Ask HN: Feeling quite disheartened about job search, any advice?
Amid a sharply weakened tech hiring climate—especially for remote roles—software engineers with years of experience report sending hundreds of applications with few or no callbacks. Commenters attribute this to a glut of talent, tighter corporate budgets, and global competition, and they debate how far candidates should go in adapting: from broadening tech stacks, targeting niche or legacy skills, and leaning on networks, to considering relocation, contracting, or even non-tech work. Alongside tactical advice on improving resumes, interview prep, and job-search “funnel” metrics, many emphasize protecting mental health and self-worth in what feels like a prolonged “numbers game.”
State of the Tech Job Market
- Many report the market as “brutal,” “hellscape,” or “ass,” with far fewer callbacks than a few years ago, even for people with 10–25+ years of experience.
- Several note hiring freezes or slowdowns at large companies, including freezes on backfills; others say some industries (finance, crypto, national labs, big retailers/insurers) still show many open “software” roles.
- There is disagreement on whether the market is “saturated with talent” or simply constrained by lack of investment and risk-averse hiring managers.
Remote vs Local Work
- Remote roles are described as extremely competitive and often global, driving salaries down and making EU-based remote search difficult.
- Some companies reportedly stopped hiring fully remote after fraud, multiple-job issues, and quality concerns.
- Others suggest using location as an advantage: target on-site/hybrid roles or relocate within Europe or abroad, though immigration and family constraints make that hard for many.
Skills, Specialization, and Career Change
- Web-only or frontend-heavy experience is seen by some as a liability; advice includes adding backend languages (Java/C#), infrastructure, DevOps, accessibility, or niche/legacy tech to stand out.
- Some urge considering non-tech or adjacent roles; others argue sunk costs, family obligations, and retraining time make switching careers unrealistic.
Application Strategy & “Numbers Game”
- Multiple comments frame job search as a funnel: optimize each stage (resume, prescreen, interviews) and track metrics.
- Suggestions: frequent resume rewrites, targeted LinkedIn tuning, networking through former colleagues, meetups, referrals, university boards, contract work, and freelancing platforms.
Lying, Signaling, and Pay
- Strong disagreement on lying or “white lies” in resumes:
- Some endorse exaggeration to compete in a market where many already lie and requirements are inflated.
- Others argue this degrades signaling and fuels ever-higher requirements.
- On pay, some advise not underpricing yourself to avoid signaling desperation; others note that, in hardship, taking lower pay or “any job” may be necessary.
Mental Health and Coping
- Many emphasize self-care: breaks, exercise, hobbies, side projects, learning new stacks, and reframing search as process-focused.
- Emotional toll and loss of self-worth are common; posters stress that current difficulty is largely market-driven, not individual failure.