Tech Hiring Stagnation and the Rise of AI Productivity

Have you noticed it's gotten way harder to land a tech job as a fresher?

According to data from the Internet, the biggest tech companies like, Google, Microsoft, Apple, Tesla, Meta, Nvidia, and Palantir, have had zero net growth in hiring over the last three years. That's right, zero growth. The total headcount today is basically the same as it was three years ago. So you might be wondering what exactly is happening?

The thing is that during the pandemic, these companies went on a massive hiring spree, that led to a huge spike in hiring in 2022, that's when they collectively added over 120,000 employees in a single year which is a huge number. But then in 2023, we actually saw its first negative growth with companies cutting jobs. But the big question is, how are these tech giants growing their businesses without growing their teams? It boils down to these four fundamental changes.

First, they overhired during the zero interest rate pandemic years between 2020 and 2022, assuming the demand boom would continue long-term. Surprise surprise It did not.

Second, with higher interest rates now, CFOs are under intense pressure to improve operating margins, and keeping headcount flat is the most direct way to boost those numbers.

Third, these companies are investing billions in generative AI infrastructure. The cost of capital for these chips and systems is enormous, leaving less budget for new hires.

Fourth, there's emerging evidence that AI productivity tools might already be enabling these companies to accomplish more with their existing workforce.

This last point is actually huge because it's changing a fundamental relationship in business. The data historically showed that if a company's revenue grew by 10%, its headcount would also grow by about 10%. But these AI productivity gains are breaking that pattern and making it harder for newer blood to gain a Job Offer.

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