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.
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