2026: The Year Your Job Becomes a Startup
Introduction: Recently, during the more than a week-long year-end break (thanks to my employer), I finally cut off the daily work—spent quality time with family, travelled a bit, and, importantly, sat with my own thoughts (yes, intentionally). Next month, I'll mark ten years (decade) of working in tech, and that milestone has pushed me to question what the next decade should look like. This post is a part of my self-reflection and an open note to my network about what is changing and how that’s reshaping my plans. In 2025, a fundamental shift occurred in the tech job market. The traditional narrative of keeping your head down, climbing the corporate ladder, and retiring quietly began to break down as layoffs reached into the hundreds of thousands globally. This transformation reshaped the very meaning of "stability" within the industry. While many positions vanished, new opportunities surged for those who were easy to find, easy to trust, and visibly skilled at the...