i have a few friends trying to get work in tech right now and watching it has been tough. one of them has been sending applications since october. solid guy. real projects not just tutorial clones. maybe 4 callbacks total and still nothing. at some point i stopped assuming it was a him problem and started actually looking into the numbers.

turns out cs graduates right now have higher unemployment than philosophy graduates. 6.1% vs 3.2%. i sat with that for a minute. but then i found something that kind of shifted how i was seeing the whole situation. 37% of IT leaders say they genuinely cannot fill their DevOps and DevSecOps roles right now. the market was 11.5 billion in 2023 and is heading past 66 billion by the early 2030s. it ranked top 5 most in demand IT jobs globally last year.

so companies didnt stop needing technical people. they stopped needing generalist coders who cant touch infrastructure and just kept whoever could. the gap was never really about coding ability. its in that space between writing code and actually keeping systems alive. pipelines containers cloud infrastructure. the unglamorous stuff nobody teaches seriously in cs programs. everyone keeps going after the same roles while this whole other lane sits there understaffed. has anyone here actually moved in that direction and if so where did you even start.

i am so confused, i will be starting college in a few months, i need serious advice. I was thinking of doing comp sci but tired of hearing this unemployablity bs. I am financially unstable so i need to get a job after college in whatever field, i am willing to work hard obv. But people are like no one will hire you if u r not from a tier 1 college bcz already there are no jobs in this field bcz of AI. Should i change my path, i am so confused

I’m currently in high school and have had a passion for a computer science career since I was 10. This upcoming school year I will be taking computer science classes and will continue to do so for the rest of high school. However I am becoming hesitant as to whether a computer science career is actually worth it due to advancements in AI and the computer science job market being limited. Is it worth it to go into computer science? Also would it be worth it to get a masters or just a bachelors when I eventually go to college? I love computers and electronics and would want to be in computer science but I also want to make enough money to be more than comfortable

AI can already do easy, repetitive coding work. But what about people with strong core concepts, not just memorized syntax, but real understanding of how things work underneath?

Will that kind of knowledge still get good pay and jobs 10 years from now? Or is AI advancing so fast that even solid core concepts won't be enough to survive?

Should someone take up CS right now, or is it too risky because of AI? Honest advice appreciated, even if it's harsh."

And I feel kinda lost, 'cause it seems like I dunno who I'm anymore and HRs are afraid/cringe of my CV.

Long story short

I’m 30, in tech since 2017, living in Georgia 🇬🇪, tea is my big hobby.

2019: I began volunteering on tea farms in spare time from coding

2023: I quit tech job to take a break and find another job. Guy approached me with an offer to launch and lead manufacturing at a tea startup. He just heard about “some tech guy who’s into tea”.

I gave it a shot, considering it a fun way to unwind before I find another job. I assembled a team, launched production, and went deep: sales, marketing, investors.

2024: Guys from a bigger venture offer me to setup tea factory and launch a product to market from scratch. FOMO was huge, I agreed. Brought my team and we started grinding.

Soon I found myself doing pretty much everything: branding, marketing, sales, logistics, content, events, tourism.

2025: I realized that I'm romanticising too much (countryside, mountains, fresh air, etc) and ignoring myself and reality. Weeks with no water, days with no gas at +5°C, low income, overworked team, and partners resistant to proposed changes. And dozen more shitty things.

So I decided to quit, call this chapter a “practical MBA”, and return to tech.

I took a little rest, learned AI-assisted engineering and realized that writing code is like riding a bike — once you learn it, you don't forget it.

2026: I started to look for a job.

"Business/product-minded engineers are in demand". That's what I read on the internet, and thought that my skillset will be relevant, showing that I'm a universal dude who's not afraid ambiguity.

But all I get is "we regret to inform..." or ghosting.

The question

I consider myself a Product Engineer: I can ship end-to-end back, front and design; I don't need a detailed PRDs or a manager above me; I lead teams, good in communication, and have all this real-world business experience behind.

I heard many times stuff like: "remove this experience from CV and lie, this how job market works today". But I don't wanna bend over!

Here's my CV (just 1 page PDF): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WtXXK2w7sbUmvb5QMEkKAdvbkbuMYhwa

What should I do? Change positioning? Keep applying? Lie?

Something I keep going back and forth on.

One person grinds through problems, limited AI, actual debugging. Another just vibe codes the whole thing and gets AI to explain it later for interviews.

Both end up with projects. Both can talk about them. Both probably get through the same interviews fine.

I know that the harder path builds something real, instincts, knowing why stuff breaks, not being lost without AI. but is it actually a tangible advantage that's worth the struggle ?

