And certainly one must ask: in comparison to what? Is it far more difficult for a median skill software developer to find a job than the equivalent person seek

And certainly one must ask: in comparison to what? Is it far more difficult for a median skill software developer to find a job than the equivalent person seeking employment as an accountant, electrician, or plumber? I doubt it. The persistently very low unemployment rate for software developers rather speaks volumes about how not difficult it is to find a job. The interview processes are obnoxious in the field? Sure, that's a reasonable claim and seems to widely be the case.