The appeal of tech jobs is fading
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Illustration: Rae Cook/Axios
For the first time in decades, gigs at tech companies are no longer at the top of local job seekers' dream destinations, according to long-time Pacific Northwest recruiters.
Why it matters: Stability suddenly dominates workers' wish lists though flexibility, salary and remote work — which surveys show emerged as a top priority during the pandemic — remain important, Seattle Corporate Search senior recruiter Cheryl France told Axios.
The big picture: Based on France's recent interviews with hundreds of Seattle-area applicants, the allure of jobs with new tech startups and established giants like Twitter, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft — once synonymous with sky-scraping salaries and millionaire-making stock — has faded sharply just in the last three months.
- Tech lay-offs began soaring in November. By the end of the year, 150,000 tech jobs were gone.
- Because tech companies now say they hired too optimistically during the pandemic, more cuts are expected this year.
- That may be good news for some recruiters with healthcare, insurance and real estate companies, for example, that previously had a hard time competing for top tech talent, she said.
Portland-based Laura Trujillo, a recruiter for a company with services that include worldwide satellite navigation systems, is finding her open positions easier to sell as workers who maybe never even considered non-tech industries are now widening their searches.
- In addition to job security, candidates are being won over, Trujillo said, by things like generous employer-paid health insurance and other benefits.
- Wide-ranging room for career growth in companies with a variety of services and products and a global reach is also very appealing, she said.