Ask HN: Is the Job Market Actually Bad?

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall View of the Market

  • No consensus: some say it’s the worst market in decades; others report landing roles or multiple interviews relatively quickly.
  • Many frame it as K‑shaped: well‑credentialed specialists in hot niches do fine; juniors, generalists, and those off the “main track” struggle badly.
  • Several note it’s improved somewhat from the absolute trough in 2023–early 2025, but still far from the 2020–2021 boom.

Geography, Industry, and Seniority

  • Strong demand reported in certain areas: Bay Area, silicon verification, core infra/datacenter work, some security roles.
  • Europe: perceived as easier in Eastern/Central Europe than Western Europe, especially after tax and cost‑of‑living adjustments.
  • Seniors with recognizable brands and “foundational” experience often still in demand.
  • Juniors and early‑career devs describe a “bloodbath” with hundreds of applications and <1% interview rates.

Remote Work, Compensation, and Expectations

  • Remote roles attract huge applicant pools; cold applications often go nowhere.
  • High comp tiers ($300k–$400k+ US) see fewer opportunities and more pullback, especially at big tech.
  • Some mid‑range comp seekers (~$170k–$200k) find roles, but often with tradeoffs (e.g., in‑office, long hours, weak COL‑adjusted pay).

AI and Changing Work

  • CRUD / integration work increasingly automated via “agentic” AI workflows; some companies allegedly trading headcount for token spend.
  • Verification and QA of AI‑generated code seen as an unsolved bottleneck and potential new opportunity area.

Hiring Process, Filtering, and “Ghost Jobs”

  • Heavy use of ATS and automated filters makes discovery hard on both sides.
  • Many report ghost jobs, reposted roles, and job ads that never result in contact.
  • Resumes and communication quality matter more in a tight market; some candidates advised to improve fundamentals and storytelling.

Gaps, Pivots, and Non‑Traditional Backgrounds

  • Career breaks (e.g., caregiving) and non‑CS or bootcamp backgrounds face higher scrutiny; some consider or are advised to “paper over” gaps.
  • Career pivots (to climate tech, hardware, new domains) are notably harder now, even with pay cuts.

Strategies Discussed

  • Networking, referrals, and being on internal talent lists beat cold applying.
  • Some are shifting toward founding/joining startups; others are upskilling in core CS or AI‑adjacent skills.