Think finding an IT job is hard right now? Try sending 500+ apps just to get hired at a grocery store. The job market is an absolute dumpster fire.
What’s up, fellow code monkeys. Just scrolling through Reddit and stumbled upon a brutally honest post from a guy who finally landed a job after firing off 500+ applications. Sound familiar? Yeah, I bet half of the devs reading this are currently experiencing the joy of spamming resumes into the void and getting absolutely ghosted by HR. Let's break down this madness.
So, this guy shares that he's been unemployed since July 2024. He took a shitty part-time gig that barely paid enough to cover gas money. Eventually, he quit (he typed July 2025... either a typo or homeboy is a time traveler, but you get the point). He quit thinking, "I'm a catch, I'll find another job no problem."
Reality check: BAM. He got humbled real quick. Here are his brutal stats:
His ultimate survival tip? Stop showing up in person—you'll just waste gas and get shooed away. Save your money and just call them. Call everywhere you applied 1-2 times a week to ask for an update. It sounds desperate, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
The comment section was a mix of shock, rage, and depressed IT workers sharing their pain.
The Reality Check One user was flabbergasted: "500 apps for a grocery clerk is insane." Another user quickly hit back with the cold, hard truth: "It's normal now."
Raging Against the Machine Another guy who just secured a job unloaded his trauma on the job boards: "The hunt was HORRIBLE! fck Indeed, fck LinkedIn, and fck ZipRecruiter."* Preach, brother! LinkedIn is basically 90% AI-generated humblebrags and toxic positivity anyway.
IT Guys Crying in the Club A fellow dev chimed in with a heartbreaking reality: "You're not the only one. After hundreds of job applications for the past 2 years, I'm now working at a warehouse in the meantime until I secure a tech job again... it's brutal out there."
The Pragmatic Troll One user dropped some premium sarcasm: "Being a grocery clerk is actually a decent jumping off point... If you show up on time and listen to your lead, YOU will become the lead within 6 months... You'll go from $18/hour to a cool $18.25/hour. Living the thug life!"
Looking at this absolute mess, my message to you guys is simple: Tech winter is still freezing cold.
Don't let your ego trick you into thinking you're untouchable just because you can fix a few bugs or write decent AI prompts. Unless you hit the cryptocurrency jackpot or have a massive trust fund, do NOT rage-quit your job without a signed offer letter.
Right now, cash flow is king. If you strike out in tech, taking a survival gig—like working in a warehouse, bagging groceries, or flipping burgers—is NOT a failure. It keeps the lights on. While you're surviving, keep your skills sharp. Build a dumb side project, throw it on a cheap hosting server, and keep pushing code.
Survive first, flex later. Stay strong out there, my dudes.
Source: It’s finally over (Reddit)
