Comment by Rinzler89

>Now living in Berlin, would still never work for an established German company for that reason.

What's wrong with traditional German companies besides burocracy? I see many have happy lives there with very good WLB and great job safety, contrary to start-ups.

>Startups are usually better; until they're not startups any more.

True, but also start-ups are better when you're part of the early founding crew who know each other, and get some sizeable equity for the effort. Otherwise, if you're one of the later joiners outside of the founder inner circle, you get nothing in rewards but get all the pressure and stress of working at a start-up. I'd much rather be at a traditional German company than a start-up like that, especially now that I'm past my prime youth years.