4 ms·

While there is a basis for many of your points, the overall take is a quite a bit too doomsday-ish. Many senior software engineers have financial cushion. This

by ptero 3y ago

While there is a basis for many of your points, the overall take is a quite a bit too doomsday-ish. Many senior software engineers have financial cushion. This market will probably get worse before it gets better, but like after dotcom boom and 2008 crisis it will recover. And having assets that you can live on for a few years means one doesn't need to dash around panicked to every job posting. My 2c.

bossyTeacher 3y ago
Yes, indeed many senior folks are cushioned hence all the moaning. Less financially stable folks are actually applying and prepping not stop because moaning online won't give you a job nor put food on the table. For the financially secure, the options are mostly the same. They just have the additional option of waiting. Their chances of getting a job similar to their previous one is still very low. While they have the option of remaining unemployed but financially secure, and they have the option to literally wait for a few years, this will not look good on their CV. You have two candidates, similar experience, one has a job, the other one hasn't had a job in 2 years. Interviewers from a job market that has been employer driven for the last x years will likely choose the employed one. No employer cares about how financially secure you are. If they have the choice of someone like you but with no recent job gaps or no gaps at all, they will choose the other candidate every single time. Just like an employee will always choose the slightly better company even if both companies are similar.
- ptero 3y ago
  Agree on "being unemployed does not look great", but senior, financially secure folks that chose to take a year off will likely have "developing tools to deploy X at Y at a stealth startup" or some such on their resume instead. Plus, IME "being umeployed is not great" applies just to chances of getting to the first technical interview. After that, it is just interview-based. Bottom line: I am not shedding any tears for most senior engineering folks who worked through one of the most favorable decades for software engineers. Yes, changing is uncomfortable, but they should have options that are way better than a free soup kitchen. My 2c.
  - bossyTeacher 3y ago
    I agree with you

by ptero 3y ago

bossyTeacher 3y ago

Yes, indeed many senior folks are cushioned hence all the moaning. Less financially stable folks are actually applying and prepping not stop because moaning online won't give you a job nor put food on the table. For the financially secure, the options are mostly the same. They just have the additional option of waiting. Their chances of getting a job similar to their previous one is still very low. While they have the option of remaining unemployed but financially secure, and they have the option to literally wait for a few years, this will not look good on their CV. You have two candidates, similar experience, one has a job, the other one hasn't had a job in 2 years. Interviewers from a job market that has been employer driven for the last x years will likely choose the employed one. No employer cares about how financially secure you are. If they have the choice of someone like you but with no recent job gaps or no gaps at all, they will choose the other candidate every single time. Just like an employee will always choose the slightly better company even if both companies are similar.

ptero 3y ago
Agree on "being unemployed does not look great", but senior, financially secure folks that chose to take a year off will likely have "developing tools to deploy X at Y at a stealth startup" or some such on their resume instead. Plus, IME "being umeployed is not great" applies just to chances of getting to the first technical interview. After that, it is just interview-based. Bottom line: I am not shedding any tears for most senior engineering folks who worked through one of the most favorable decades for software engineers. Yes, changing is uncomfortable, but they should have options that are way better than a free soup kitchen. My 2c.
- bossyTeacher 3y ago
  I agree with you