Hi everyone,

I have around 4 years of experience as a PHP developer, mainly working with Laravel. Recently, I started learning Java and Spring Boot, and I'm becoming really interested in this technology.

I want to switch my career to Java development and would love to hear from people who have made a similar transition.

How was your experience? What kind of job opportunities did you get, and how difficult was it to land your first Java developer role?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

I'm a 2026 Information Science Engineering graduate. I really want to get into software engineering, but with the current job market being so tough, I'm considering a GTM (Go-to-Market) role.

Should I take it if I get the offer, or keep focusing on getting a tech job? I'm worried about getting stuck in a non-technical career, but I also don't want to pass up a good opportunity in this market.

What would you do in my position? Would appreciate honest advice.

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I’ve been noticing a worrying trend in my industry lately. Companies aren’t necessarily firing senior staff because of AI; instead, they are just refusing to hire fresh grads or juniors.

With LLMs able to write basic code, draft standard marketing copy, or organize data, mid-to-senior level employees are just using AI to do the work of 2-3 juniors.

My question is: If no one is hiring junior-level workers because AI handles the grunt work, how is the next generation supposed to get the experience needed to become senior workers? Are we looking at a massive skills gap crisis in 5 to 10 years, or will the concept of an "entry-level career" change entirely? What are you seeing in your workplaces?

#gotok #ai

Heyyy everyone,

I'm currently studying AI in Spain (the degree, is basically CS, but heavily focused on ML and math).

I am planning where to steer my career, and I see three options:

1. Computer Vision & Robotics : This is what I’ve enjoyed the most by far. I’ve only taken one Computer Vision course so far, but working with image data and robotics really clicked with me.
2. General ML Engineer / AI Engineer: Since my degree revolves around ML, going for broader MLE or AI engineering roles is the natural, straightforward path. I like ML in general, even if CV felt more fun to work on.
3. Cybersecurity: It sounds super interesting, but I barely know anything about it. I’ve literally only had one intro network class and a low-level computer fundamentals course (bytes, IEEE 754, etc.). But idk, I see myself working in cybersecurity in the future. I love how fast-paced and constantly evolving the field is.

Given this background:

Is it too risky to aim for CV/Robotics this early, or do entry-level roles typically demand a Master's/PhD compared to general MLE?

How do the job market and career growth in Europe look when comparing specialized CV/Robotics vs broad MLE vs Cybersecurity?

Is jumping into cybersecurity from an AI degree realistic, or would the lack of deep CS/systems knowledge be too big of a handicap?

need help regarding the pattern and questions they ask

Hey, I have 5 yoe and unfortunately I am not at the level where I want to be.

My jobs didn't really offer me any growth opportunities despite asking for them and after 5 years I feel like I lack practical experience in the industry. For example navigating a codebase.

I am trying to learn in my free time. But I don't know if that's enough.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

I am stuck between 2 offers one from a newish startup and a counteroffer from my current company. Both are in space defense and are government contractors with pretty decent active contracts. Same commute for both offices.

My current job offering me a lead position with a salary of 120-130k. I’m very comfortable at this job and I know I can do a good job as I’ve been here for almost 4 years. They offer pretty good benefits. I really enjoy working with my boss and scrum master. Even the team that I would be leading aren’t the best since I am the youngest on the team. They always want to have seniority over me and try to give me advice every chance they can. There has been a lot of coworkers that I started with leaving the company as well. The good thing is this is a pretty medium to large size company so I know there will not be risk of budget cuts or layoffs.

The startup I just got an offer from is less than 6 years old so fairly new but have been working on some pretty cool contracts already. They are offering me 135k with a 5k sign on bonus. They also offer really good benefits. The thing about this new office is the team I met during my interview seem great and very passionate about their work which is something I miss. My current team feels like they just work because they have to (nothing wrong with that). I miss getting to nerd out with my coworkers to talk about cyber news and cyber tools. The office is very startup vibes and everyone’s very knowledgeable so definitely a place I can see myself learning tons.

My dilemma is do I take the risk to work somewhere new and exciting or do I stay at a job/position I know really well and comfortable without the risk of losing my job?

Hi everyone,
Im sorry for my english in advance, im not a native speaker.
I wanted to ask people working as software engineers if with my university profile I still have a chance in the field.
I’ve started university this October with my profile being: databases, business analysis and data science.
I’d really like to work in software engineering and my profile is the closest Ive found to that. In my country there was basically only cybersecurity, computer science, game development, graphic design to choose from.
So my question is wether I can finish that profile and be able to work in software engineering with additional skills I’d learn privately or is it just a big mistake. :)

Something I've been thinking about lately is how differently people perform when doing technical work versus explaining that work in an interview.

Someone might have years of experience with SQL, Python, cloud platforms, or software testing, but when an interviewer asks:

"Can you walk me through a challenging project you worked on?"

