Waiting For Software Developer Layoffs
Back in the early 2000, the horrors of tech bust forgotten, the typical software developer would spend their free time honing nature photography skills, cooking like an engineer, or doing all things cats.
It was a fun and carefree time.
And then, of course, 2008 had happened, and software engineering got hit again by another wave of layoffs. Some had never recovered and quit the industry altogether.
With the aftermath of the 2020 recession, everybody is afraid. If you believe the overall mood of Quora's software engineering career questions,
- Developers in their 20s and fresh out of college are afraid that nobody would hire them due to a lack of experience.
- Developers in their 30s suffer from impostor syndrome.
- Developers in their 40s expect to be fired every day for being old, outdated, slow, and too expensive.
- Developers in their 50s and 60 do not exist. Just check all these questions, "what happens to developers after they turn 40"!
Free time is now spent on side hustles and Leet code. The only remaining constant from years past is cat videos.
And at the same time, the message for non-developers is: hate your job? Want to make more money? Sign up for our boot camp, learn how to code, become a developer, and change your life for the better!
The truth is somewhere in the middle.
What can you control?
All software development work is project spec work and, therefore, cyclical. When there is a business need for new software - or another surge of new technology, demand for technical talent is high.
When demand drops, so is the headcount for software developers. Some things, however, are within your control.
I am always advocating for being a generalist with a broad knowledge of technology and a specialist in a few critical areas. When times are good, work on your career development, aiming to become a swiss army knife of your team. Having more skills helps to hedge your career.
Be wise about your career
What experiences are you gaining every year? Every company is different in regards to technical stack - it can be cutting edge, established, or outdated.
"What technical stack are you running on?" is an excellent question to ask during your interview. It can tell you a lot about company culture. Aim for startups and small companies if you prefer cutting-edge technology and exposure to clients, go for large established companies to learn software engineering practices and processes.
You may not gain a variety of new skills working with an outdated stack, or doing the same thing over and over (for example, being part of the maintenance team of the existing project).
The exception is when tasks you are working on are interesting and different enough to hone problem-solving and algorithm skills, provided you are allowed to try out new things.
To me, the best kind of environment is where you are continually facing new problems and challenges. Watch out for repeat patterns, though - when you use the same solution to resolve any given problem. That means you are not learning.
By the end of the year (calendar, your birthday, your hire anniversary) list everything you've learned and mastered professionally. Don't forget to include all skills - perhaps nothing had changed for you as it relates to writing code, but you took the role of a team lead and learned how to do project planning and manage your peers. Or you started mentoring junior developers or participating in architecture and design team discussions.
Once you have your list, go ahead and update your resume and Linked-In profile.
If nothing had changed - and unless you are where you want to be - it may be the time to start looking for a new job. And if you are freelancing, it may be the time to start looking for different projects.
Not ready to make a move? Spend your free time doing projects and learning new technologies and patterns, then reevaluate in a year. Ultimately your experience and skills are what make you valuable and a better engineer. Don't let yourself stagnate - in this career, skills are becoming obsolete very quickly.
The importance of soft skills
If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound?
If the developer writes the most elegant code but nobody on the management team knows their name, does the code matters?
Soft skills are hard to quantify in a logical fashion.
Have an opinion - but don't be an egotistical bully and hard to work with. Propose a better solution to your boss, but don't become difficult to manage. Be visible and known to the executive team - but don't be annoying or clingy. Find a sponsor - someone who believes in you and mentions your name in the important meetings. - but make sure your sponsor has some weight and reputation.
Most importantly, value your word. When you commit to something, do it. Have your team's back. Have your boss's back. Don't blame others, take responsibility, and follow through.
Will that make my job secure?
No. But it will help to increase your chances of not being laid off and to landing a new job quickly if that does happen.