“My laid-off 4 YOE former SWE CS UMich grad friend has capitulated. He had to get a job as a bartender,” the title of the post reads.
According to the post, the techie, with about four years of experience in the software field, remained unemployed for nearly six months despite applying for hundreds of roles across different levels and cities.
Each application ended in ghosting or rejection, often with companies saying they had hired candidates who “better aligned” with their requirements.
According to the Redditor, even the resume had been reviewed multiple times by former managers, professors, and even online communities, but nothing seemed to help.
The techie also applied for basic local help desk positions and was offered one role that turned out to be a “remote bait and switch,” requiring a move 2,000 miles away for less pay than an entry-level retail job.
With the emergency fund almost drained, the techie decided to take up a bartending job in Santa Cruz, a role that surprisingly brought satisfaction and a steady income from tips.
“This market is brutal,” the post read. “I guess our emergency funds should be upped to 24 months instead of six months.”
Social media reactions
Reddit users reacted with a mix of empathy and concern, saying the post highlighted just how unforgiving the current job market has become.
One of the users commented, “I thought this as well, but after getting laid off in January and only just signing an offer last month, I ended up using only 3 months of my emergency fund.”
A second user commented, “I have 3 YOE as an SWE and now working as a ramp agent at the airport in my city. Got laid off in February and couldn’t find anything, and had to take up another gig.”
“I guess I was ahead of the curve then. I was laid off around 5 years ago and ended up becoming a high school teacher,” another user commented.