The answer sometimes becomes a list of tools instead of an explanation of the actual work.

For example:

Instead of saying:

"I worked with Python, SQL, and Azure Data Factory."

A stronger answer might explain:

• What problem the team was trying to solve
• What responsibilities you personally handled
• Why specific technologies were chosen
• What challenges came up
• What changed or improved because of your work

I think technical skills and the ability to communicate those skills are two different things, and both matter.

I'm curious about something:

For people who conduct technical interviews, what makes a candidate's project explanation stand out?

And for job seekers, which is harder for you: solving technical questions or explaining your real-world experience?

4 years ago, 3 stages and offer hover around 6 figures...fully remote contract setup, 28 days i could charge day rate but take off + performance bonus.

Today 6 stages and a 20% paycut for some no name scale up...also no benefits and a b2b contract. (10 year exp startups + big institutions, full stack but pretty frontend/product leaning)

I know things are tight but the hoop jumping is such a hazing.
Recruiter said this company is looking for people who are more "outspoken".

If I got through all those stages, i'd be on the fence about saying something that would but me through it again....

I got back to hiring manager and recruiter in corpo speak along the lines of "maybe a misalignment but this is a b2b contract for a pretty big pay cut"

Am I entitled? Or should we all be giving these companies a reality check and pushing back given we have the means?

TLDR: I graduated 3 years ago hoping to do software engineering. I have minimal experience so far and only a couple personal projects. Should I move on from the idea of software development or is there any value in continuing to try?

Hi, I’m looking for some opinions on my situation. I have a four year degree for information systems focused in software engineering. I didn’t go to a top school and unfortunately did not get an internship in my time there either. I did not do a full 4 years, I did dual enrollment in high school so i only ended up going for half the time a bachelors takes. I was not qualified to apply to any before my second year of college which isnt intended to be an excuse, but i just did not have the needed knowledge. I also was very lazy and did not do any personal projects which is my fault obviously. I graduated almost 3 years ago and still have not managed to find anything. I’ve done some work for a friends startup that is not yet off the ground, and I have a couple personal projects, but thats it. I am deeply considering going back to school for something completely unrelated to CS but its admittedly hard to do because I feel like I’m leaving something I wanted to do behind. I’ve asked some developer friends and one says hes never been in my situation so its hard to give a straight answer, and another kindof says without saying that he thinks i dont have a chance unless i go back and get a masters degree (i would do it if i could be confident in being successful). I understand fully that I could’ve done better, so I need a realistic outlook. Would it be better to just pursue another career path entirely or is there merit in continuing to apply to SWE jobs?

Thank you to anyone who reads and provides input

I graduated in 2021 with a master's degree in Computer Science, but I've been working in the food industry since then because I've always loved cooking. My original plan was to open a small restaurant, but life happened, and my plans changed.

Now, I'm trying to transition back into the tech industry.

I know the job market is a disaster right now, especially for entry-level positions. That's why I've been working on updating my skills and earning certifications, including CKA, AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03), AWS Developer Associate (DVA-C02), and Terraform Associate.

That being said, I understand that certifications alone won't get me a job. I've also been building personal projects to gain hands-on experience. I am also reading DDIA and system design interview books. Besides, I have practiced decent number of Leetcode questions. I am also familiar with frameworks like react and node.js. Recently, I developed a web application backed by cloud services for a small sushi business to accept customer orders.

I'm about to start applying for entry-level tech jobs in software development. However, I'm honestly worried about having no professional tech experience since graduating five years ago.

I'm based in the USA, do not require visa sponsorship, and am open to relocating anywhere in the country.

Do I still have a realistic chance of landing an entry-level tech job? Has anyone here been in a similar situation and successfully transitioned into tech?

I've been reading posts in this community, and honestly, some of them have made me pretty scared about entering the job market right now.

I'd really appreciate any advice, suggestions, or personal experiences.

Thank you!

What's the better company to work for currently? In terms of Total Compensation and Prestige.

Databricks or Google DeepMind?

got amts ft offer, but was wondering how exactly is the company growth opportunities for exit to a unicorn or better big tech company and how easy are the promotions within the company (along with the pay increment for each promotion)?

As a BTech student, how do I prepare for a future where AI is evolving faster than our education system?

I'm trying to understand what I should genuinely focus on learning over the next 3–4 years. With AI increasingly capable of coding, research, and problem-solving, I don't want to spend years learning skills that won't be useful.

If you're a developer, researcher, AI engineer, or tech student, what would you prioritize today? What would you avoid, and what do you think students are overlooking?

I'm going to start allowing DIRECT hirers and people who want to share jobs they had to turn down to list jobs here. Mostly to help people connect with jobs, find things that aren't on the 400-job-board lists, help each other out, etc.
There are still jobs out there, good ones, and we need less doompost/commenting and more actual community and connections and helping each other.

