Month: November 2025

I work as a software engineer as I have for the past 10 years or so. Recently, I was let go from my position as a Senior Software Engineer at an MLS company, and it really got me wondering about the future of the industry, and my role in it.

It happens. There are layoffs all the time. Interest rates are high, so the cost of money is not cheap; hiring is low. I live in Greensboro (not a big city), so rely on remote work. There are very few companies that hire for the work I do in the region, and if a company is hiring a remote worker, why would they hire me when they can hire a remote worker for 1/3 of the price (or less) in another country? I get it.

And companies are hiring less as they lean more on the use of AI. The theory is that a senior role (like me) can be more productive with AI than a senior role with several junior level roles supporting them.

Even if I end up at a great company, what’s to say the role couldn’t be outsourced in the near future? Or the company could be sold, and the team laid off, even if I am a stellar employee?

There is a website that keeps track of the numbers in the industry, trueup, and they state there are going to be an estimated 223,000 layoffs in the industry by the end of the year- or 661 per day. These layoffs from the best companies- Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google- are all the people I would be competing with for an interview- a losing battle on my end.

This time around (I have been laid off before, its not uncommon in this industry), I got an AI resume writing service, enhancv.com, and applied to well over 200 positions (close to 220). Each position I used a customized resume by AI to speak to all of the requirements listed, and here is my takeway:

• Many listings online are fake. They are a scam to get your information.
• Many listings online are fake. They are a scam make it SEEM like the company is hiring when they are not, giving the impression of growth.
• Listings online are focused on hiring for people overseas, even if they don’t explicitly say so.
• There can be 900 applications for a remote role in one day.
• More and more roles have followed the return to office policy, requiring 3-5 days a week onsite.

I was lucky this time. On LinkedIn, my feed is flooded with people in my industry of software engineering that have been looking for roles for 9 months, 12 months, or even 18+ months, having applied to 500+ roles or more. For me, I must have had 25 interviews; did 4 take-home coding assignments (one being an 8 hour project). over 100 automated rejections, and despite being a perfect candidate for a role just a few miles from my house, didnt get a single response from The Fresh Market.

The negativity on LinkedIn from my industry is really heavy, but I was able to make it through and accepted an offer from Geoh after searching for about 8 weeks, and I am excited to start a new, even more senior role, at a smaller company that does Medicaid and Medicare billing software, and industry that isnt going anywhere any time soon.

I will be doing more of the Software Architecture side of things- meaning looking at the big picture to decide how all of the software works together (billing, databases, integrations with each state, location tracking, invoice printing, etc). It will be an exciting challenge.

Even so, this really got me wondering: can I rely on this industry to help me provide for my family 5+ years from now? Is AI going to change this industry even more, making my work obsolete? Also, I am 40+ years old now, and this industry seems like a young man’s game- the instability seems like more of a gamble each year. Is it worth it?

Maybe it’s time to go back and become an electrician.

Several years ago I took Rosie to Charlotte on the train, and this year is Mercy’s turn.

After a quick breakfast, and a few minutes at the train station, we were on our way on the 90 minute train ride (the same amount of time as driving).

It’s $20 a person for a round trip ticket, and the train drops you off right near downtown Charlotte- just under 2 miles away from Discovery Center Science.

The train was virtually empty, and it was really nice not to drive and just spend time with Mercy. We got a seat with a table, spent some time coloring, and just looking out the window.

Discovery Center is big, but 2-3 hours is more than enough time. There was a big exhibit about space- which Mercy just wasn’t interested in.
The hamster wheel, starfish, and birds were fun though (ewww! They smell bad! was her only complaint before running away).

The highlight for me was reconnecting with my really good friend from middle school, Tyler Bryson. He has been living in Charlotte, and I texted him earlier in the year, and we both said we should connect. His suggestions was The Tipsy Pickle, an indoor pickleball/bar concept, and it happened to be near the train station. Again, awesome to have a beer and take the train home.

Rosie had a friend to spend the night, and it is sometimes a challenge to figure out what to do: stay home and keep them entertained? Go out to one of the breweries where they can run around a bit?

“Why don’t we walk to dinner?” Taylor suggested. So we did. Harper’s is a great choice, and about a 20 minute walk. Just one big road to cross, and it was fine; it gets dark so early, I made sure everyone had a flashlight.

It was a little early, so we popped into the pet store next door before the long walk home. Also, the pet store was a sponsor for the school’s fundraiser this year, so delivering a “Thank you” note was part of the itinerary.

Also, just like every year, this is the time of the year to battle the leaves. The city changed course and no longer takes a big pile of leaves if they are put on the curb- instead, they expect all yard debris to go into the can they provide.

It doesnt work. At my house, I quietly put my rake down, and called one of the many newly formed small businesses that can come to my house and suck the leaves.

As a side benefit, the kids get a big pile once again. It was more fun than I expected:

What do you get the special artist in your life that has everything?

It’s fall again. The political signs came out, and went away again. And it’s that one week in Greensboro I love the most: the leaves are amazing. My mom taught me to appreciate color, and I know I am annoying my kids because of it, pointing out some of these things we see driving to and from school each day.

It also means fighting the leaves to get them off my grass each year, but thats another story.

Taylor spent a few days out of town last week hanging with her life long friends in the mountains, and it looks like they had fun:

In her absence, my chore was to find my mom a birthday present- and this is something I am notably bad at. So, after Rosie got home from school, we went to Costco to see what we could find. Roaming the aisles, asking, “Would CICI like that?”. Tupperware? A blender? A warm blanket? THe best we could come up with is a cutting board in the shape of North Carolina, and some flowers.

Matt got her almost an identical cutting board last year, I learned after Taylor returned from her trip and told me.

“I’ll get her something” Taylor said. The girls hopped in the car, I battled the leaves for an hour or two, and on their return, after the delicious salmon and farmer’s market vegetable dinner, we gave Cici her new and improved gift:

Her very first pair of Crocs! Complete with Jibbitz that spell “Ci Ci!”. They were the wrong size, but the Croc store 0.8 miles from our house was still open, so we did an impromptu visit to exchange them for the right size.

Her facial expressions say it all- she had no idea there was a whole store dedicated to Crocs. She ended up getting a pair that will better hide the paint that will inevitably get on them.

Mercy just turned 5, and urgently had to use the restroom. There were none, so we had to run across the parking lot to Macy’s. Mercy wanted to ride the escalator, so we just wandered around the store for 30 minutes. It was almost empty at 8pm on a Saturday, and for whatever reason, it was such a fun, silly time together. Mercy, Rosie, and I did a footrace a few times, tried on shoes, and Mercy rolled her eyes at the Christmas decorations “It’s not Christmas yet!” she said several times.

We love you Cici, thanks for the joy that you bring us!