In 2019, when I got my first job as a 3D graphics software developer, I was inspired and positive about my future. My job entertained me, and I had more than enough money to buy whatever I want or need. Later, in November 2021, project I worked on was closed, and I had to search for a new job. That is when I discovered how frightening state of the IT industry was. Now and after I use IT term as a "commercial software development industry".
No challenge
Even then, in November 2021, it was a problem to find an interesting project with demands for knowledge or thinking. Almost 95% of all IT job offers were about developing or maintaining websites and mobile applications. Me, who was specializing on mathematics, rendering 3D geometry and creating graphics engines, had no application at a such job market. Every project, related to 3D graphics, was developed using existing tools and libraries, and almost nobody would even think about developing something new, satisfying special technological demands. Because there were no such demands.
Monkey jobs
Though, 3D graphics field was extremely small in November 2021 (and still is) - roughly, 99% of all job offers were about web development. Web development is an interesting phenomenon - it gives people feeling of working on something difficult and complex, while in reality they decompose and degrade. Solving problems with difficulty level of school third grade each day, people specialize on them very much and lose any opportunity to resolve really complex problems or move to another level of technologies. Web developers are required to only use predetermined stack of technologies and are not allowed to develop new ones or even determining which ones to choose.
Blind management
Most managers don't code or code significantly less than developers they manage, what leads to inevitable - they lose objective understanding of the project state and they cannot estimate project development. Frequently happens, when an usual developer have much deeper and insightful understanding of the project, than all managers have together.
People, who don't code, cannot effectively direct people who do code. As well as blind people cannot direct sighted ones.
AI hysteria
Today we have one more kind of a monkey job - software development in the AI field. Almost everyone, who works with AI today, does not have proper mathematical knowledge (though that is applicable to web developers as well). Experience using existing frameworks, tools and libraries is necessary, and nothing after that.
Almost every manager today sees AI as a magical wand. Instead of resolving problem using mathematics, algorithms and analysis, they train AI models, which may not be a reliable solution. AI is good, when it is about computer-to-human interactions, but not computer-to-computer ones (most of software is built to interact with another software, not a human).
We need to develop algorithms and means for the mathematical analysis of the software, otherwise programming will degrade completely.
IT for everyone
Obviously, when lots people around do something each day, that something is not difficult and may not be considered as an achievement. Yes, I am talking about web and AI development. If something is very much accessible to understand, it will be accessed by not only those, who seek growth and development. So, people, who don't understand programming or simply are uneducated, feel comfortable working in IT today. Countless managers and HR's, who commonly are privileged over developers, don't understand even a bit of programming, though they do lead and command.
Mediocrity is required
If happened, that you are a talented or a very much experienced programmer, you will have troubles finding a job today. Remember, that your exceptional skills are not needed. There is no demand for new technologies or discoveries - just use existing tools, be mediocre.
And, even getting a monkey job will be difficult for you. Obviously, you are not going to work twice more for twice less salary. Then, consider, that there are countless numbers of people, who want and will. Your intellect would suffer doing useless, unappreciated and undemanding job, while others don't have such an inconvenient attribute as an intellect.
IT was dead long ago
It seems that IT was dead for decades, and all of that time was rotting and decomposing. Corpse eaters grow, while talents starve. We are being constantly told that talents are required, "today is deficit of qualified workers". They don't see or don't want to see - they are not going to find talents searching for a "Fullstack Ultra Very Senior Much Developer with 9 years of commercial experience" who dreams to get paid 20 dollars for an hour.
Look on job offer lists : no juniors required. Middle programmers required very rarely. All job titles you are going to see are "Senior developer, Fullstack Senior developer, Team Lead developer, Senior Software Engineer, Senior Lead Developer". How then talents may enter commercial programming? No way they can.
IT giants just exchange aging "Senior Developers". And, open question is, who will continue developing commercial software after those seniors retire? All talents will leave commercial programming much before.
Me and my experience
In December 2021 I found another job, and worked there for 2 years and 9 months. It was not a job from 3D graphics field, but programs syntax analysis field (happily, not web development). For two years I had an interesting and demanding project to work on, but everything good ends. Management decided to change course to the AI direction, job became repetitive and boring, my skills or knowledge had no application there. Instead of using my skills as a rare resource, they expected me to reshape under their needs. Not a surprise, that I resisted and got fired soon.
Though, I was looking for a job in the 3D graphics field for all of that time after November 2021, I found nothing, but garbage.
During that time I sent hundreds of emails and job applications to employers, though all of those jobs were monkey jobs.
For three years I found no commercial project in the 3D graphics field, where my skills could be applied and would be appreciated and paid, though I searched all over the internet.
Therefore, based on personal experience and observations, I have to conclude : IT is dead, and died long ago. Industry, which now is called IT, is nothing but rotting corpse.
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