6,000 Applications. 0 Jobs. What Went Wrong?
The Programming Podcast
The Human Cost: Stories from Graduates
Danny and Leon read graduate accounts of demoralizing searches, ghosting, and lengthy application struggles like Zach's case.
6,000 Applications. 0 Jobs. What Went Wrong?
In this episode, Danny & Leon break down the recent New York Times article about the collapse of $165,000 tech jobs — and why so many new computer science graduates are struggling to find work.
This one gets personal. We dig into salary expectations, the rise of AI coding tools, offshoring, and the real reasons grads are stuck. Plus, we share how bad advice keeps job seekers trapped, and why networking + projects matter more than ever.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This episode is heavier than usual. We felt deeply for the people featured in this article — so much so that we reached out to one of them, Zach, who applied to nearly 6,000 jobs, and spent 90 minutes helping him reframe his job search strategy. Our goal isn’t to mock, but to help anyone who feels stuck right now.
If you’re in the middle of the job hunt, or just want to understand what’s happening in tech careers in 2025 — this is a must-listen.
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Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 – Disclaimer & why this episode is different
03:19 – Why we reacted to the NYT article live
05:25 – Setting the stage: “Goodbye $165K tech jobs”
06:59 – The salary inflation problem
08:03 – Networking: why tech is no longer a free pass
10:10 – Purdue grad struggles despite strong background
15:23 – The promise (and failure) of the CS degree
18:18 – The “learn to code = six figures” myth
20:22 – FANG vs. reality: most jobs aren’t like that
22:01 – Is AI really taking developer jobs? (spoiler: no)
23:53 – Offshoring is the real threat
25:39 – Headcount growth vs. layoff panic
26:32 – Unemployment rates: myth vs. reality
29:20 – The hidden flaw in applying to 6,000 jobs
32:21 – “Clickers” & why mass-applying doesn’t work
34:02 – Bootcamps & the cycle of bad advice
35:38 – Ghosting, coding assessments & job search burnout
39:02 – Zach’s story: 5,762 applications, 0 jobs
41:01 – Why customizing your resume matters
43:08 – The wrong vs. right way to job hunt
46:13 – Reddit resumes & bad job hunt advice
47:23 – Misreporting AI tools (CodeRabbit example)
49:24 – The AI doom loop in job search
52:12 – Government jobs, hiring freezes & policy shifts
53:00 – The Purdue grad pivots to tech sales
55:03 – Why the article fails its own subjects
57:22 – Offshoring vs. AI (the real culprit)
58:00 – What job seekers should be doing now
59:32 – Listener Q&A: networking while still learning
01:03:46 – The power of small, intentional networking
01:06:11 – Balancing a non-tech job & coding journey
01:09:49 – Final advice & episode wrap-up
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