When the job search becomes impossible

Supply, demand, and a changed market

• Many see the current tech crunch as classic oversupply: CS programs and immigration expand the pool while demand softens, driving down wages and raising bars.
• Others argue this is cyclical—similar to past busts (dot-com, GFC)—and that seller’s markets eventually return, though some fear offshoring and AI could make this downturn structurally different.
• Some claim the “shortage of tech workers” narrative is outdated; job postings attract hundreds or thousands of applicants.

Psychological toll, privilege, and fear of homelessness

• Commenters describe long-term unemployment (6–24+ months), draining savings, selling possessions, skipping meals, and living off family or in shelters.
• Several criticize the essay for treating unemployment primarily as a mental-health/burnout issue; for many, the central fear is losing housing.
• Others counter that “most people” have a few rungs before street homelessness (family, shared housing, selling home equity), prompting pushback that this is out of touch with paycheck‑to‑paycheck realities.
• There are candid accounts of suicidal ideation and advice to seek help, tempered with warnings about real risks of disclosing this to professionals.

Networking vs mass applications

• Many say online applications and ATS portals are largely futile; they only get hired via referrals, alumni ties, or direct outreach.
• Others report the opposite: multiple good jobs obtained purely via “apply on website” or LinkedIn forms, and argue blanket “never apply online” advice is harmful.
• Lack of a network is seen as a major structural disadvantage, especially for juniors, immigrants, and people from small or insular companies.

Broken hiring systems, AI spam, and nepotism

• Hiring managers describe roles receiving 500–1,200+ resumes, many AI-generated or obviously fake, plus large numbers of underqualified applicants.
• Under this flood, practical screening reverts to people already known: ex‑coworkers, prior applicants, friends-of-friends. Several say hiring has effectively “returned to 100% who you know.”
• Attempts to filter (ATS, HR keyword searches, small coding tasks) often either miss strong candidates or anger applicants forced to do unpaid tests amid low response rates.
• Some propose “proof of work” (snail‑mailed resumes, in‑person drop‑offs, simple assessments) to counter resume spam; others note desperate applicants already face overwhelming friction.

Age, career length, and FIRE

• There is broad anxiety about employability after ~50: age discrimination, shorter software careers, and raising retirement ages.
• Some argue higher tech wages are intended to fund retirement by 50–55 and that workers should aggressively save/invest (FIRE); others note most people lack the income, stability, or temperament for this.
• Debate over whether older devs inevitably lose sharpness vs. whether continuous coding and experience can keep skills strong, with accusations of ageism when older decline is treated as inevitable.

Unions, UBI, and structural fixes

• Opinions on unions split: some see failure to unionize during boom years as a “self‑own”; others argue unions lower flexibility or protect low performers.
• A few advocate workplace democracy or stronger labor law instead of traditional unions.
• UBI is discussed as attractive but likely fiscally or politically unrealistic at meaningful levels; some argue resources exist but are misallocated, others emphasize demographic and supply constraints.

Coping strategies and alternative paths

• Suggestions include extreme frugality (no debt, high savings, low‑COL regions), dual‑income households, volunteer work for meaning and networking, and long breaks—when financially feasible.
• Some pivot to trades (electrician, construction, plumbing) or non‑tech jobs, reporting better stability and autonomy.
• Side projects, indie games, and open source are seen by some as ways to stay motivated and signal capability; others report being exploited or ignored and conclude “stop working for free.”
• Multiple commenters emphasize that unemployment’s randomness means even excellent, well‑regarded people can go years without landing a suitable role.