I currently work at a mid-sized B2B IT company that most people probably haven't heard of. It's been eye-opening to witness how the job market has shifted since 2019. Back in 2019-2022, I was involved in hiring entry-level programmers. Our process was relatively straightforward; we had tech challenges and culture fit discussions, and I participated in tech interviews and CV screenings. Candidates without any experience often made it to the interview stage if they could perform well on a take-home tech task, which was usually not too difficult. The competition was manageable, and many candidates without prior experience secured positions simply by demonstrating their skills on these tasks. Fast forward to now, and the landscape has changed dramatically. We’ve almost completely stopped hiring entry-level candidates. Where we used to have 10-20 open positions for them, now there’s maybe one, and the requirements are significantly higher. The application process has become automated, and candidates now need years of experience just to reach the take-home challenge stage. Additionally, since I've moved to a different department and taken on a mid-management role, I've noticed that most hires are friends or acquaintances of my coworkers, particularly those in higher positions. One manager even hired four people he already knew from previous jobs, making the recruitment process feel like a mere formality. The job postings exist, but it seems like the decisions are made long before the applications are even reviewed. Another surprising trend is that we are now receiving applications from senior professionals at well-known companies, which was unheard of in the past. It seems that candidates who once worked for Fortune 500 companies are now considering positions at smaller, lesser-known firms like mine. For someone like me, who doesn’t have experience at a big-name company and lacks a strong professional network, the job search feels increasingly daunting. I’m currently looking for new opportunities, but seeing how my company hires has left me feeling quite pessimistic about my prospects. Is anyone else experiencing similar challenges in the job market?
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