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Why I am not giving up on Software Engineering (and you shouldn't either)

Don't throw out your keyboard just yet.

Aug 1, 2025 · 2 MIN READ
Why I am not giving up on Software Engineering (and you shouldn't either)

If you’ve read the news lately…

Things are not looking great for software engineers.

Tech layoffs. Brutal job market. Companies dragging you through 7 interview rounds - just to ghost you because of "culture fit".

Some developers have been unemployed or under-employed for months.

Living off savings. Downsizing their lives.

Others are losing hope.

Quitting.

Switching careers.

There’s a growing trend on Reddit:‍

Some self-taught devs going back to trades—plumbing, welding, construction.

They say it’s more stable. The money is good. You find work easily.

I get it.

For some, it might be the right move.

But, I believe many are missing the point.

Most software engineers are better off writing code than fixing toilets.

Let’s look at the facts:

1. Tech is still high-leverage and high-margin ($$)

  • Google, OpenAI, Stripe, Airbnb—operate at global scale with relatively small teams.
  • Tech still drives GDP growth, innovation, and global infrastructure.
  • AI, cloud, and security ain't going anywhere.

2. Geopolitics needs tech

  • War is pushing defense spending into overdrive (sadly).
  • That means billions of $ in AI, drones, cybersecurity, semiconductors.
  • Defense startups like Palantir are mostly software.

3. Trades are cyclical too (I saw it first hand in 2028)

  • If construction slows, so do plumbing jobs.
  • Software scales. It’s location-independent. It builds equity.

So no, the software industry isn’t dying.

And it’s not being eaten alive by AI.

(most tech CEOs are hyping doom to sell their AI tools)

What’s really happening is:

  • It’s getting harder to get in—especially if you're self-taught.
  • The bar is rising.
  • The market is becoming binary: you either get $100K+ or unemployed.

But when you’re in, the upside is still insane.

Meta is still paying $500K for top roles.

Solo devs are building 6-figure SaaS products from their bedrooms (try to do that as a plumber).

Meanwhile, outside manual labor or stable government jobs (in Europe), most white-collar fields are even worse—saturated and stagnant.

So, unless you want to start laying bricks or wiring up houses...

Your best bet?

Get better.

Better technically.
Better at thinking like a Senior engineer.
Better at navigating the job market.

Cuz' you can’t fix the economy.

But you can fix your skills.

And when the tide turns—and it will turn (I saw it in 2008)— you’ll be ready.

Btw, August spots are filling up fast.

If you're serious about leveling up...

‍Book a call here to see if you'd be a fit for our Mentorship.

Talk soon,

Dragos

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// Senior Developer Mindset

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Are you a software developer dreaming about the magic number? Earning a 100k salary. Maybe you want to retire early to an exotic island. Have a family without worrying about money. Or you want more from life. I am here to tell you that you are not crazy. Getting to a 100k salary as a software developer is doable. You don’t have to be a great coder or have tens of years of experience, and you don’t have to be lucky, though luck can help. You must focus on the right things, stay consistent, and work hard. And you will get there faster than you think. 

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// Technical Interviews

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Could you win a game if you don’t know the rules? Probably not. Sadly, most software developers are doing just that. Layoffs, recession and inflation pushed many engineers back into the Technical Interview game. They have no choice but to play. And most don’t know its rules. When they get rejected and ignored, they understand they are losing. But, they don’t understand WHY they are losing. Or what it takes to win. By winning I mean landing that high paying developer job you've been looking for ever since you started coding. I mean not worrying about mortgage payments anymore. Or the kids' tuition. At the same time, getting a developer job became a lot harder. Layoffs, recession, remote work, and AI have flipped the power in the job market, from developers to companies.The days of knowing a bit of React and getting hired are gone. Every developer job now has hundreds if not thousands of candidates waiting at the door. You have no other choice but to stand out. And you have to be very effective at doing technical interviews because the margin for error is small. With fewer opportunities coming by, you better nail the ones you’ve got.

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