— On the labor market, the greatest demand is still for seniors, i.e. more experienced people. The demand for juniors remains low and is the lowest in three years – says Paulina Król, Chief People and Operations Officer at No Fluff Jobs, a recruitment portal for, among others, to IT.
– On the one hand, companies explain it by switching to AI, but on the other – and this is something new and interesting – they are starting to be cautious and openly talk about their caution towards artificial intelligence. There are voices on the market that AI has not met the expectations set for 2025. – explains the expert.
— Companies are starting to recognize the limitations of AI — for example, related to data centers, energy demand and the gigantic costs that may be associated with it in the future. An example is companies such as Klarna, which first went 100 percent in customer service. on AI, and then, due to insufficient quality, they withdrew from it – he adds.
High expectations are slowly giving way to cold calculation. It turns out that implementation of artificial intelligence does not always mean an immediate increase in productivity. Paradoxically, AI does not reward those who use it most often, but those who best understand how it works and where it can go wrong. Productivity increases not thanks to automation, but thanks to the ability to consciously supervise it.
— This surprised me when I looked at the data and listened to various market experts — some seniors are less efficient with AI than before. Why? Because they correct errors after it, they constantly analyze whether the AI is hallucinating and whether the code written by artificial intelligence is correct – emphasizes Paulina Król.
As he explains, the problem is that when a programmer receives AI-generated code, it is very difficult for him to find out what is wrong with it. Seniors must therefore have even greater knowledge of what they are doing to be able to correct these mistakes.
— It's a bit like with modern cars: it used to be easy to look under the hood and fix something yourself, but now without specialized equipment it is difficult to understand what is not working. – adds the expert. No Fluff Jobs is currently conducting a study examining what it is really like to work with AI tools in the IT industry today.
Read also: AI was supposed to bring them destruction. Today, there is more work for them than for programmers
Junior is becoming strategically necessary
In the shadow of problems with AI, the fate of juniors hangs in the balance. The statistics are brutal: the number of offers for beginners is the lowest in three years. In the United States, the phenomenon of underemployment (employment below qualifications) affects as many as 42 percent IT graduates.
However, employers' approaches are starting to evolve. — Last year, as can be seen in our annual report, the demand for seniors increased even more – about 60%. open positions in IT are senior positions. Companies simply want to have experts, the expert emphasizes.
— However, in recent weeks we have been hearing more and more often from clients that they see the risk of investing only in seniors. The industry is built on experienced specialists who will become successful in a few years they will change industries or they simply will not want to perform simpler tasks – in three or four years there may be a shortage of workers. They see this when strategically planning their business – he adds.
The generation gap is a real threat. Moreover, in the face of uncertainty about the future of AI (and possible energy shortages), humans remain the only reliable link. — AI should always be supported by a thinking person. In the event of any meltdown, humans will be irreplaceable, our interlocutor emphasizes. This gives hope to juniors.
Read also: The Pentagon wants AI ready to break the law. Autonomous weapons and mass surveillance are on the line
A new strategy for entering the industry. Don't wait for a job, take orders
What should juniors do when the market is difficult? Change your strategy. The era of waiting for the perfect job is over. Paulina Król points out that recruiters have changed their approach to short projects in CVs.
— Even getting orders for a month or two is perceived positively. This shows proactivity – says the expert. — Recruiters understand the market and know that a short project is not “jumping from flower to flower”, but proof that the candidate is fighting for experience and understands the business.
It is also important to work on soft skills – communication, teamwork and high proactivity. – Showing that it can adapt to the changing market – these are key aspects – emphasizes Paulina Król.
The key to success is coming out of the shadows. — The easiest way to get a job as a Junior is by recommendation – advises the expert. The myth of the introvert in the basement is becoming a thing of the past. Today, you need to attend meetups, meet people and build a network of contacts.
— Go to a meeting, listen, talk to one, two or three people. When you walk regularly, someone starts to notice you. Perhaps you will ask a smart question, stand out and then someone will think: “Hey, I can recommend you because I think you can bring value,” suggests Paulina Król.
This may sound scary to introverts, but the expert reassures: – I realize it's difficult, but take a friend from college and just go together. Sit and listen in the first meeting, ask one question in the second, then talk to two people. This environment is full of similar people – they understand that not everyone has to be effusive.
Great stabilization on the labor market
The number of applications per ad dropped by an average of 45%. (from 44 to 24). For senior positions, the average number of applications dropped from 31 to 19. This is not due to a lack of applicants, but primarily to fear of change. Employees are aware that in the case of collective layoffs, new people are usually fired first. – Nowadays, the feeling of security at work is very valuable – sums up Paulina Król.
Despite the confusion around AI, traditional competences do not lose their importance. When it comes to specific technologies for which demand is growing, the expert mentions: – Python grew by about 4 percentage points year on year and is still growing, we see similar demand for SQL, Java and Spring.
The highest salaries are recorded in the area of system architecture – competences related to the design and integration of complex IT solutions. This is a signal that companies think long-term and need people with comprehensive business orientation. Everything indicates that the entire IT market has entered the restart phase.
