases (pauses), cutaways, then Off she goes. you want the listeners' brain to be focused 100% on your words. specially when there is a distracting beat that's syncopated. it sucks people's concentration :-)

[@jj1bdx]

I wish I could work in the US West Coast but my health condition and all the other things prevented me to do so. Silicon Valley is still the most advanced place for tech in general, and being able to experience the culture, the life, and the vibe is surely an advantage for a software engineer's career. I landed SFO for the first time in February 1974, and I visited San Francisco many times later and the city is great and I like the place, although my annual visits during 2010 and 2017 told me that the something not good was going on, especially in the downtown. OTOH I see a lot of similarity between the Bay Area and the Greater Tokyo (especially of the late 1980s where the bubble economy was kicking in) about the tech industry and population concentration. I'm privileged to have been born in Tokyo, Japan, was raised there, but I also know many many people in Japan (among those living and not living in Tokyo) have emotional grudges against living/working in Tokyo due to the centralized nature of our nation Japan where almost all IT/tech industries and most of the wealth are located in Tokyo (I've learned the feelings of resentment against Tokyo during my life in Osaka for 27.5 years). I like Tokyo and I'm proud to be a Tokyoite, but too much centralization kills the society, generally speaking. Just a thought. I'd rather want to live not obsessed with the hustle culture, so I guess choosing life in Japan sounds OK to me, albeit the recent devaluation of JPY against USD.

[@vulpixelful]

Luckily, we do have tech hubs outside of the silicon valley area, they are just underrepresented online.

[@Ebizzill]

Adam wolff is literally me when I have fomo.

[@lemmontree1]

Hi Yuki!

[@Johnny-cu4zi]

I'm surprised of the changes of the pandemic has hit including the war and anything that's going on. What other changes will we face during the future? For tech industry ever since Steve Jobs and his colleague was creating Apple since the 80s many jobs were created at home. So it's nothing new. I used to work for the Silicon Valley AI vehicles company. I wasn't surprised that there are way more companies better than that one. The heat of California and when they stress on th AI vehicles is one of the things that those vehicles don't last long and have issues. It is one of the experiences I had during the summer.

[@Hammadabid.]

Hey you are the voice artist from msa if i am not wrong, can we talk in personal about some things if you are ok with that?

[@NPJGlobal]

how old is Mayuko if I may ask?

[@yesindra]

Really like colour of the shirt...

[@devin04657]

#GoHomeGota2022

[@edwardgongsky8540]

i love mayuko!

[@mawkuri5496]

its nevada now, the best place in the tech career

[@Aidan_Au]

What about NYC or Seattle or Austin? "The San Francisco Bay Area has a rich history". I totally get what you mean

[@vivi-vw8jd]

mayuuukooo!

[@muru7514]

lol that "free trip to seattle" story

[@sunnohh]

As a tech boss living innthe midwest making huge six digits, I can’t imagine living in sf, sounds like hell and I would feel poor despite making tons of money

[@arwasairl6749]

Great video, but I'd like to mention that Silicon Valley is the southern part of the Bay Area (i usually don't hear people considering the entire region as Silicon Valley), such as San Jose, Santa Clara county, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, etc. where homes here are cheaper than the SF area, but still is very expensive compared to other regions (you can expect to pay around $3000 per month for a 2 bed townhouse in San Jose)

[@seamless70]

"It depends" 😂😂😂 nice take 😏 but really nice work on the video doe. Very insightful 😁. I like to visit SF, especially to watch the dodgers beat the giants, but would never live there. Too many crazies and too much crime. Socal so much better. 😎

[@loganblevins8633]

I’d never wanna work in the bay. I WFH in LCOL east Texas. Make good money at a great company. No regrets.

[@huey1153]

That opportunity will always be available though, more teams, better progression, and more tc from hq

[@priyendusingh4312]

Can you help us by referring us because in India it is difficult to get high paying jobs.

[@tigerrx7]

For me, I’ve stayed in NYC because I have children and I am more concerned about them being ridiculed by brat kids who have no perspective on what it means to “come up”. So my response to my Google recruiter when ask if interested in Silicon Valley role? Nope - I’ll be in the NYC office. Is it a valid fear, an argument could be made for why it isn’t or why it is. But it’s very valid for me.

[@durf2753]

Frisco is not part of Silicon Valley. Forgot one city: SJ-urban hub of Silicon Valley with an authentic downtown that's way better than Frisco's. That's why you moved back to SD. You focused on the wrong city and area. The whole experience would have been different had you lived in Downtown SJ. Very dynamic hub of SV