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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

#41

Post by AdamN »

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.

Dentists are already 3:1 dental hygienists these days and I would expect AI can make that ratio 5:1 or 6:1. Technicians will also be enabled to be more effective with AI (faster diagnoses, remote diagnosis, predictive ordering so you don't have to come back twice with a special part, etc...). Also AI will drive higher reliability of the underlying equipment so the number of technicians needed will be lower.

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

#42

Post by sage76 »

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…

> Tech is a rare industry where you can easily pivot into it later in your career

Everyone I know who is older and already in the industry, is having a bad time trying to change jobs.

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

#43

Post by giantg2 »

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.

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.

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

#44

Post by IMTDb »

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.

It is tech; it's just not just Silicon Valley "I Don't Know How To Count That Low" FAANG style tech.

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

#45

Post by giantg2 »

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…

"Easily" my ass.

"The industry favors eager people who are hungry to continually learn and grow. While there can be short term bumps in the road, those that fit these characteristics have and will continue to do extremely well."

That wasn't my experience.

The people you describe making so much money are statistical outliers who got lucky.

I'd love to live in whatever bubble you do. All I'd have to do to make stupid level of money is be myself (enjoy learning and growing) and it would easily happen...

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

#46

Post by unionemployee »

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…

pivot into it later in your career

How "later"? Age discrimination seems somewhat problematic in tech.

Edit: Two other "old" replies pop up at the same time.

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

#47

Post by have_faith »

tarruda wrote: post #22
have_faith wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AI agents might be replacing jobs in the future, so executives are cutting profit generating employees in the present?

> profit generating employees Good professionals are being hit by these layoffs, but I suspect the vast majority create little to no value for their employers.

The point is that if they are not letting go of employees for economic reasons i.e. they are no longer economically viable because of the environment, then they must be getting rid of them while the employees are actively valuable? otherwise the AI agent argument holds no water, because the employees aren't creating value anyway, so their dismissal is orthogonal to the AI agent question.

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

#48

Post by monsieurgaufre »

giantg2 wrote: post #43
nytesky wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

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.

Just wanted to tell you that you’re not alone. Obscene salaries compensating for societal failures should not be seen as the way to go.

That said, i dont advocate for lowering salaries in general.

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

#49

Post by Clubber »

DoreenMichele wrote: post #30
phreack wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely, it feels like every industry is having a hard time, so focusing on tech seems to be nothing more than clickbait.

People focus on tech because it was previously seen as immune to such drama, a sure thing , the safe bet. When even "the rich people" with "all the right stuff" can get laid off, people have Big Feels.

>People focus on tech because it was previously seen as immune to such drama, a sure thing, the safe bet.

Whoever thought that didn't work during 2001 or 2008, or has a short memory.

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

#50

Post by greenthrow »

giantg2 wrote: post #43
nytesky wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

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.
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