Why Location Matters for Your Tech Career—Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

Seven years ago, I lived in Pleasanton, a picturesque town at the edge of Silicon Valley. Professionally, life was ideal. I worked at Google on a fascinating cloud infrastructure project, had incredible colleagues, and enjoyed strong mentorship from an outstanding manager. My performance rating was at the very top ("Superb"), and a promotion was imminent.

But personally, things weren't so perfect. My commute was brutal. Four hours daily on a bus to Mountain View together with frequent international travel to Zurich for work eroded precious family and wellness time. My relationships and health suffered, and something had to change.

Driven by this, I decided to move my family to Orange County, where a good friend and respected senior engineering manager I worked with was based. It seemed like the perfect balance.

Before leaving, my manager warned, "You're making a risky career move. The action is here in the Bay Area, maybe Seattle, not OC. You might find yourself isolated professionally.". He continued to be a supportive and excellent manager until he was promoted to a different role.

At first, it seemed he was wrong. But shortly after my move, a team restructuring left me as a "singleton", the only person from my team based remotely in OC. For seven years, I worked mostly isolated geographically from my peers.

I believed it wasn't important since I had an excellent working relationship with my colleagues, and good performance ranking, but I became increasingly unfamiliar with the executives. Over time, my former manager's prediction came true. I started to notice subtle drawbacks: reduced visibility, fewer spontaneous opportunities, and, ultimately, limited advancement. The pandemic temporarily masked this, but eventually, reality became clear.

Observations on Location in Tech Careers

This isn't just my personal story, it's a broader industry trend. Tech hiring in 2024+ has become increasingly concentrated in a few major hubs like the Bay Area, Seattle, and New York. Companies are doubling down on these centers of gravity as the market is soft and candidates are plentiful.

For example:

• Seattle has emerged as a key hub, home to giants like Amazon and Microsoft, and significant offices for Google and Meta. It boasts one of the highest concentrations of tech employment in the U.S. (over 16% of the workforce).

• Los Angeles, though large and vibrant, has a more diversified economy with a smaller tech footprint and fewer mega-corporation headquarters. As a result, tech opportunities there are more scattered and harder to access.

Remote roles have not filled this gap easily. While fully remote jobs remain incredibly appealing, the competition is fierce. Recent statistics show that just about 10% of job listings are fully remote, yet these attract nearly half (46%) of all applications. The result? Each remote position has exponentially more applicants than on-site roles, making them brutally competitive.

The Reality of Remote and Singleton Work

Being remote or a singleton employee also presents deeper career challenges. Studies from 2024 revealed fully remote employees were 35% more likely to be laid off than their hybrid or on-site peers. Additionally, promotions were 31% less frequent for fully remote staff compared to those regularly working from the office. Clearly, being physically present near decision-makers matters.

Executives at companies like Meta and Amazon have openly favored in-person collaboration, citing better overall performance from in-office employees. Amazon even went as far as mandating relocations back to core hubs like Seattle, Virginia, or D.C. This trend underscores the reality that proximity enhances visibility, collaboration, and career progression.

Practical Recommendations for Your Career

Given this landscape, if you aspire to work at or advance within major tech corporations, location is critical:

• Consider Hubs such as Seattle: The city's robust tech ecosystem currently offers a favorable balance of opportunities and competition.

• Be Cautious with Remote Roles: While they offer flexibility, recognize that landing and advancing in fully remote roles can be significantly more challenging.

• Evaluate Long-Term Impact: Understand that while singleton or remote roles offer lifestyle advantages, they may come with career growth limitations.

My experience taught me that your career isn't only shaped by your skills or effort—it's also deeply influenced by where you live. For those targeting tech's top-tier roles, being where the action is can significantly enhance your career trajectory.

If you’re facing decisions about relocation or remote work, weigh these factors carefully. Your choice could profoundly shape your professional path and personal happiness.