Startups have had unprecedented success hiring top tech talent upending a decades long power imbalance. Suddenly, several thousand quality tech workers were job hunting, and it didn't seem like Big Tech would be hiring them back anytime soon. But lately, things have been changing, and his startup has become more attractive to former Big Tech workers, he said. "Just because they come from Big Tech companies does not mean they're quite suitable for my needs." Still, recruiters told Insider, startups rarely judge tech workers solely on whether they've worked at a Big Tech company or a startup.

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