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Ask HN: Is Silicon Valley slowing down?

I’m currently working in my first job after university and I’m thinking of moving to San Francisco on a graduate visa this summer. (I’m From Ireland and have the opportunity to get a J1 graduate visa) I’d be moving to San Francisco/silicon valley with a CS degree from a university here in Ireland and 1 years experience in a development role. From reading recent articles and the recent fall in stock prices of tech stocks, I’m just worried that things seem to be slowing down and that there is possibly a tech bubble that's about to pop this year. What is the job market like out there at the moment and is it a foolish decision to leave my permanent job here and risk not finding any work in silicon valley?

gamechangr 11y ago
It's not slowing down at all for Startups. That's just the media. Only you can decide if it's worth it to move. I'm an American that has lived abroad twice. Weigh the decision. I'm am extremely happy that I had those opportunities. I would guess that you would not risk losing much or that you would be able to get a job back in Ireland if things didn't work out, but I'm not real informed as to the Irish tech market. I would say make the move, but I'm not you :)
- ceallaigh49364 11y ago
  Thanks for the response! Yeah its something I really want to do and the fact that I can get a visa is an opportunity I shouldn't pass up. The job market here is pretty good so if didn't work out it wouldn't be the end of the world :)
- eecks 11y ago
  Lots of jobs in the Irish tech market but they don't pay as well as SV or London
sharemywin 11y ago
I would argue don't limit your search to SV(There other cities and 49 other states). Finding an opportunity to work in another country while your young would be an awesome experience you might not get another chance to pursue.
jkot 11y ago
It will be good experience. Bubble is going to pop out every year.
kasey_junk 11y ago
Yes Silicon Valley is slowing down. Further, you'd be one of the most at risk workers in the technology sector in the city with your experience level and visa situation. But that still puts it in one of the best job markets globally. The things that make SV less attractive for young job seekers now are the same things that make it unattractive all the time. Cost of living, lack of long term housing options and (only slightly tongue in cheek) the worst music scene of any major city in the US.
argonaut 11y ago
1) The slowdown is in VC funding for startups trying to raise series A and growth rounds. The companies that are hardest hit are the startups that are just barely above $1B in valuation. Think: Instacart, Zenefits, etc. Also companies trying to raise Series A. 2) All the big companies Google, FB, Apple, Amazon, etc. are still printing money like crazy and hiring all the engineers they can find. 3) Well established pre-IPO companies like Airbnb and Uber are still hiring like crazy and have no trouble finding funding. Uber claims it's profitable in the US, for example, so I don't see any reason Uber is going to collapse any time soon. 4) If gasp you can't find work at a hot startup, you can always try to work at a big tech company or big pre-IPO company.
smartician 11y ago
Completely anecdotal: Back in 2001 I was in Silicon Valley on a J-1 visa. The company I was working at had three rounds of layoffs within 6 months. Seeing the decaying situation, I went back to Europe to find work there. One of the other interns (French-Moroccan guy) stayed. I had a mediocre career in Germany (though now back in the valley), whereas he went to pre-IPO LinkedIn and then pre-IPO Twitter. I'm pretty sure he did well for himself. I regret being scared of the bubble popping and going back. The situation now is much healthier than in 2001.

gamechangr 11y ago

It's not slowing down at all for Startups. That's just the media. Only you can decide if it's worth it to move. I'm an American that has lived abroad twice. Weigh the decision. I'm am extremely happy that I had those opportunities. I would guess that you would not risk losing much or that you would be able to get a job back in Ireland if things didn't work out, but I'm not real informed as to the Irish tech market. I would say make the move, but I'm not you :)

ceallaigh49364 11y ago
Thanks for the response! Yeah its something I really want to do and the fact that I can get a visa is an opportunity I shouldn't pass up. The job market here is pretty good so if didn't work out it wouldn't be the end of the world :)
eecks 11y ago
Lots of jobs in the Irish tech market but they don't pay as well as SV or London

sharemywin 11y ago

I would argue don't limit your search to SV(There other cities and 49 other states). Finding an opportunity to work in another country while your young would be an awesome experience you might not get another chance to pursue.

jkot 11y ago

It will be good experience. Bubble is going to pop out every year.

kasey_junk 11y ago

Yes Silicon Valley is slowing down. Further, you'd be one of the most at risk workers in the technology sector in the city with your experience level and visa situation. But that still puts it in one of the best job markets globally. The things that make SV less attractive for young job seekers now are the same things that make it unattractive all the time. Cost of living, lack of long term housing options and (only slightly tongue in cheek) the worst music scene of any major city in the US.

argonaut 11y ago

1) The slowdown is in VC funding for startups trying to raise series A and growth rounds. The companies that are hardest hit are the startups that are just barely above $1B in valuation. Think: Instacart, Zenefits, etc. Also companies trying to raise Series A. 2) All the big companies Google, FB, Apple, Amazon, etc. are still printing money like crazy and hiring all the engineers they can find. 3) Well established pre-IPO companies like Airbnb and Uber are still hiring like crazy and have no trouble finding funding. Uber claims it's profitable in the US, for example, so I don't see any reason Uber is going to collapse any time soon. 4) If gasp you can't find work at a hot startup, you can always try to work at a big tech company or big pre-IPO company.

smartician 11y ago

Completely anecdotal: Back in 2001 I was in Silicon Valley on a J-1 visa. The company I was working at had three rounds of layoffs within 6 months. Seeing the decaying situation, I went back to Europe to find work there. One of the other interns (French-Moroccan guy) stayed. I had a mediocre career in Germany (though now back in the valley), whereas he went to pre-IPO LinkedIn and then pre-IPO Twitter. I'm pretty sure he did well for himself. I regret being scared of the bubble popping and going back. The situation now is much healthier than in 2001.