If you were unlucky enough to have lost your job in the last 15 years, someone might have suggested — often unhelpfully — that you “learn to code.” It was shorthand for “do something actually useful that would have kept you from being laid off in the first place.”
That advice is starting to feel even less welcome.
The latest round of layoffs at Facebook parent company Meta is impacting workers in core technical roles like data scientists and software engineers — positions once thought to be beyond reproach. This represents a stark about-face for a company that, until recently, had been offering outrageous salaries and basically hoarding people in these highly sought-after technical positions. And now, as part of the company’s “year of efficiency,” it’s letting some of them go. As Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg put it, “We’re in a different world.”
The beleaguered social media company is also not alone.
Software engineers were the most overrepresented position in layoffs in 2023, relative to their employment, according to data requested by Vox from workforce data company Revelio Labs. Last year, when major tech layoffs first began, recruiters and customer success specialists experienced the most outsize impact. So far this year, nearly 20 percent of the 170,000 tech company layoffs were software engineers, even though they made up roughly 14 percent of employees at these companies.
“Early layoffs were dominated by recruiters, which is forgoing future hiring,” Revelio senior economist Reyhan Ayas told Vox. “Whereas in 2023 we see a shift toward more core engineering and software engineering, which signals a change in focus of current business priorities.”
In other words, tech companies aren’t just trimming the fat by firing people who fill out their extensive ecosystem, which ranges from marketers to massage therapists. They’re also, many for the first time, making cuts to the people who build the very products they’re known for, and who enjoyed a sort of revered status since they, like the founders of the companies, were coders. Software engineers are still important, but they don’t have the power they used to
“Before it was just, ‘the more or better, whatever it takes to recruit the best talent,’” said Daniel Keum, an associate professor of management at Columbia University’s business school, said of tech companies. “Now they’re cost-conscious, they want to be optimized and economized.”
He added, “That’s an entirely different mindset. We haven’t seen this before.”
Tech companies grew rapidly during the pandemic, when people were home and their services were needed more than ever, but much of that demand has died down. In the meantime, the tech companies that hugely expanded their head counts in that time failed to come up with the next big thing, meaning they don’t have new sources of massive revenue to pull from and have been forced to switch from growth mode to maintenance. Meanwhile, the economy is not as strong as it was, and Wall Street is telling tech companies that less is more. The rise of AI at work is also a contributing factor, since it allows coders to be more productive, or potentially allows employers to do the same work as before but with fewer workers.
Additionally, Keum said that Elon Musk, who fired 80 percent of his staff but still has a (sort of) functioning product, has become a sort of inspiration for other tech CEOs, who see his extreme cuts as a way of making their more modest ones seem “morally and culturally acceptable.”
Their stance? “‘Thank you, Elon Musk, for showing us that it can be done. And thank you Elon Musk for taking the blame,’” Keum said.
Of course, this might be short-term thinking. While they might save companies some money, ultimately layoffs can be bad for business, lessening morale and productivity and making it harder for companies to grow in the future, when the economy improves. That fact doesn’t seem to be stopping tech companies from joining the layoff bandwagon, whether it’s strictly necessary or not.
For software engineers and other tech workers, however, this doesn’t spell the end of the world. They’re still hugely in demand, but their bargaining power and ability to ask for over-the-top perks and salaries has been muted.
The latest monthly jobs report by tech industry association CompTIA found that even though employment at tech companies (which includes all roles at those companies) declined slightly in March, employment in technical occupations across industry sectors increased by nearly 200,000 positions. So even if tech companies are laying off tech workers, other industries are snatching them up. Unfortunately for software engineers and the like, that means they might also have to follow those industries’ pay schemes. The average software engineer base pay in the US is $90,000, according to PayScale, but can be substantially higher at tech firms like Facebook, where such workers also get bonuses and stock options.
“If you’re a tech person, before, you’d only consider Silicon Valley and top-five firms,” Keum said. “Now, our graduates are thinking about okay, maybe an industrial company. They’re diversifying away from traditional ‘tech tech’ type jobs”
“You have to look a little wider now,” he said.
