reality of software job market
Everyone online says the software engineering market is dead. But talk to real people, and you will get a different picture. Last week Bogdan and I flew to Amsterdam to meet some of our mentees. One…
Jul 14, 2026 · 2 MIN READ
Everyone online says the software engineering market is dead.
But talk to real people, and you will get a different picture.
Last week Bogdan and I flew to Amsterdam to meet some of our mentees.
One of our students told us how surprised she was during her interviews.
Most companies were chill.
They discussed the stuff they were building... And the kind of engineer they were looking for.
No hate.
No "AI is going to take your job" talk.
Sure, a few recruiters were rude.But that was the exception, not the rule.
Most of them were cool people looking for a win-win.
If you're a software engineer worried about the market, don't let negativity ruin your career (and your life).
Yes, the market is competitive but definitely not “dead”:
Tech unemployment is still very low. In the US tech is around 2.9%, way below the 4.2% national rate. Same in Europe, sitting at around 7%.
Hiring at large tech companies is slower (about 25% below 2019, the lowest since 2023). But engineering is down only 11%. Marketing and HR were hit harder.
Pure frontend roles are shrinking (down ~25%) migrating towards full-stack. I expect this trend to reverse.
Companies are getting flatter, leaner, and more technical. Managers are running bigger teams.
Based on salary data, software engineers who can leverage AI are starting to earn more than everyone else (including their managers).
Software engineering is doing better than almost every other profession out there.
HR, marketing, operations... All added fewer new hires.
Here's a Senior Dev tip:
The fastest way to get hired in the current market is to demonstrate “proof of work” and “proof of Seniority”.
This is not 2022.
Potential won’t get you an offer, not even an interview.
You have to clearly show that you can do the work. That you can go Senior-level deep into the topics they are asking you about.
As for Bogdan and me, our next destination is London later this week 🇬🇧
Which also means that I can only take calls until tomorrow. Want to become an AI-proof Senior Engineer?
Let’s have a chat and see if we could be a fit.
Cheers,
Dragos
P.S. The student I mentioned landed a great offer at a fantastic company. She couldn't be happier :) You can be next!
P.S. Amsterdam is a very cool city. If you visit, watch out for the bikes. And be careful with the stroopwafels — they're addictive!
Data source: SignalFire's State of Talent Report, 2026 (hiring data). US unemployment: CompTIA, June 2026.
