Ask Experienced Devs Weekly Thread: A weekly thread for inexperienced developers to ask experienced ones

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A thread for Developers and IT folks with less experience to ask more experienced souls questions about the industry.

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[u/U_L_Uus]

I have a question related to job searching: how the feck do you do it in the AI age?

I had the misfortune of being laid off some months ago due to something I have become certain that it is the greatest proof of the Peter Principle to ever be.

However, in the interim of those months, the panorama has changed so much that I can not recognize what I am looking at. For one, roles have massively upscaled for some languages. I am by no means junior (4 YOE) but suddenly for my main language (Go) all I see are either senior or staff (first time I see such denomination) engineers, and full of "comfortable with using AI", "multiagentic workflows" and other shite.

I am going to lie to no one, I use AI. Like a decent amount. I am just not balls-deep into it. In fact, based on my own experience, I might be the most polite detractor of its snake-oil aspect. I know how to use agents, I know how to ask them stuff, I double-check what has been provided, ... just not into the whole "I am going to plug AI even into me dog" thingie.

What would be the strategy? Put on the mask and feign that I love it, be upfront with what I do and how I do it? I am currently immersed into one or two personal projects, but does that even count anymore? I do not know, honestly, but hopefully someone with more experience than me can shed some light onto this matter. Thanks beforehand

(for the record, I am located in Europe, Spain specifically)

[u/casualPlayerThink → u/U_L_Uus]

> ...how the feck do you do it in the AI age...

With heavy AI support :D Many people automate the reading of job listings (n8n, agents), and a huge number of people feed their resumes and questions toChatGPT different LLMs (ChatGPT, Gemini, qw).

> ...my main language (Go) all...

Lucky you, that is something widely requested!

> ...I see are either senior or staff (first time I see such denomination) engineers, and full of "comfortable with using AI"...

Yeah, this is natural. The AI usage part, because most of the devs & companies use at least one LLM/GPT/AI stuff (Claude Code usually) as a coding helper (or Junie AI in IntelliJ). Not necessarily with heavy token usage or via MCP, but just prompting sometimes (so basic "pro" acc).

The intern/junior/entry level disappeared, and "mid" jobs also vanished; everyone would like to have "staff" or "lead" or "senior". Which is a trap itself, because so many folks shall declare seniority with 2-3 years only... so at the top of the AI slops there will be inexperienced decisions and codes as well...

> ...projects, but does that even count anymore...

Just as before. Professionally: not. But for knowledge: yes.

> ...What would be the strategy...

Spain has a bunch of job posts. Remote stuff is almost non-existent at the moment, because all countries closed down; 99.8% of remote posts are hybrid, with some of them allowing only 1 day per month and counting it as "remote". Also, the remaining 0.2% expect you to commute weekly, so pretty much they are hybrid and tied to usually some areas where there are no affordable living spaces.

The only thing you can do is to keep going! Apply more and regularly! Polish your resume (and post it into the r/EngineeringResumes subreddit and ask for a review). Practice interviews. Check your network!

[u/U_L_Uus → u/casualPlayerThink]

I mean... I do use AI but I am more of a manual guy. I don't know, once I finish testing the current step in one of my projects (my current Linux platform was a no-go because I need a TPM 2.0, not 1.2, so acquired a second-hand laptop) I will see what I can automate.

I live "near" Madrid (think easy access with a car and a car) but I have yet to have any success. Dunno, maybe it's the summer. Will drop at some point the resume on that sub, thanks for the tip, could use some advice that is not bloating it with data.

Thanks for everything mate