Dev.to
7/10/2026

The 2026 entry-level tech job crunch: one developer's story and the data behind it
Original: 100+ Job Applications, 2 Months, Zero Offers — Why I Started Riding an Uber Delivery Bike
Short summary
A developer shares their experience of 100+ job applications over two months with zero offers, eventually taking up Uber delivery work. The article contextualizes this with data: entry-level tech hiring down 25%, software postings down a third from pre-pandemic, and AI tools absorbing the simple tasks that used to be junior developers' entry point. Four structural factors are identified including AI adoption, over-hiring correction, global instability, and uneven demand favoring senior roles.
- •Personal story of 100+ failed applications leading to Uber delivery work
- •Data shows entry-level hiring down 25% and software postings down 33% from pre-pandemic
- •AI tools are absorbing the simple tasks that were junior developers' entry point
Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.
Is this a good recommendation for you?



