79% of Developers are At Least Considering a New Job, Survey Finds (stackoverflow.blog) 36
"More developers are looking for or are open to a new job now compared to the last two years," writes Stack Overflow's senior analyst for market research and insights — citing the results of their latest survey of developers in 107 different countries.
"More than 1,000 developers responded to this year's survey about jobs and 79% are at least considering new opportunities if not actively looking." New insights from these survey results show that new tech talent and late-career developers are both more likely to be looking. New developers have increasingly switched jobs compared to early- and mid-career developers in the last three years... Interest in looking for a new job drops as developers get older for new to mid-career (44 and younger) respondents (86% to 74%), but picks back up for those 55 to 64 (88%). Late-career developers acknowledge curiosity about other companies as their second top reason to look for a new job this year behind "better salary," which all age groups rank as their top reason. Curiosity grew in importance for late-career developers since last year more than all other age groups (32% vs. 22%) and is more important to this group than reasons other groups ranked higher such as working with new technology and growth opportunities...
In our 2023 Developer Survey, we started asking about AI and the sentiment around it in our developer community; results were very similar when we checked in again through this pulse survey (70% are using AI or planning to). Developers may also feel less enthusiastic about learning opportunities now that AI tools are rapidly developing to help many be more productive in their jobs (30% cite this as the top benefit).
Other interesting findings from the survey:
"More than 1,000 developers responded to this year's survey about jobs and 79% are at least considering new opportunities if not actively looking." New insights from these survey results show that new tech talent and late-career developers are both more likely to be looking. New developers have increasingly switched jobs compared to early- and mid-career developers in the last three years... Interest in looking for a new job drops as developers get older for new to mid-career (44 and younger) respondents (86% to 74%), but picks back up for those 55 to 64 (88%). Late-career developers acknowledge curiosity about other companies as their second top reason to look for a new job this year behind "better salary," which all age groups rank as their top reason. Curiosity grew in importance for late-career developers since last year more than all other age groups (32% vs. 22%) and is more important to this group than reasons other groups ranked higher such as working with new technology and growth opportunities...
In our 2023 Developer Survey, we started asking about AI and the sentiment around it in our developer community; results were very similar when we checked in again through this pulse survey (70% are using AI or planning to). Developers may also feel less enthusiastic about learning opportunities now that AI tools are rapidly developing to help many be more productive in their jobs (30% cite this as the top benefit).
Other interesting findings from the survey:
- Compared to the 2023 Developer Survey, 8% of developers have exited the technology industry and are increasingly filling roles in manufacturing and supply chain companies (11% vs. 7%)
- Technology is the industry most developers currently work in (46%), followed by manufacturing/supply chain (14%) and financial services (13%)
- New tech talent is onboarding at as many jobs by 24 as those up to 10 years their senior and this rapid experience cycle could rival the knowledge and experience of those they report to.
The two are not equivalent. (Score:5, Interesting)
Interesting read. I am not sure it is valid to combine them based on the question from the survey developer.
I will listen to the headhunters and recruiters because I might learn of an amazing opportunity. I tell them to send me info if they want, it doesn't hurt me to read. So for the questions I am willing.
However, I like my job and I am not considering leaving, nor am I looking for a new one. So I am not actively considering it.
given the range of questions they list, this seems a little surprising. Keeping your ears open is a survival skill, even if you aren't hunting you should be aware of the job environment.
Well of course (Score:3)
If the right offer were made, who wouldn't at least consider a different job? But that doesn't mean people are actively looking for work.
Seriously lots of people looking (Score:2)
Yes, people want them, but with 250 to 1000 applicants for even a level 1 support jobs, much less an entry level coder position
In the company I am at we have seen hundreds of applications for even a senior level programming position, with many of them quite qualified (not just applications going after any job).
From a few different programming forums I visit, it seems like in any tech field it's quite hard to find a job now...
Be thankful for what you have! And if you do look, just realize it's not a reflect
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What bread and butter job are you thinking can't be outsourced?
In my group, we're finding a reasonable number of entry-level software developers, but we cannot find more experienced hires in either software development or system engineering. (Well, we found one system engineer, and within two months he decided to go back to his old job because of the commute. Even though he claimed to want to work the kind of job where on-site work was mandatory, and didn't ask if partial remote work would be an option wi
I'm always considering a new job (Score:5, Interesting)
Theoretically I'm always open to a new job. It should pay more than my old job, and ideally be less stressful. I've been playing this strategy for 25 years and for the last 5 years I have turned down every recruiter and hiring manager DM. Before that I was accepting interviews about once or twice a year, and usually I'd go through the entire process until there is an offer. And usually turning it down. You'd think that they'd make it clear up front with the little "salary expectations" discussion, but the devil is in the details and your typical recruiter doesn't have the information I need to make a reasonable comparison between two roles.
Re: I'm always considering a new job (Score:5, Interesting)
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Companies love "loyalty". It's the cheapest form of currency they can pay to retain employees. But there are approximately zero CEOs that would make the choice to save your job if their job was on the line.
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Greedy leftists like you expecting everything to be handed to you, always whoring for higher pay and contributing no added value to the economy.
What do you have against whores? That's a hard job, you should respect them if you respect hard work.
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Greedy leftists like you expecting everything to be handed to you, always whoring for higher pay and contributing no added value to the economy. You people can't just do your job and be content with what you have been given, no loyalty. It's as if you think if we live in some fucked up communist utopia and not the most prosperous free market economy in history that's being strangled by your unrealistic expectations of your own worth.
