sgillies.net
Laid off
Welp, I'm joining the ranks of the unemployed tech workers again.
As before, I'm in a good situation. I don't depend on my former employer for health insurance. I've got some severance and savings, my family is in good health, we have a roof over our heads, and I have good connections. I don't feel afraid.
But maybe I should? The job market is worse than last time this happened to me. I've seen experienced and talented people go for weeks and months without offers, and read some harrowing stories about what under-employment looks like for older tech workers these days.
After a little detour into the biomedical field, I'm looking to get back into helping to solve important geospatial problems. If you've got them, please let me know.
![---
config:
layout: dagre
---
flowchart LR
if["If you"] --> are["are"] & arent["are not"]
are --> using["using"] & reading["reading the code"]
arent --> using & reading
using --> LLMs["LLMs"] & Agents["Agents"]
Agents --> then["then"]
reading --> then
LLMs --> then
then --> left@{ label: "you're getting left behind" } & problems@{ label: "you're probably not working on something complicated" } & you["you should be"]
you --> arent & reading & interpersonal["doing higher-level theory work instead"]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:e4i5hztwwfki5m5cppbvd6it/bafkreideyvb3n7uguxrifxhdvmi7hmum66dhmjjcovmjhl4qyeh55nl6fy)