rn rnvox-markrn rn rn rn rn rn“,”cross_community”:false,”groups”:[{“base_type”:”EntryGroup”,”id”:27524,”timestamp”:1682368443,”title”:”Technology”,”type”:”SiteGroup”,”url”:”https://www.vox.com/technology”,”slug”:”technology”,”community_logo”:”rn“,”community_name”:”Vox”,”community_url”:”https://www.vox.com/”,”cross_community”:false,”entry_count”:24366,”always_show”:false,”description”:”Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.”,”disclosure”:””,”cover_image_url”:””,”cover_image”:null,”title_image_url”:””,”intro_image”:null,”four_up_see_more_text”:”View All”,”primary”:true},{“base_type”:”EntryGroup”,”id”:80358,”timestamp”:1682088202,”title”:”Future of Work”,”type”:”SiteGroup”,”url”:”https://www.vox.com/future-of-work”,”slug”:”future-of-work”,”community_logo”:”rn“,”community_name”:”Vox”,”community_url”:”https://www.vox.com/”,”cross_community”:false,”entry_count”:245,”always_show”:false,”description”:”Vox’s coverage of the future of work: how we got here and what comes next.”,”disclosure”:””,”cover_image_url”:””,”cover_image”:null,”title_image_url”:””,”intro_image”:null,”four_up_see_more_text”:”View All”,”primary”:false},{“base_type”:”EntryGroup”,”id”:112370,”timestamp”:1682088202,”title”:”Big Tech”,”type”:”SiteGroup”,”url”:”https://www.vox.com/big-tech”,”slug”:”big-tech”,”community_logo”:”rn“,”community_name”:”Vox”,”community_url”:”https://www.vox.com/”,”cross_community”:false,”entry_count”:43,”always_show”:false,”description”:”Vox’s coverage of the big players in tech and their monopoly on the industry.”,”disclosure”:””,”cover_image_url”:””,”cover_image”:null,”title_image_url”:””,”intro_image”:null,”four_up_see_more_text”:”View All”,”primary”:false},{“base_type”:”EntryGroup”,”id”:112373,”timestamp”:1682088202,”title”:”Meta”,”type”:”SiteGroup”,”url”:”https://www.vox.com/meta”,”slug”:”meta”,”community_logo”:”rn“,”community_name”:”Vox”,”community_url”:”https://www.vox.com/”,”cross_community”:false,”entry_count”:32,”always_show”:false,”description”:”Vox’s news and analysis on the state of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and its future as a player in Big Tech.”,”disclosure”:””,”cover_image_url”:””,”cover_image”:null,”title_image_url”:””,”intro_image”:null,”four_up_see_more_text”:”View All”,”primary”:false}],”internal_groups”:[{“base_type”:”EntryGroup”,”id”:112404,”timestamp”:1682419320,”title”:”Approach — Connects something to larger stakes”,”type”:”SiteGroup”,”url”:””,”slug”:”approach-connects-something-to-larger-stakes”,”community_logo”:”rn“,”community_name”:”Vox”,”community_url”:”https://www.vox.com/”,”cross_community”:false,”entry_count”:111,”always_show”:false,”description”:””,”disclosure”:””,”cover_image_url”:””,”cover_image”:null,”title_image_url”:””,”intro_image”:null,”four_up_see_more_text”:”View All”}],”image”:{“ratio”:”*”,”original_url”:”https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203043/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg”,”network”:”unison”,”bgcolor”:”white”,”pinterest_enabled”:false,”caption”:”At Meta and across tech, software engineer jobs aren’t looking as safe any more.”,”credit”:”Getty Images”,”focal_area”:{“top_left_x”:1813,”top_left_y”:1094,”bottom_right_x”:2503,”bottom_right_y”:1784},”bounds”:[0,0,4316,2877],”uploaded_size”:{“width”:4316,”height”:2877},”focal_point”:null,”image_id”:72203043,”alt_text”:”A view from outside the Meta office in King’s Cross on November 9, 2022.”},”hub_image”:{“ratio”:”*”,”original_url”:”https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203043/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg”,”network”:”unison”,”bgcolor”:”white”,”pinterest_enabled”:false,”caption”:”At Meta and across tech, software engineer jobs aren’t looking as safe any more.”,”credit”:”Getty Images”,”focal_area”:{“top_left_x”:1813,”top_left_y”:1094,”bottom_right_x”:2503,”bottom_right_y”:1784},”bounds”:[0,0,4316,2877],”uploaded_size”:{“width”:4316,”height”:2877},”focal_point”:null,”image_id”:72203043,”alt_text”:”A view from outside the Meta office in King’s Cross on November 9, 2022.”},”lede_image”:{“ratio”:”*”,”original_url”:”https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg”,”network”:”unison”,”bgcolor”:”white”,”pinterest_enabled”:false,”caption”:”At Meta and across tech, software engineer jobs aren’t looking as safe any more.”,”credit”:”Getty Images”,”focal_area”:{“top_left_x”:1813,”top_left_y”:1094,”bottom_right_x”:2503,”bottom_right_y”:1784},”bounds”:[0,0,4316,2877],”uploaded_size”:{“width”:4316,”height”:2877},”focal_point”:null,”image_id”:72203044,”alt_text”:”A view from outside the Meta office in King’s Cross on November 9, 2022.”