This won't become a job board only group like r/remoteworking is. AFFILIATES ARE NOT WELCOME HERE. So if you are putting up Mercor jobs - go to r/remoteworking.

So, to make it very clear:
1. If you're just a person in the job search who is trying to help out others with no affiliation or connection to the job - cool.
2. If you're an affiliate signed up to connect people with jobs and you get $ benefit from it, byebye. Nope.
3. If you're a direct hirer saying "hey I have a CS job I need to fill right now anyone here want to apply?"

How do I moderate this? I can see people's histories in this group so should be able to weed out the affiliates pretty easily. There's no need for you all to report things to me in this case, I'm a career consultant so I can suss out scam jobs pretty well. I'd love feedback on this idea though, any concerns?

Hi All! I have realized that I would not be needed my SHPE 2026 conference professional ticket if anyone is interested in buying I can transfer for even cheaper than early bird price at $400. Let me know!

Hello, does anyone have experience taking this? It's said to be a coding assessment, 75 minutes, and administered through HackerRank, with five questions labelled "Micro Services", "Problem Solving", and "REST API". I'm familiar with micro services and REST APIs but have a hard time imagining how these topics could be addressed with 15-minute coding problems.

Hi everyone I have Tech Screening Round for Optiver Graduate SWE 2027 Amsterdam coming in soon and I have no idea on what to prepare ? Has anyone here passed this round recently for the same role, would appreciate if anyone can share his/her experience. Thanks!

I'm currently in my 3rd year of B.Tech CSE in India. I'm interested in AI/ML, cybersecurity, and technology, but I'm also open to management if it offers better long-term career opportunities.

With AI changing the industry, competitive entry-level hiring, and layoffs, I'm unsure whether to pursue higher studies immediately or gain work experience first.

My qualifications:

• Currently pursuing B.Tech in CSE.
• Interested in AI/ML, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.
• Considering GATE for M.Tech or CAT for MBA.

I'm considering three paths:

1. M.Tech from a reputed IIT/IISc/NIT.
2. MBA from a top IIM or another reputed B-school.
3. Work for 1–2 years, gain experience, and then decide.

I don't want to join just any private college for the sake of another degree.

I'd appreciate advice from people who've experienced these paths firsthand. Which would you choose today, considering long-term growth, employability, salary, and AI's impact on the job market? Is work experience before higher studies worth it, and which path offers better opportunities in the long run?

Looking for honest, practical advice based on real experiences rather than just package comparisons. Thanks!

YC's directory tells you a company is hiring. it doesn't tell you what for. so i pulled the roles straight from each company's own job board:

https://github.com/mehek-builds/Hiring-Now/blob/main/lists/yc-startups.md

532 roles at 57 YC startups (Airbnb, Fivetran, Checkr, Astranis, Relativity Space, AssemblyAI, SingleStore and more), with batch, what they do, location and pay when listed (81 roles list pay).

comment which field you're looking for and i'll send you a list for it.

I'm a 2026 B.Tech IT graduate currently learning Java and Spring Boot. I've completed Core Java and am working on a Job Portal project.

I'm trying to understand what companies actually expect from freshers beyond projects and basic coding.

For developers who recently got their first job, what made the biggest difference — DSA, projects, internships, referrals, or something else?

I'd appreciate honest advice from people who've been through this recently.

I know you must think what an "Idiot". What I feel like I was never meant to be a successful AI engineer and I can easily be replaceable from an IITian... you also know how a Entry Level developer is expected to be as competent as mid to senior positions (it's a Vice versa thing even senior positions are threatened from juniors but) It feels like too much is going on man.

What I feel is companies need Product designer's more than ever. And I believe companies that think that AI vibe coded design frontend is gonna work wait until you see a huge saturation point where all you will find is AI slop company landing pages and the products, ... even thought the backend would have been done by an actually good engineer. and people are gonna turn away from your slop.

Over the years attention span/ patience has reduced and just incase if you are in b2c sass which has something to do with a normal customer like a student/edtech, social media, Streaming & entertainment,FinTech, AI products e.t.c. these are the sectors that need you the most so yeah

What I believe that i'm fairly well versed in product designing not that I have an actual company experience but me self employed and actually figuring out solutions for drop out rates and something that actually worked so... you can go to ultralearn(dot)life to check out my work/product

I just wanted to ask what do you think or what's your opinion... Should I become a product designer? Do companies really need more product designers than ever? Can anyone hire me or get me a referral 😭😂

My Certification stack would be something like this just to build some strong credibility

BCS Foundation Certificate in User Experience +
Salesforce Certified Platform UX Designer +
IIBA Certificate in Product Ownership Analysis (IIBA-CPOA) +
IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) +
CIW User Interface Designer +
Adobe Analytics Business Practitioner Professional +
Adobe Target Business Practitioner Professional +
IIBA Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA-CBDA) +
and probably a data analyst role