The Reality Of Tech Jobs in 2024

Summary

The job market is turbulent for engineers; layoffs and hiring freezes lead companies to cut costs. As a result, senior engineers now compete for mid-level roles while employers are wary of investing in training junior hires who may underdeliver. The best path forward is building trusted connections through friendships and networking to access unlisted opportunities. Rather than applying cold, focus on proving trustworthiness through relationships and contributions over degrees and scores. Surround yourself with peers to share progress and discover openings.

Takeaways

• 😟 The job market for engineers is in a scary state with more competition for fewer open positions
• 😥 Companies have tightened budgets and are less willing to take risks on hiring junior developers
• 🤝 Connections and trust are now the most important factors in getting hired as an engineer
• 😀 Referrals and co-worker recommendations provide a lot of value and trust
• 👥 Surrounding yourself with other engineers is key for making connections and finding opportunities
• 🤯 Cold applying to jobs alone is usually not enough in the current market
• 😢 The myth of getting good offers just from school and side projects is fading
• 😡 Internships are even harder to get than full-time entry level positions
• 😊 There are great online tech communities to network and meet peers in
• 🤔 Understand that trust and connections are what companies prioritize in candidates now

Q & A

Why are companies more hesitant to hire junior engineers right now?

Companies are hesitant because junior engineers require a lot of onboarding and ramp up time, which slows down existing engineers. With tighter budgets, companies want guaranteed returns on their engineering investments.

What is the approximate fully-loaded cost of an engineer in the US?

The typical fully-loaded cost for an engineer in the US, including salary, benefits, and office expenses, ranges from $200,000 to $400,000 per year.

How can junior engineers build trust when job hunting?

Junior engineers can build trust through personal connections and referrals, contributing to open source projects, showcasing their skills on sites like LeetCode, and highlighting work from previous internships or jobs.

Why are employee referrals so valuable right now?

Referrals provide social proof and serve as a trust signal for candidates. With higher risk tolerance, companies lean more on referrals rather than cold applications.

What is the alternative to cold applying for jobs?

Instead of just cold applying, focus on networking both online and in-person to build connections in the industry. Leverage sites like LinkedIn, Twitter Spaces, and Discord communities.

Why is networking so important for getting a job right now?

With lower risk tolerance, most companies hire through referrals and existing connections. Networking builds trust and social proof necessary to get your resume prioritized.

What types of engineers are lower risk hires right now?

Engineers with several years of experience at reputable companies are lower risk, as they have a proven track record. Specific niche skills are also valuable.

How has the expectation for engineer training changed?

Companies expect new hires to ramp up faster with less onboarding. There is less tolerance for long engineer training periods.

Why don't degrees and interview performance matter as much now?

The current market values trust and connections over formal credentials like degrees or coding challenges. Social proof is more important.

What if you don't have an in-person network right now?

Online communities like Twitter Spaces and Discord groups provide connections too. The key is discussing code and building relationships.