In this video I reflect on what it was like being a software engineer through 2023—honestly, one of the roughest years I’ve felt in tech. I went through three to four rounds of layoffs (not personally laid off, but constantly around it), and that uncertainty is exhausting. You start spiraling: should I work harder to look “safe,” or is it pointless if layoffs feel random? That whole cycle forced me to build mental resilience and reminded me of something I keep repeating now: a job is just a job. Companies can let you go anytime, so protecting your mental health and not burning out matters more than trying to “outwork” uncertainty. I also talk about what Gen AI actually looks like on the job. My productivity is up because of code completion and internal GPT-style tools, but I don’t think GPT replaces software engineers yet—there’s still a gap, especially when you need depth and real step-by-step thinking. On top of that, 2023 was the year remote work started getting pushed back hard, especially in big tech, with more hybrid expectations. Looking at 2024, I’m still optimistic: tech is growing, and AI is creating new opportunities. But for entry-level folks, it’s going to be challenging—so my advice is to build deep fundamentals, leverage tools, and position yourself in what’s trending (AI, full stack), while I focus on leveling up, learning more, and aiming for promotion.