From TLDR 2025-02-21

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING JOB OPENINGS HIT FIVE-YEAR LOW? (15 MINUTE READ) [11]

There has been a 35% decrease in the number of software engineering
job vacancies in the US since January 2020. While the story is similar
in Canada, things are different in the UK, France, Germany, and
Australia. Australia is the only country where the number of jobs
listed is not lower than in 2020. Software development jobs have been
the biggest boom and bust in vacancies compared to all industries.
This post discusses the reasons for the decrease and predictions for
what growth in the tech industry is likely to be like this year.

A.I. IS CHANGING HOW SILICON VALLEY BUILDS START-UPS (6 MINUTE READ) [12]

Tech startups used to raise huge sums to hire armies of workers and
grow fast, but AI tools are enabling workers to be more efficient,
making tiny teams more successful. Startups are using AI tools to
increase employees' productivity in everything from customer service
and marketing to coding and customer research. They are able to gain
more revenue with fewer employees and less cash, something that
wouldn't have been possible without the technology. The potential for
AI to let startups do more with less has led to wild speculation about
the future.

META STARTS ACCEPTING SIGN-UPS FOR COMMUNITY NOTES ON FACEBOOK,
INSTAGRAM, AND THREADS (2 MINUTE READ) [15]

Community Notes will be a way for Meta users to decide when posts are misleading and add more context to posts.

Links:
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[11] https://blog.pragmaticengineer.com/software-engineer-jobs-five-year-low/?u tm_source=tldrnewsletter
[12] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/technology/ai-silicon-valley-start-ups. html?unlocked_article_code=1.yk4.vJlG.Q__wftRWk5um&smid=url-share&utm_source=tl drnewsletter
[15] https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/20/meta-starts-accepting-sign-ups-for-commu nity-notes-on-facebook-instagram-and-threads/?utm_source=tldrnewsletter

-- https://tldr.tech

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There has been a 35% decrease in the number of software engineering
job vacancies in the US since January 2020. While the story is similar
in Canada, things are different in the UK, France, Germany, and
Australia. Australia is the only country where the number of jobs
listed is not lower than in 2020. Software development jobs have been
the biggest boom and bust in vacancies compared to all industries.
This post discusses the reasons for the decrease and predictions for
what growth in the tech industry is likely to be like this year.

While this sounds believable, I don't believe it. It sounds a lot like narrative to discourage people from becoming software developers.

What do the top software companies have to gain by reducing the competition?

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While this sounds believable, I don't believe it. It sounds a lot like narrative to discourage people from becoming software developers.

What do the top software companies have to gain by reducing the competition?

More money for themselves.

From what I can tell, some companies used to see competition as a good
thing and even sometimes seem to enjoy having an "enemy" to try to
outperform. These days, most of them just want the full share of the
available money for their fields and reducing the competition is how you do that.


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What do the top software companies have to gain by reducing the competit

More money for themselves.

That's how I see it. And more power too.

From what I can tell, some companies used to see competition as a good thing and even sometimes seem to enjoy having an "enemy" to try to outperform. These days, most of them just want the full share of the available money for their fields and reducing the competition is how you do that.

So that's what I think was being propagated by that information you posted (not blaming you - just blaming the author of the information.) Who is the author of that information?

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Aaron Thomas wrote to Mike Powell <=-

While this sounds believable, I don't believe it. It sounds a lot like narrative to discourage people from becoming software developers.

Very probable. But the hiring/firing cycle is not good for the market.

Take the 1990's. Lots of hiring, then shortly after 2000, lots of layoffs/firings.

Before I go to college (assuming I could find a good one) and get a Computer Science degree, I'd like assurance that I could get a job that pays well.

What do the top software companies have to gain by reducing the competition?

Less effort. More profits. The same as any other company that reduces competition.


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Take the 1990's. Lots of hiring, then shortly after 2000, lots of layoffs/firings.

Before I go to college (assuming I could find a good one) and get a Computer Science degree, I'd like assurance that I could get a job that pays well.

I'd be more concerned about spending all that money on the tuition & books only to find that I don't have enough friends who are notable elitists.

I found out that the place where my wife works (not computer science) typically only hires people who are referred by other employees (and this place requires a bachelor's degree.) What kind of crap is that? You can be qualified but if you don't know somebody then you can forget it.

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Aaron Thomas wrote to Dr. What <=-

I'd be more concerned about spending all that money on the tuition &
books only to find that I don't have enough friends who are notable elitists.

No one is "friends" with notable elitists. Elitists only use other people.

I found out that the place where my wife works (not computer science) typically only hires people who are referred by other employees (and
this place requires a bachelor's degree.) What kind of crap is that?
You can be qualified but if you don't know somebody then you can forget it.

This is actually pretty common. It's also common for the employee to get a little bonus for the referral because the referral allows the new guy to bypass much of the interview process since the employee did that for the company.


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From what I can tell, some companies used to see competition as a good thing and even sometimes seem to enjoy having an "enemy" to try to outperform. These days, most of them just want the full share of the available money for their fields and reducing the competition is how you do that.

So that's what I think was being propagated by that information you posted (no
blaming you - just blaming the author of the information.) Who is the author o
that information?

"Who wrote it" would have been in the link that was included with the blurb.

In this case, I don't think it is the author but the companies included in
the report, i.e. it isn't some conspiracy but is just companies following
bad business practices. That, and companies who think that AI is going to replace those developers.


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I'd be more concerned about spending all that money on the tuition & books only to find that I don't have enough friends who are notable elitists.

No one is "friends" with notable elitists. Elitists only use other people.

You've got to know the notable elitists**

My wife didn't know anybody there, but she's a minority, and that's probably what sealed the deal. But then she started finding out things about the place after being there for a few years.

That system of "Who do you know?" is faulty. I worked at a place where the boss's kid got hired, and he did was f around. Then I worked at a school as a janitor and they hired a teacher's kid, and that kid was the same way.

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Aaron Thomas wrote to Dr. What <=-

That system of "Who do you know?" is faulty. I worked at a place where
the boss's kid got hired, and he did was f around. Then I worked at a school as a janitor and they hired a teacher's kid, and that kid was
the same way.

Yes, and it's well known that causes problems with the rest of the employees and the better ones seek employment elsewhere.

But some places succeed for a long time in spite of their policies (official or unofficial).


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