SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER EXPLAINS: What’s Happening in Tech Job Market Right Now

Everyone keeps saying AI is replacing software engineers.

But if that’s true… why are software engineering job postings at a 3-year high while tech companies are still laying people off?

The reality is much more complicated than the headlines make it sound.

In this video, I break down what’s actually happening in the 2026 tech job market, why companies are quietly rehiring engineers they previously laid off, and where the real demand is shifting inside software engineering.

Here’s what I cover 👇
✅ Why 52,000+ tech layoffs don’t tell the full story
✅ The hidden reason software engineering roles are still growing
✅ Why the “AI replaced engineers” narrative is already breaking down
✅ How companies are quietly rehiring former employees
✅ The difference between jobs getting eliminated vs jobs still exploding
✅ Why senior engineers are becoming even more valuable
✅ The real skills companies are hiring for in 2026
✅ How to position yourself if you want to break into tech or level up your career

👋 about me
I’m Maddy, a senior software engineer (prev. at Google), with prior internships at Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, IBM, and Amazon. Sharing my journey here – thanks for watching 🤍

🔗find me on other socials
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/madeline.m.zhang/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinemzhang/
Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@madeline.m.zhang

Timestamps
0:00 Layoffs vs Hiring
1:34 Engineering Jobs
2:45 AI vs Engineers
5:00 Boomerang Hiring
6:49 Where Demand Is Going
8:45 How To Position Yourself
10:01 Final Thoughts

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disclaimer: views are all my own and do not represent any current / past employer(s)

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