Several things: - Any news about a "recovery" has nothing to do with the reality you are likely facing. - The worst of it is in the long-tail, not necessarily

Several things: - Any news about a "recovery" has nothing to do with the reality you are likely facing. - The worst of it is in the long-tail, not necessarily the initial shock. - The change in the market from, "We can grow our way out of anything!" to, "Quick! Circle the wagons and lay low." happens a lot more suddenly than you expect, but there are also warning signs. - You're super valuable and totally super employable right up until the moment that you're not, and in the wrong place at the wrong time you have no control and almost no influence over changing that, so be prepared to weather it or jump ship. - Super high software developer salaries seem somehow correlated to VC-pumping, and when the market fundamentals kick in, you're likely to find yourself facing steep cuts, so live like you're a mechanical engineer, not a lottery winner.