},”group_cover_image”:null,”picture_standard_lead_image”:{“ratio”:”*”,”original_url”:”https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg”,”network”:”unison”,”bgcolor”:”white”,”pinterest_enabled”:false,”caption”:”At Meta and across tech, software engineer jobs aren’t looking as safe any more.”,”credit”:”Getty Images”,”focal_area”:{“top_left_x”:1813,”top_left_y”:1094,”bottom_right_x”:2503,”bottom_right_y”:1784},”bounds”:[0,0,4316,2877],”uploaded_size”:{“width”:4316,”height”:2877},”focal_point”:null,”image_id”:72203044,”alt_text”:”A view from outside the Meta office in King’s Cross on November 9, 2022.”,”picture_element”:{“html”:{},”alt”:”A view from outside the Meta office in King’s Cross on November 9, 2022.”,”default”:{“srcset”:”https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PwouEqwaW6qwFAlIxFRZcmC9rIY=/0x0:4316×2877/320×240/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-V7RQ9sXM-CuwjdxSt3da3jk8UY=/0x0:4316×2877/620×465/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg 620w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/r3D4pxtQeaj3E1k-4UdC4gkJjkU=/0x0:4316×2877/920×690/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/upecBF9FTPVvq3HvswXqC_8rL6w=/0x0:4316×2877/1220×915/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg 1220w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wffBwxuBkK2kfgL7CcaKhExzjts=/0x0:4316×2877/1520×1140/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg 1520w”,”webp_srcset”:”https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fAkTRb7WGTnK4Mn7jcDDf9zEEwg=/0x0:4316×2877/320×240/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784):format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6Vj2rNotTGhtHx7xyKzwcaym_EI=/0x0:4316×2877/620×465/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784):format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg 620w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/J-rW2Hf8GmP3NJpwKAVikSuxEgQ=/0x0:4316×2877/920×690/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784):format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cZrPewnvnMi0k_dh94AuZy1iVwQ=/0x0:4316×2877/1220×915/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784):format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg 1220w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Y2i_vumjEwJgIXYwRtQXmOMlPvY=/0x0:4316×2877/1520×1140/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784):format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg 1520w”,”media”:null,”sizes”:”(min-width: 809px) 485px, (min-width: 600px) 60vw, 100vw”,”fallback”:”https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BQ6OYnjbDD3vpz_g7GnsMySQHKY=/0x0:4316×2877/1200×900/filters:focal(1813×1094:2503×1784)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72203044/GettyImages_1244634021__1_.0.jpg”},”art_directed”:[]}},”image_is_placeholder”:false,”image_is_hidden”:false,”network”:”vox”,”omits_labels”:true,”optimizable”:false,”promo_headline”:”Tech companies are finally firing tech workers “,”recommended_count”:0,”recs_enabled”:false,”slug”:”technology/2023/4/21/23692515/tech-workers-software-engineers-layoffs-meta-coding”,”dek”:”Software engineers made up the biggest portion of tech layoffs in 2023. “,”homepage_title”:”Tech companies are finally firing tech workers “,”homepage_description”:”Software engineers made up the biggest portion of tech layoffs in 2023.”,”show_homepage_description”:false,”title_display”:”Tech companies are finally firing tech workers “,”pull_quote”:null,”voxcreative”:false,”show_entry_time”:true,”show_dates”:true,”paywalled_content”:false,”paywalled_content_box_logo_url”:””,”paywalled_content_page_logo_url”:””,”paywalled_content_main_url”:””,”article_footer_body”:”Since Vox launched in 2014, our audience has supported our mission in so many meaningful ways. More than 80,000 people have responded to requests to help with our reporting. Countless teachers have told us about how they’re using our work in their classroom. And in the three years since we launched the Vox Contributions program, tens of thousands of people have chipped in to help keep our unique work free. We’re aiming to add 1,500 financial contributions from readers by the end of April, and we’re 87% of the way there. If you, like us, believe that explanatory journalism is a public good, will you help us close the gap?“,”article_footer_header”:”We’re nearly there!“,”use_article_footer”:true,”article_footer_cta_annual_plans”:”{rn “default_plan”: 1,rn “plans”: [rn {rn “amount”: 95,rn “plan_id”: 74295rn },rn {rn “amount”: 120,rn “plan_id”: 81108rn },rn {rn “amount”: 250,rn “plan_id”: 77096rn },rn {rn “amount”: 350,rn “plan_id”: 92038rn }rn ]rn}”,”article_footer_cta_button_annual_copy”:”year”,”article_footer_cta_button_copy”:”Yes, I’ll give”,”article_footer_cta_button_monthly_copy”:”month”,”article_footer_cta_default_frequency”:”annual”,”article_footer_cta_monthly_plans”:”{rn “default_plan”: 1,rn “plans”: [rn {rn “amount”: 9,rn “plan_id”: 77780rn },rn {rn “amount”: 20,rn “plan_id”: 69279rn },rn {rn “amount”: 50,rn “plan_id”: 46947rn },rn {rn “amount”: 100,rn “plan_id”: 46782rn }rn ]rn}”,”article_footer_cta_once_plans”:”{rn “default_plan”: 0,rn “plans”: [rn {rn “amount”: 20,rn “plan_id”: 69278rn },rn {rn “amount”: 50,rn “plan_id”: 48880rn },rn {rn “amount”: 100,rn “plan_id”: 46607rn },rn {rn “amount”: 250,rn “plan_id”: 46946rn }rn ]rn}”,”use_article_footer_cta_read_counter”:true,”use_article_footer_cta”:true,”featured_placeable”:false,”video_placeable”:false,”disclaimer”:null,”volume_placement”:”lede”,”video_autoplay”:false,”youtube_url”:”http://bit.ly/voxyoutube”,”facebook_video_url”:””,”play_in_modal”:true,”user_preferences_for_privacy_enabled”:false,”show_branded_logos”:true}”>
