I recently joined Anthropic as a Member of Technical Staff, building software to support Anthropic’s network. It sparked a flurry of people asking if they could join, too. Whether you’re considering a job change or specifically curious about Anthropic, I’ll share how I got the job, then walk through what I weighed: income, uncertainty, values, and the allure of hype.

DISCLAIMER: This is a personal website, produced on my own time and solely reflecting my personal opinions. Statements on this site do not represent the views or policies of my employer, Anthropic. I am not a recruiter for Anthropic. This was published Jan. 2026. Hiring practices may have changed by the time you read this.

Process: how did I get the job?

I applied at https://anthropic.com/jobs. I first considered Anthropic in 2024, but didn’t apply as I was committed to my goals at AWS. I completed my goals at AWS by mid 2025. A posting appeared on Anthropic’s job board in late 2025 with requirements that matched me almost perfectly. So, I created an updated resume and applied online. A recruiter got back to me 4 days later. It took about 2 months to go from application to starting the job. During this time, I also interviewed with Databricks and xAI as well as explored other roles within Amazon.

The exact questions and content of the interviews are not something I’ll share here—I don’t think that would help anyone. If you’re preparing, don’t expect to pass by memorizing “perfect” answers or using an AI assistant in the background. Interviewers want to understand how you think, not whether you can produce a polished response. Here’s Anthropic’s guidance on using AI to prepare and apply: https://www.anthropic.com/candidate-ai-guidance. I used AI to proofread my resume and work on practice questions, but during the actual interviews, it was all me.

If you’re using AI to prepare, a few tips:

  • Ask it to review your resume for clarity and gaps—and tell it to be brutally honest.
  • Practice answering questions out loud, then ask AI to critique your reasoning, not just your phrasing.
  • Don’t over-polish. The goal is to think clearly, not to sound rehearsed.

Income: less cash, but maybe more equity

Anthropic job posts include salary ranges for the role, and will mention if the role includes equity compensation. Read it carefully. And if you get the job offer, take time to understand the equity offer.

I took a pay cut for this job—at least in cash terms. Joining a startup is similar in ways to investing in a startup, and like any investment, you should understand the risk.

If you’re comparing offers, here are questions worth asking:

  • Public vs. private stock: Public company equity (like AMZN) is predictable—you can track the price and sell when it vests. Private company equity is a bet on future value. What’s your risk tolerance?
  • Cliffs and liquidity: When does equity vest? Are there buyback opportunities, or will you wait years for a liquidity event?
  • Your financial situation: Can you absorb a lower cash salary? Do you have runway if the bet doesn’t pay off?

I weighed these factors against my own situation and decided to take the risk. Your calculus may be different.

Uncertainty: into the unknown

How do you weigh an unknown opportunity against the familiar trade-offs of your current job? I had a job with coworkers I like, a good boss, and predictable pay. Why walk away?

I don’t need something new, I’m afraid of what I’m risking

— Elsa, Into the Unknown

Like many parents, I’ve seen Frozen approximately a bazillion times. So naturally, I resonated with this song—and the tongue-in-cheek humor of “When I Am Older”. Elsa resists the call into the unknown at first. I also resisted leaving Amazon, despite feeling drawn away. I came close in 2022—I had a job offer from a startup—but stayed. There’s wisdom in caution. “Better the devil you know” exists for a reason.

If you’re feeling similar resistance, it might help to ask: what specifically am I afraid of? Can I test those assumptions by talking to people, researching the company, or examining the offer more closely?

For me, what was different this time? The Anthropic role fit my interest, needs, and goals. This was enough to outweigh the uncertainty that comes from changing to a new job. I covered this in more detail in my previous post.

Personal values and company alignment

The past few years were difficult, but they transformed my worldview. Once I came to believe AI was going to substantially change the way my children will experience life, I realized I wanted to contribute to a vision of AI aligned with my humanist values. I suspect this is common at my stage of life. I’ve known others who, after experiencing loss or confronting mortality, felt a pull toward work that felt more meaningful.

During your interviews, pay attention to what employees say about why they’re there. Do their answers feel rehearsed or genuine? Is the company’s stated mission reflected in the questions they ask and the goals they describe? For me, the more people I met at Anthropic, the more I saw alignment between their mission and how people actually talked about their work.

If you’re weighing options, I’d encourage you to think beyond compensation and hype. What does the company actually do, and does it matter to you? What do employees talk about when they describe why they joined? These questions helped me find clarity.

Popularity: hype is ephemeral

Anthropic is having a moment. I asked myself, “am I joining because of the hype?” That played a role in attracting my attention, but tech companies follow predictable narrative arcs—today’s darling becomes tomorrow’s cautionary tale. I fully expect Anthropic’s time in the spotlight to fade, and I’m okay with that. (I probably don’t have to convince you of that—I joined Microsoft after an internship on Windows Phone, perhaps the most un-cool, unpopular smartphone available to college students at the time.) The positive press won’t last forever, but my reasons for being here aren’t built on it.

I should also be honest: I’ve only been here a month. My impressions are early, and I could be wrong. One risk I think about: any company surrounded by believers can drift into an echo chamber. Anthropic’s mission-driven culture is a strength, but it’s also a vulnerability if it crowds out dissent or self-criticism. I don’t know yet how well the company handles that tension. Ask me again in a year.

So, you want to work for Anthropic? I can’t give you a step-by-step process of what to say in a resume or how to respond in interviews. I also can’t tell you if it’s right for you—but I hope in sharing my experiences, you’ll be better equipped to chart your own course.