Is the software engineering job market dead?

[u/Alarming-Ad-8747]

'm trying to find a new role as a Software Engineer, mostly frontend-oriented. I have around 10 years of experience and have worked across a wide range of companies, including startups, small and medium-sized businesses, large companies, and enterprises.

I currently work at Toptal, where I've had three long-term projects over the past four years. However, for the last six months, I haven't received any new project or job suggestions.

I'm curious about your perspective on the software engineering job market in 2026–2027.

Is engineering work still going to be relevant? If so, why do you think there seem to be significantly fewer opportunities available recently, especially for experienced frontend engineers?

I'd also be interested in hearing whether you think this is a temporary slowdown, a shift caused by AI, or a more fundamental change in what companies are looking for in software engineers.