As much as I admire Elon’s visionary and engineering brilliance, he’d be awful to work for. Almost got a job with SpaceX two years ago. Kind of glad I didn’t get it. I was too old for them (not directly stated but obvious). Even though I worked on the Space Shuttle and got a reference from Story Musgrave (and others), no way were they hiring someone over 40. Pissed me off at the time, but looking back it... there is no way I could do the hours they do.
“...no way were they hiring someone over 40. Pissed me off at the time, but looking back it... there is no way I could do the hours they do.”
That matches what I’ve heard about them. You basically marry the company and ‘family’ (whatever that means) is something you’re not supposed to think about, either at work, or at home.
Like I’m sure you think - they did you a major favor!
(p.s., I’ve also been saved from near-disasters career-wise by not getting hired into new jobs)