‘The Real Work Starts After a Year’
“Most of the day-in-the-life videos you see on the internet by FAANG engineers are from their honeymoon periods — the first 6 to 12 months. The real game begins after a year when you start owning projects and outcomes for your team and realise that you don’t get paid to just enjoy,” Agarwal wrote.
His post quickly went viral, resonating with thousands of tech workers who agreed with his assessment. Many said that while these videos showcase free meals, stylish offices, and flexible work hours, they rarely talk about the complex engineering challenges and high expectations that come with the job.
Mixed Social Media Reactions
Responses to Agarwal’s post were varied but largely supportive. One user remarked, “These day-in-the-life vids are always from the honeymoon phase when it’s all chill and perfect for luring college kids into buying 3rd-rate DSA courses.” Another commented that the vlogs are like “trailers,” while the actual “movie” begins after a year of demanding project ownership.
Some also pointed out that the narrative created by such videos can mislead fresh graduates into believing that tech jobs are effortless. “Selling the dream beats building it,” one user wrote, highlighting how some content creators eventually leave their jobs to focus on monetizing social media instead of working in tech.
Reality vs. Perception in Big Tech
While the videos often emphasize perks like modern campuses and relaxed schedules, industry veterans argue that FAANG jobs involve long hours, frequent deadlines, and immense accountability. The contrast between the curated content online and the day-to-day grind is now under sharper scrutiny following Agarwal’s post.
The discussion also highlights the growing influence of social media in shaping career aspirations. Many students in India and abroad look up to such vlogs as benchmarks, often overlooking the less glamorous side of tech careers.
With his post, Agarwal has opened a wider conversation about transparency in content creation and the importance of showing a balanced perspective of life at top tech companies.
