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Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

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Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#51

Post by greenthrow »

JCM9 wrote: post #17

Tech is a rare industry where you can easily pivot into it later in your career, start at an entry level position, work your way very high up the ladder and get paid very well along the way. I know folks without a college degree that started as tech support reps who worked their way up to senior roles in big tech that make multiples more than most physicians I know or others that had to go down a rigid path to get to…

This isn't really true for most people. Sure if you're already at one of the big companies they provide means for shifting your career. But most people aren't fortunate enough to work at one of those places, so changing careers can be much more challenging. You often need someone to take a chance on you or you need to take a more entry level position and the pay cut that comes with it.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#52

Post by foobarian »

m_a_g wrote: post #25
JKCalhoun wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Can you be confident that AI won't displace you in 10, 15, or even 20 years? 1) No, but I am nonetheless skeptical of AI-takeover in general — I'm in the wait-and-see camp and so wouldn't be put off by the might-happens. 2) If one were AI-alarmist, is there any profession you can be confident will not be displaced by AI in 10, 15, or even 20 years? 3) Confession: I'm retired and no longer have any skin in the game.

> 2) If one were AI-alarmist, is there any profession you can be confident will not be displaced by AI in 10, 15, or even 20 years? Many; Dentists, people that fix your AC, electricians, etc, etc.

How in the world can AI replace an HVAC person or electrician? Will it braze copper for me somehow?

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#53

Post by pbourke »

m_a_g wrote: post #25
JKCalhoun wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Can you be confident that AI won't displace you in 10, 15, or even 20 years? 1) No, but I am nonetheless skeptical of AI-takeover in general — I'm in the wait-and-see camp and so wouldn't be put off by the might-happens. 2) If one were AI-alarmist, is there any profession you can be confident will not be displaced by AI in 10, 15, or even 20 years? 3) Confession: I'm retired and no longer have any skin in the game.

> 2) If one were AI-alarmist, is there any profession you can be confident will not be displaced by AI in 10, 15, or even 20 years? Many; Dentists, people that fix your AC, electricians, etc, etc.

Medicine, law, accounting, professional engineering. Notice something in common with all of these?

With the exception of law, automation has already arrived in all of these fields (to accounting first, 1-2 generations ago) and there are now more people in each field rather than less.

Answering my own question: each has a comfortable regulatory moat and competent professional society to defend it.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#54

Post by giantg2 »

greenthrow wrote: post #50
giantg2 wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's insulting that people think most of HN are highly paid. I dont really fit in anywhere. I suppose I don't even fit in on here. $150k would be a very nice raise for me, one that I'm not capable of abtaining.

He said it caps out at $150k. Starts much lower.

Yes, and their point was that people on HN wouldn't even be interested at the $150k cap because they make more in the private sector.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#55

Post by epolanski »

nytesky wrote: post #36
epolanski wrote: post #33

I don't think people that come to HN are nowhere near worried about not finding a job, especially the technical ones. I think we're mostly worried about not finding jobs that were as lucrative as they have been in the last years.

Exactly, we hire a ton of technical Fed contractors, but the pay range capps out at $150k and starts at a level most of HN would find insulting. But it’s considered “tech” at least by NPR.

I don't think this has anything to do with any specific money figure.

I'm not from US or another international tech hub, I work remotely as a freelancer from the Italian country side.

Still, I make 93k, which puts me 4 times above the italian average. I'm in the top 1% globally, top 2% in Italy/Europe.

Not that I care much that I'm richer, but to reiterate that I care to struggle less for money than the average worker which was the best financial part of being in tech.

Going back to the median is not an appealing option to be honest.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#56

Post by epups »

My perception is that at least in Europe, mass layoffs have had almost no impact on the tech sector. I would say there is still a shortage of people for desired roles and therefore job offers and salaries are still high.

Not talking about FAANG positions (or salaries) of course, more run-of-the-mill roles that companies struggle to fulfill.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#57

Post by rippercushions »

bombolo wrote: post #26
spaceman_2020 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you were an average engineer destined to work in cookie-cutter roles in tech consultancies, would you still pursue a tech career, knowing that your job will sooner or later be taken over by AI? Remember that careers last 30 years, and if you're the average engineer, you're more likely to fall into the 80% of the pareto half than the 20%. Can you be confident that AI won't displace you in 10, 15, or even 20 years?…

Oh please stop with this meaningless fear mongering. AI is a (not so good) tool. Yes it can write very short snippets that often make sense, but in no way can understand requirements, do debugging or maintain existing code.

The ChatGPT 4 developer demo showcased literally all three of those.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-watch-first-d...

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#58

Post by triihart »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #24
JCM9 wrote: post #17

Tech is a rare industry where you can easily pivot into it later in your career, start at an entry level position, work your way very high up the ladder and get paid very well along the way. I know folks without a college degree that started as tech support reps who worked their way up to senior roles in big tech that make multiples more than most physicians I know or others that had to go down a rigid path to get to…

> I know folks without a college degree that started as tech support reps I know a few as well ... but that was decade(s) ago. I'm not sure the industry is still as hurdle-able as it once was.

I know a guy who started as Java developer in some entrylevel company. No education, on previous job he used to drive trucks. He already has more job-specific knowledge than I do, though lacks some fundamentals.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#59

Post by sveme »

epups wrote: post #56

My perception is that at least in Europe, mass layoffs have had almost no impact on the tech sector. I would say there is still a shortage of people for desired roles and therefore job offers and salaries are still high. Not talking about FAANG positions (or salaries) of course, more run-of-the-mill roles that companies struggle to fulfill.

I‘m currently on the market and the situation is definitely very different from the same time last year. Companies are hesitant/waiting to see where the economy is heading, a lot if startups ran out of money. It‘s not that easy anymore, at least in my bubble.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#60

Post by KoftaBob »

jasoneckert wrote: post #2

Big news headlines seem to be positioned in a way to scare people away from tech jobs right now, but the hard reality is that every organization relies tech people, not just those few big tech companies in Silicon Valley that over-hired during the pandemic.

"Big news headlines seem to be positioned in a way to scare people" regardless of the topic.
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