‘The market is over saturated and highly competitive’: Why senior tech workers now face a brutal job hunt after layoffs

For years, a long and specialised tech career could offer comfort. Experience was valued, technical knowledge in demand and senior professionals often enjoyed the ability to be hired directly by companies.

But a single tech worker in the Sacramento area is discovering how quickly this can change in a crowded market.


According to a Reddit post made by his wife: The man had spent roughly 17 years building his specialised technical experience. He also held an MBA, exceptional presentation abilities and could always convince his audience of his ideas. In the past, this had seen companies reach out to him with offers within a week or two of learning he was open to a new opportunity. They had even approached him when not actively seeking employment.

Yet the layoffs began late last year. He lost his job and, after just one month’s worth of searching, was facing a seven month-long hunt. During this period, he applied for more jobs than he had ever done before over his whole career. It was not a matter of flexibility either. He applied remotely, hybridly and on-site, including those requiring relocation.

He also lowered his sights on several levels, taking on roles beneath the level of his previous post and those offering a fraction of his former salary. His résumé was rewritten by several professionals, tailored cover letters sent, hiring managers contacted, past colleagues engaged with, recruiters utilised and LinkedIn updated. All this led to just five initial HR calls none of which progressed to a genuine interview process.


That this matters is the point. This is not a problem only with people who are struggling to find a perfect job for their qualifications. Even a candidate capable of lowering the expectations of their location, title, responsibilities and salary still find themselves outside of the hiring process.

Read More: ‘Isn’t it racism?’: Mumbai techie says he cleared 3 interview rounds and was selected, then got rejection mail two weeks later from Chennai firm

The number of applications may no longer represent the full picture. Sending an application is a simple task, but distinguishing oneself among a larger pool of applicants is a more difficult undertaking, particularly for senior posts for which there may be a smaller number of vacancies.

On the same Reddit thread one commenter spoke about a similar experience, having worked in tech sales for around nine years before being fired last October. This left them needing to spend the next eight months securing just one offer, with over 500 applications, 40 initial interviews and 11 final presentation panels being involved in the process. The result? Just one offer.

Their explanation for the change in the market was simple enough – “The market is over saturated and highly competitive.” They argued that one could be competing against around 100 other candidates, all of whom shared equally compelling experience, interview skills and qualifications. In the end, they concluded it was, in part, a numbers game where the timing and the right connection were critical.


This does signal that a strong profile is no longer sufficient to guarantee a steady hiring journey. A candidate may be qualified, experienced and interview well, but they must also compete against a pool of similarly credentialed people.

The Reddit user also highlighted an uncomfortable truth of the experience many are finding now. It is that experience, which once helped her husband stand out, now appears to cause concern.

Companies may be wary of senior candidates, questioning whether they will accept a lower grade position for long or if their salary expectations will be too high or if they will simply leave if a more desirable opportunity arises.

This means, at times, that a worker can state they are open to these compromises, but the employer will not take their word for it.

This can transform the senior job search into something very different from the early career one. A junior applicant is attempting to prove they can be suitable for the job, whereas a senior one may need to prove that they are not only suitable, but willing to take this particular job.

Another commenter put the issue even more directly: “At his level the “apply and wait” channel is mostly dead.”

They claimed that 130 applications and five HR screens suggested that this particular channel had exhausted itself rather than indicated that suddenly her husband was unemployable, advising much more attention should be given to former bosses, clients, colleagues and conversations.


This highlights the difference between finding an advertised vacancy and an opportunity. The job board represents a formal vacancy, whereas a professional network can identify that a company has an opportunity which is yet to become publicly visible.

Another commenter spoke of it taking 12 months to find a great position in August last year. They had worked at their previous company for 25 years before stating only one company interviewed them after over 100 applications, eventually giving them that job.

Read More: ‘The same company gave you 150% hike?’: Fresher’s salary jumps from ₹2.4 LPA to ₹6 LPA after just one year at work

For someone with 17 years of specialised experience, another option is to stop viewing the traditional full-time corporate position as their only destination.

Smaller companies can sometimes need experienced professionals without having the same recruitment structure as large corporations. A senior worker may also find opportunities through consulting, project-based work, advisory assignments or relationships formed during past projects.

There is a clear trade-off in this, however. While consulting can generate income and keep a professional active, it may not provide the stability, benefits or security of a permanent role. Smaller companies may offer greater responsibility, but they may also have less budget and resources.


Switching industries can also expand the pool, but at the cost of potential difficulty. Technical skills may transfer well, but it is industry knowledge which must be considered. A person moving from one sector to another, therefore, would need to not only outline what they have achieved, but how those skills solve the new employer’s problems.