A software engineer with a decade of experience, including seven years at Blizzard, describes the deteriorating job market after being laid off in June 2025. Despite reaching final interview stages with multiple companies, they consistently lose out to other candidates or internal transfers, while many applications receive no response whatsoever.

The author singles out automated screening tools like CoderPad and HackerRank as particularly problematic, arguing these platforms disadvantage honest candidates who attempt to work without AI assistance. These systems lock down browsers and prevent access to documentation, creating an uneven playing field where candidates using AI tools can easily bypass the intended assessments.

Beyond technical interviews, the piece criticizes rampant AI adoption across the industry and keyword-heavy resume filtering that makes landing interviews increasingly difficult. The author notes that even experienced developers face rejection from pools of desperate candidates, while junior positions disappear entirely.

The frustration reflects broader industry concerns about dehumanized hiring processes and the erosion of craftsmanship in software development. As companies chase efficiency metrics and AI integration, the human element of both hiring and code quality suffers. This represents a fundamental shift in how technical talent is evaluated and valued.