Netflix is not for everyone. You don't get "direction" so much as everyone shares a common understanding of company strategy and goals. You are free to work, and some will find this harder than just being told what to do. Netflix doesn't have "average" workers - everyone is high functioning, highly motivated and independent, and expectations are enormous. There is nothing like a career position here. There is high turn over, and its unnerving to many. There is an understanding: "good average work and productivity does not get a modest raise, but a generous severence."
It's a pro team, and the team fit is also as important as the individual performance. You could be excellent, but if you're not HIGHLY communicative, cooperative, egoless, you can get cut just in the team balancing of moving quickly and effectively.
you must be able and willing to share early and often about everything. projects that are new and forming get debated and you have to defend your position and hear critique well. recognizing that criticism is of the work and not you is essential -- a thin skin won't work well. quiet hard work doesn't work well (for some engineers perhaps); you don't ask permission, but you must be able to clearly articulate why you do what you are doing, and support this position. you must realize that ideas are not fragile, and only through debate with smart people who share your understanding of company goals and strategy will ideas be improved.
This is serious work. It's really fun, but make no mistake, it's hard and not for everyone.