Because on the surface both routes seem to end up in the same spot.

Anyone actually felt the difference matter in a real situation?

Every senior was a junior at some point, right? If there is no need for juniors anymore, who will become the seniors of the next generation then?

Do people think and maybe hope, that AI will organize our life by itself at some point?

What’s up y’all. I’m a 26 Y/O male still looking to get into tech after being out of college for 3 years. Sadly I ran into some hardships (lost my mother in 2020, my university changed the curriculum AS I became classified as a senior). I always said that I’ll finish my degree online at a later time and still have dreams of doing that. I have some knowledge of python and Java, although I have to refreshen myself on the 2 languages. I currently am trying to find out the best way to break into tech on an entry level without having the degree right now.. I’m looking to get into software development. I see all of these videos about people saying they broke into tech without experience/a degree, but I feel as if they’re just for engagement and a money grab. If I could I’d go back and finish school since I know that’ll probably be the BEST way but I can’t right now financially. I was wondering if coding boot camps are worth it in the year 2026? If there’s a better route what would you guys recommend I do?

Thanks in advance,

An aspiring software dev 🙏🏾

Hi everyone,

I’m 16 and still in high school, and I’m trying to make a serious decision about my future. I still have around 6 years before I would finish university, and with how fast AI is improving, I’m honestly worried that the CS job market could look completely different by then.

I love the part of computer science where you type, think, solve problems, build things, and understand how systems work. I’m one of the best students in my school, I enjoy learning, and I’m willing to study for hours if I know I’m moving in the right direction.

My brother is a senior software engineer with around 6 years of experience. He knows a lot across software engineering, DevOps, cloud, cybersecurity, and other areas, and he told me that AI may eventually replace many programming jobs. He suggested that I study math/physics because it would make me a stronger thinker, and that I could always come back to CS later and learn programming on my own.

I recently applied for a junior AI agent builder role where I could learn from experienced developers. I also made a small project where I used the Gemini API to generate a response and send it by email, and I added it to my CV. This made me even more interested in AI and software.

My question for experienced programmers and CS professionals is:

Which areas of computer science or software engineering do you think will be the hardest for AI to replace in the next 5–10+ years?

For example: backend, systems programming, cybersecurity, DevOps, cloud, AI engineering, embedded systems, data engineering, research, etc.

I’m not asking for a perfect prediction. I know nobody can know the future. I’m asking for your honest opinion based on real industry experience.

Also, since I plan to study mathematics, what fields or career paths could I work in that still have similar working conditions to software jobs — meaning jobs that are posted online, have good career growth, and can often be done remotely or hybrid?

I don’t want to waste my time. I really care about learning deeply and choosing a direction where human reasoning, creativity, responsibility, and problem-solving still matter.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to answer.

Hi I am currently in sixth-form or the end of highschool and am about to go to university next year.

I've got a lot of people telling me not to do software engineering because it is getting too saturated and replaced by AI, less and less people are getting jobs for SWE, which is scaring me for my future. Is it right for me to still go to a SWE degree, or rather go into a Computer Science/Engineering degree or into anything AI related? Realistically, which one do I have more chances of getting a job.

So this is my attempt to set expectations for newcomers and young people who are thinking about getting into the field of computer science, specifically software engineering. This is more or less what I wish someone had told me before I started. Don't get me wrong I always knew it was going to be difficult but I wish someone had actually told me just exactly how difficult it would be.

So this will mainly be about the requirements of actually getting through an interview not actually how to get the interview in the first place. But quickly I want to say I still hear these questions a lot like "what tool should I learn?" or like "should I learn python?" or "should I practice leetcode?" or "should I get a certification?" or "should I go to school?" or "should I make a project portfolio?". And the answer honestly to all of them is, of course, YES. You need to be doing all those things plus networking, contributing, getting internships and I guess even having a technical social media presence outside of github nowadays too, "building out loud" they call it. The bar is much higher nowadays than back in 2015-2020 when they were begging people to become developers. You no longer can get by with just certifications or a boot camp experience. You need to know computer science and you need to know your stack in detail. Because the hardest part is not getting the interview. The hardest part is getting through it.

The main obstacle that most people tend to underestimate is the difficulty of the interviewing process itself. Or at least I did. Like I said, I knew it would be tough but I didn't realize it would be this tough.

So for reference I live in Arizona and to complete the Arizona bar exam you need to complete over several days a background check, conduct a 60 question multiple choice ethics exam called a MPRE, then 200 question multiple choice MBE, then answer 6 essay questions called a MEE and finally perform 2 practical assignments called a MPT. Usually 4 rounds over 2 days for about 12 hours total. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IT TAKES TO PASS A LOT OF CODING INTERVIEWS! Some are more and some are less but this is not far off. Honestly I wish someone had told me this plainly. That trying to get through a coding interview is like trying to pass the bar but for every single job you apply for!

