Everyone Wants to Work for Big, Boring Companies Again
Tech startups have drawn all the young, hot talent for more than a decade. Now the pendulum is swinging in the other direction.
The new tech talent magnet.
Photographer: Mark Kauzlarich/Bloomberg
After the 2008 recession, large, established corporate employers fell out of fashion. Their fusty cultures were behind the times, and they seemed stuck in a cycle of perpetual layoffs and restructurings. Tech startups were the place to be for new generations of workers. Their foosball tables, bean-bag chairs and modern values catered to youthful sensibilities and priorities.
In 2022, the pendulum is swinging back as the overall job market remains strong, but the outlook for startups becomes shakier. There's never been a better time to go work for a big company.