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Comment by theandrewbailey | Hacker News Reader

> For the first time in 20 years there are more applicants than jobs again.

I'd argue that happened during 2008 and 2009.

Source: I graduated and had to get a first job during that time. For every 100 positions I applied for, I got a call for 5, and had on site interviews for 1. Sounds like that may be the case again.

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I had absolutely NO problem finding employment during that time period.

First jobs are usually the "first" to go FYI.

I'm a senior dev, and even back then I had a ton of experience.

I agree with OP. This is easily the biggest down cycle since the dot com bubble.

Just remember, things will recover. Eventually.

That's all well and good, but "eventually" doesn't pay the bills right now.

Which is a lesson to not blow your money (I know this doesn't help those that are CURRENTLY in this situation). Tech people tend to think money grows on trees, they're paid far more than the median wage and that means they feel things like inflation and cost of living pressures less, but it does tend to result in an attitude that there will always be more money so why save.

Same here. However I do not believe things will recover, at least in a reasonable time frame for my own career. My thinking is now if this current job ends I need to think about exiting the industry and doing something else.

Oh well, tech is a nice hobby at least.

That was my experience pre-2023, now it's 100 applications and maybe one response, except there aren't 100 positions, all of them are the highest possible level of seniority and require 10 y.o.e plus a masters degree, and nobody responds to messages.

If this may offer any comfort, even people with all those skills aren't getting many interviews right now.

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