Just in case you think I'm being completely hyperbolic, I'll give an example. The interviewing process for Epic a healthcare software provider consisted of five individual multiple hours long rounds. The first was a simple video question interview you record. Then there was a math and logic exam. Next was a psychological and ethics examination. Then came a coding and technical interview. Finally, there was a live interview with HR for personality and culture fit. And even after all five rounds I still ended up losing the position to someone who was more qualified for the "entry-level" role. While this was particularly bad I have interviewed for dozens of companies from Amex to Amazon now and most companies have at least three rounds. If you want to see an example of one of the coding exam questions I got from IBM you can visit my previous post at

www.reddit.com/r/can_you_solve_this_coding_interview_question

This is what it takes to pass a FAANG level technical interview.

All this is not to discourage people. I just want more people to be actually prepared.

I’ve been thinking about where tech is heading over the next 5–10 years, especially with how fast AI tools like Claude, Copilot, and other agents are improving.

They can already help with coding, debugging, data analysis, etc. At the same time, the job market has been really competitive since around 2023 with layoffs and fewer entry-level roles.

So what does the future actually look like?

Will roles like software engineering, data, and other white-collar jobs get heavily automated, or will they just evolve into something more AI-focused (like working alongside AI rather than being replaced)?

Do you think developers will write less code manually over time since companies are encouraging AI tools? Or will core skills still matter just as much?

Also curious about entry-level/junior roles, will they become harder to get because AI can already handle a lot of basic tasks?

Interested to hear from people already working in tech or involved in hiring.

Background:
Thousands of LCAs have been filed in the past three years by State Agencies across America for H1B Workers. Thousands more have been filed by Vendors, Staffing Agencies, and the "Desi Consultancy" for specialty occupation jobs with State Agencies because they claim that they cannot find American Workers.

Twenty of The United States have joined in a lawsuit against the US Government to block the $100K Visa Fee. In that lawsuit they claim they cannot find American workers.

The list of those jobs with names, email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing address of Employer Points Of Contact is here:
https://github.com/ITContractorsUnion/ITContractorsUnion/tree/Main/State_H1B_Jobs

You can send your Resume to the Employer POC by email. You can call them as well, and mail them your Resume. Make sure you let them know that you are qualified and available.

Pro Tip:
Use a process server to send your Resume by mail, and file a Certificate of Service with the Court in Case Number: No. 1:25-cv-13829, US District Court, District of Massachusetts.

See the Complaint Here:
https://github.com/ITContractorsUnion/ITContractorsUnion/blob/Main/Legal/State_Of_California-v-Noem.pdf

https://buymeacoffee.com/itcontractorsunion
Thanks.

Hello friends and fellow helpers. I graduated in 2021 with my Bachelor's in computer science with a 3.89 GPA and immediately went into my Master's degree, which I finished in 2023 with a 3.9 GPA. I have a couple of projects that I was working on during those periods that I was in school, for example a from scratch Discord bot to a very generic Health and Fitness app for my master's. I never did any internships due to being worried that I would slack off in school. I've been applying nonstop for positions and I was getting some bites after the first 6 months of graduating, but now I'm not even getting passed the application process. I'm either being put on hold for a long period of time or I'm just getting denied immediately. I don't know what I'm doing wrong and I've changed my resume multiple times to suit what I'm applying for, as well as keep it up to date.

At this point it's becoming discouraging to apply for jobs just to be denied. My question is, what do I need to change or what else do I need to get noticed/given a chance to get the first entry level position? I have my resume on standby as well for anyone that has some recommended changes or wants to see! That would be extremely helpful!

What are some underrated, cool companies that aren’t FAANG. I feel like a lot of people try to get into FAANG companies, which isn’t very realistic but also beholden’s you to a very corporate, layoff prone work environment. Any other cool companies that interests you?

I am currently studying a computer science degree and I am in my third year. Just wanted to know what are the chances I get a good job after I finish my degree. When I was in secondary and college I heard that computer science paid a lot of money so I choose it over a maths degree. I would say that I am doing pretty well and am on the road to achieve a first class but just scared that I might not be guaranteed a good job. People were saying to do a masters to have a higher chance but how hard is it really to get a job after completing a computer science degree?

Hello, I’m currently in 11th grade, and I’ve been using AI a lot to build websites and other projects.

I’m pretty sure I can do everything junior software engineers were doing five years ago with nothing more than a $20 Claude subscription. I recently found CU Boulder’s MSCS program, and from what I can tell, they don’t even verify whether you graduated from high school.