Since Vox launched in 2014, our audience has supported our mission in so many meaningful ways. More than 80,000 people have responded to requests to help with our reporting. Countless teachers have told us about how they’re using our work in their classroom. And in the three years since we launched the Vox Contributions program, tens of thousands of people have chipped in to help keep our unique work free. We’re aiming to add 1,500 financial contributions from readers by the end of April, and we’re 87% of the way there. If you, like us, believe that explanatory journalism is a public good, will you help us close the gap?
Forty-eight teams started these World Cup finals a month ago — now only six remain. Tomorrow that will be whittled down to a final four. Morocco became the first quarter-finalists to be knocked out, losing 2-0 to the seemingly unstoppable France on Thursday, before brave Belgium finally succumbed to Spain in Los Angeles on Friday
Erling Haaland stands at 6 feet, 5 inches, an intimidating force who can make fellow soccer players look tiny in stature and talent. Scoring seven goals across four World Cup matches entering Saturday, the Norwegian player has been described as a machine. But if you ask some loyal new fans, he’s also a babygirl and
One way to get an edge in fantasy football? By keeping a close eye on offseason chatter. Which players are impressing reporters in OTAs? Which roster battles could go a different way than the average fan expects? Which rookie is going to end up rocketing up draft boards by August? These five players are fairly
On June 23, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller revealed that he was in a car crash and was brutally injured. The accident nearly caused him to lose his life, as his arm had to be amputated to keep him alive. Now that he is making his way back after a drastic change, Miller announced
Forty-eight teams started these World Cup finals a month ago — now only six remain. Tomorrow that will be whittled down to a final four. Morocco became the first quarter-finalists to be knocked out, losing 2-0 to the seemingly unstoppable France on Thursday, before brave Belgium finally succumbed to Spain in Los Angeles on Friday
Erling Haaland stands at 6 feet, 5 inches, an intimidating force who can make fellow soccer players look tiny in stature and talent. Scoring seven goals across four World Cup matches entering Saturday, the Norwegian player has been described as a machine. But if you ask some loyal new fans, he’s also a babygirl and
One way to get an edge in fantasy football? By keeping a close eye on offseason chatter. Which players are impressing reporters in OTAs? Which roster battles could go a different way than the average fan expects? Which rookie is going to end up rocketing up draft boards by August? These five players are fairly
On June 23, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller revealed that he was in a car crash and was brutally injured. The accident nearly caused him to lose his life, as his arm had to be amputated to keep him alive. Now that he is making his way back after a drastic change, Miller announced
Colton Nussmeier has run out of options to fix his eligibility for 2026. On July 9, the UIL State Executive Committee voted 4–1 to reject his appeal, a decision first shared by 247Sports’ Mike Roach. With that, his plan to play his senior season at Denton Ryan is over. The door at his old school
Weekly Wrap: Making It Rain with Trump Bills Welcome back to Friday! This is the Breitbart Business Digest weekly wrap, our septidialogic sweep through the economic and financial news. This week the economy failed to get indigestion from the high price of gas, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told us about getting fed at the Fed, Trump
Business seminar in Munich highlights Hong Kong's strategic roles amidst global shifts (with photos) ****************************************************************************************** The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin), promoted Hong Kong's unique advantages and strategic roles at the seminar "Hong Kong's strategic role amidst geopolitical tensions" on June 18 (Munich time) in Munich, Germany. Senior executives, investors
