First off, Happy New Year! I’ve gone away to reflect about where I stand with my career in the tech industry, but first let’s do a recap.

Five years ago, if you had told me that 2023 would be the year where the tech industry would implode on itself, I would’ve laughed. To me, this industry was damn near unstoppable. Anyone seeking a solution could find one for their company within 90 days—research, procurement, deployment—it was all there. The desire to expand headcount and create automated, modernized solutions was everyone’s endgame. Why? Because it made money. Because it made whoever you worked for appear cool—the new hotness.

Now in 2024, I can say with some confidence that this industry will endure, but to some degree, you might not. January 2023 witnessed the largest number of layoffs in the tech industry, a staggering 84,714 employees. The major players, mostly FAANG companies, primarily laid off employees to maintain their profit margins and execute specific acquisitions. Although the numbers declined throughout the rest of the year, the atmosphere remained tense. The constant Slack message loomed: “Am I about to get fired?” And many were justified in asking that question. Over 1,100 companies told to their employees that they were not their greatest asset, and if there was profit to be made, then too bad, so sad.

I’ve kept track of all the LinkedIn posts detailing layoffs and the continuous job searches. I acknowledge my privilege and the luck I’ve had in remaining employed, but I am…disheartened. I didn’t fully comprehend the severity of 2008’s Great Recession, but 2023 has opened my eyes to a world where companies prefer pitting us against each other for roles posted merely for vanity’s sake rather than admitting they can’t hire anyone at the moment—all for the sake of paying bonuses.

This corporate world is cold, relentless, and doesn’t give a flying f*ck about you or me. Accepting that notion changed my perspective. Technical growth, work relationships, and aspirations for the C-suite ceased to define my entire personality. It’s still crucial to stay relevant, so here are a few ways to level up your tech skills and maintain interest in this industry:

• Free AWS Training: Acquiring AWS certification through training is a serious gold mine. Many companies rely on AWS for their infrastructure, and being certified is, in my opinion, as valuable as a degree.
• Free Google Cloud Training: Google Cloud, having finally turned profitable, has gained popularity and is expected to be a solid competitor to AWS.

Finally, if you’re solely focused on technology, that’s great. But with the colleagues I’ve interacted with, each has a non-tech hobby. It helps combat burnout and strained eyesight, in my experience. Here are some hobbies I picked up during 2023:

• More walks outside
• Creative writing
• Weightlifting

In hindsight, everyone has a naive perspective of what a career means in their 20s. Approaching my 30s, things are different for me now. This post isn’t about me no longer giving my job my all or ceasing to care about my career. It’s about a different approach. I’ve missed connecting with you all. Stay tuned.