The average tenure of a software developer is 3 years. This is mostly because of salary compression where internal raises never keep up with the market and new hires come in making more than “loyal” employees. Companies don’t invest in their employees.

I’ve seen this personally in companies that had 20 people all the way to the US’s second largest employer. Not to mention, it’s much easier to get a promotion by changing employers than going through the internal promo process.

Unless you are working for a non profit, everyone mostly cares about money. Any halfway competent interviewee knows how to fake “passion about the mission”

I’m 50 now and I do value things more than money about my company. An equivalent position to what I have now pays 30%-40% more at AwS (been there done that) or GCP (I’ve turned down recruiters and managers). But I value autonomy, my real usable unlimited PTO, having influence on the company direction, work life balance etc.

I can make those choices. When you are young and just starting out you can’t and honestly you shouldn’t.