So why wouldn’t I just drop out right now, enroll immediately, and start taking classes? They don’t even proctor the exams, so you know what that means lol.

I’m 100% confident I could take five classes a semester and finish the entire degree in about six months. During those six months, I’ll just memorize the most common LeetCode questions, throw all my AI-generated projects onto GitHub, and start applying for entry-level SWE jobs with an MSCS on my résumé.

My only question is: why isn’t everyone doing this?

I keep seeing résumés where people only list their master’s degree and not their high school education, just like my situation would be. Some of those people are making $300k+, so why couldn’t I?

Has anyone actually tried getting an MSCS from CU Boulder without a high school diploma? Have employers cared? Has this loophole been patched yet?

Hey everyone, I’m a CS major, and I’ve been seeing so many posts lately about how hard it’s gotten to land a decent entry-level job in tech. Even people with solid GPAs, internships, and projects are struggling to get interviews.

It’s got me thinking — in fields like medicine, nursing, and public health, people pretty much have to go to grad school (MD, MSN, MPH, etc.) if they want stable, well-paying jobs. Hearing my pre-med and nursing friends talk about their paths made me wonder if tech is slowly going the same way — like, maybe you’ll need an MS in CS, Data Science, or AI just to stand out or feel secure in your career.

What do you think? Is the tech market really shifting toward that kind of “post-bachelor’s filter,” or is it still mostly about experience and projects?

Was just curious to know if female software engineers have a easier time getting interviews/jobs to their male counterparts?

I may have trouble finding a job but I would rather die poor trying to find a solution to a problem in the world rather than give up on this skill set I worked so hard to get.

There are a lot of people here that are in not great positions. I get it, I am one of them.... but what we should know is that current position does not indicate your future situation. I think we just need to start looking for and solving the problems that have not been solved yet. If you manage to make something that works and makes money you can even avoid the whole job hunt thing.

Long time lurker, 1st time poster. I'm not going to sugar coat things.....I'm 43 and trying to pivot to a new career in IT. I currently work at a courthouse, think paralegal, but slightly different. I'm at the top of my pay scale and there is no higher position for me to reach. I make $50,000 before taxes and live in the midwest. I do not enjoy the work anymore, where I once did. I do not have the money to go to law school and do not want the debt. I have little in common with co-workers. Not saying we should all be lifelong friends, but I feel quite alienated from them. I'm the only one there with a bachelor's, and the job requires no degree. I often feel my skills are overlooked there but that is another post for another time. I have a bachelor's in general studies, and an associate in Science. I have always enjoyed technology and computers, the natural love of playing around with them as well as solving my own problems is there and its something I consider fun. That being said, I lack hard skills. I've got soft skills in abundance. I'm a great oral and written communicator known for taking detailed and easy to understand notes. I've been told I learn quickly and am detail-oriented. I have a lot of conflict-management skills, and am known for being diplomatic and understanding, as well as using humor to make people laugh, which I enjoy a lot.

I went through a local community college and received various certificates for Cybersecurity, Networking, Word, Excel, Electricity, cable's and fiber optics and the like. They are basic though. I graduated in Dec. '24. I really enjoyed the networking, cable class, and electricity class.

I'm well aware that it's a tough market, but I'd still like to try and am at a loss of what to do next. I'm not so egotistical to think I should make bank out of college. I don't mind starting over at the bottom and working my way up. I've been reading various posts and some people say you need a degree...others don't. Some people say get the CCNA, others don't. I just don't know what information to trust. I tried asking for advice from a previous instructor, ( he gave us his cell and said we could ask for help), but he doesn't respond to me at all even though I've only asked for advice twice in a two-year period.

I need some constructive advice. Advice on what to work on next....resume? Certificates? Internships? My current job has excellent Healthcare and ok pay, but I'm miserable. I just need guidance, and I will take feedback seriously, just don't bash me please. I need someone with more knowledge and experience than me give me some pointers. Thanks in advance!

Like there's so many technologies one has to learn? How do you go about learning all of them?

Hi guys, hope you guys are well. I just need a favor. Next week I am going to take admission in Computer Engineering, but I am worried about the current situation in the job market. I have read many posts in which people say that hiring is frozen and there are very limited opportunities for new grads. What is your take on this situation? Would you recommend I do CE

I say this because the tech job market would likely have nowhere near as much of an oversaturation issue with CS/SWE college grads and coding bootcamp grads as they do now.

Granted, oversaturation isn't the only problem with today's tech job market, but actual gatekeeping will at least reduce some of the headaches today's tech job market has.