WTF man? I really hope you're joking, because if you're not, you're trolling VERY hard. And if you're doing neither, you're due for a serious reality check. Maximizing capital gain, i.e. in this case working for the best-paying employer is the pinnacle of capitalism. Your view is distorted in so many ways that it's hard for me to imagine you're not a troll.
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Ask any major contributor to the economy, ya'now the ones who actually make ti work, people like Musk, Bezos, Narasimhan, Khosrowshahi,
The ones tunneling their profits to tax heavens to avoid paying their dues? I can tell that they're lying just because their mouth is moving...
Nobody's willing to work hard, be loyal, get a second, third job and pull themselves up by their boot laces like previous generations did.
How many jobs do you have? How often did you have to switch? I somehow feel that if you had two or three jobs you
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He said he wasn't constantly shopping for jobs and money. But if approached, more compensation is required for him to change jobs. That could be considered reasonable and acceptable in a "free market economy".
And "always whoring for higher pay" or greater income is exactly what businesses do and are lauded for. They are supposed to increase the bottom line. I've never heard of a "communist utopia" where people get to choose where they work and are paid what others are willingly able to pay. Usually, you hea
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Sadly most companies are pretty bad at giving raises and promotions. If you push for it too hard internally you are punished. But if you push hard externally you are rewarded. Once you're a member of staff, there is a cult-like behavior that attempts to get you to put your company before yourself. But out in the real world, outside of the corporate bubble, people respect you when you are direct and honest about what you want.
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I provide my services on the free market to the highest bidder, like a good little capitalist.
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Of course (Score:5, Insightful)
There is a thing called "promotion by interview"
Your chances of getting a higher level, a better project, and of course increased salary is improved if you interview, and get job offers. You can of course decide not to spend any time on this and keep grunting at your current role. However once you are assigned to a "dead end" project, there would be a very tough road ahead to get out of that career block.
It does not mean you have to jump at every opportunity, that is a career killer. But by being open, and doing strategic jumps, maybe every 2-4 years, or at least internal transfers to better projects is not only beneficial for your career, but also for the industry as well (cross pollination).
Re: Of course (Score:5, Insightful)
Not statistically valid (Score:2)
Since the people responding choose to do so, rather than being randomly selected, and those who try the survey might also decide not to finish it, the results will likely be heavily biased towards people who have a strong opinions about the questions asked. Seemingly one opinion is "I wouldn't mind leaving my job".
Year on year figure is significantly up (Score:2)
This would be fair criticism of this if it was a one off. But the article reports on a survey whose results this year are much higher.
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Remember the public sector (Score:4, Insightful)
For those of us who don't want an insane level of work and to build up a gold plated pension, the public sector is worth consideration. You're far more likely to only have to work the hours you're contracted for, and a good employer will even pay for training. Plus you get to contribute to your community, not to the profits of shareholders.
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Plus you get to contribute to your community, not to the profits of shareholders.
What if I told you shareholders also live in communities? And that those profiles are providing retirees with income. Also, governments start wars, not companies. Governments are not altruistic as a whole, and it's generally the exception when they are. Charities can be, as a whole.
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Not everything is doable by the private sector. Government is why the private sector can make a profit in the first place (for example, good luck setting up a retail store without a structure of law enforcement, infrastructure, power, and a level of wealth that the local population can afford one's goods.)
No, government isn't 100%, but neither is the private sector the be all and end all. Government people work damn hard to keep things going for a lot of people, be it electric crews pulling 16 hour shifts
Could also mean... (Score:2)
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...that 60% more developers were pissed off with their employers at the time of responding to the survey than at the last time they were polled or maybe they were having a bad day/indigestion. That's pretty much the validity & reliability of self-disclosure questionnaires; they're little more than momentary sentiment barometers & the causes/sources of feelings are very, very difficult, if not impossible, to identify reliably.
I've always had a problem trying to figure out what this stuff even means. I'm "retired" and I'm always looking for new opportunities.
But this from the survey causes some pause:
"Developers may also feel less enthusiastic about learning opportunities now that AI tools are rapidly developing to help many be more productive in their jobs."
Wut? Long ago, I determined that if a person wants to get ahead, they have to latch onto all learning opportunities, or they will find themselves unneeded. If these "
Flexibility vs. Learning Opportunities - as reason (Score:1)
It was nearly alarming for me to read that learning opportunities were much less important than flexibility. In a field driven by knowledge it is really concerning that an employee would rather stay just because they have another day to work from home. 70% vs 44% is crazy for retention.
Meh (Score:4, Insightful)
Meh is my review of TFS. It is not really news IMHO.
Any decent employee worth their paycheck should always keep their eyes open for better opportunities.
It could be as simple as maintaining a wide nework of contacts ranging from employers, to fellow co-workers (current & former), to headhunters. Sounds like the original purpose of LinkedIn doesn't it?
It could be more than online networking while paying close attention to any in-force confidentiality agreements.
In today's job market in the US the smart employee should always be looking around since "demand generally exceeds supply" in most skilled job sectors.
Exposure to modern technologies (Score:2)
There are hundreds of thousands of developers working for companies whose primary focus is not software. The company may have a website and a database, bookkeeping and logistics software. I've interviewed at a couple, they want to rework the applications that organize their warehouse stocking and shipments for example. They have a ton of ancient legacy code that requires constant maintenance. Meanwhile their developers are working in a field where you have to keep your skill set up to date or you eventually