Last week, I watched a talk given by an ex-Meta Engineering Director.
He asked the room one question that stopped me cold:
“If humans with AI can do double the work - then why don’t companies keep the people and double their output?”
Nobody could answer.
Because it does not add up.
The truth is, the majority of the tech layoffs were not driven by ChatGPT.
They were driven by interest rates.
When the Fed ended zero interest rate policy, borrowing costs jumped to 4%+.
Companies that over-hired during the cheap money era had to course-correct. Fast.
AI just made it a cleaner story to tell investors.
But there is one thing we can’t ignore -
AI is here, and it is changing things.
Just not in the way the panic headlines want you to think.
The shift is not whether you can do the work.
It is whether you are doing the RIGHT work.
The data professionals landing top roles right now are not the ones who can build another dashboard.
They are the ones who can tell the business which dashboard to build, what infrastructure to invest in, and why it matters.
That is judgment, taste, and lived experience.
AI cannot replicate that.
300+ applications with 5 interviews is a positioning problem, not a you problem. The ATS game is designed for you to lose. Get clarity on your best fit roles, domains and companies, then send out targeted applications.
This market rewards alignment.
We living in an age where trust is lower than ever.
And the best way for you to build trust wish strangers is to share your experience and skills in public.
LinkedIn is an unbeatable first place to start.
One post that shows how you actually think beats 30 templated takes. Hiring managers are watching.
Like this:
If you want to take things further and build even longer-lasting career assets, start writing on Medium and Substack. A deep-dive technical article would get you connected to people you’d never think was possible.
Like this:
“Data scientist” is invisible. “Data scientist who helps fintech companies reduce fraud losses” is a hire.
Try this LinkedIn Headline Analyzer I built that roasts your headline and gives you specific suggestions on how to make it more targeted to land interviews.
Executives are not drowning in talent shortages. They are drowning in problems.
Show up with your problem-solving frameworks rather than just a list of tools.
Solving problems has become cheap, but solving the “right” problems is an extremely expensive ability. Show them you have this.
Referrals. Meetups. Real relationships. The back door is still open - most people just aren't using it.
But don’t send out a simple “would love to connect” message that nobody wants to respond to. Send messages that put the other person first.
You already have the skills.
You were built for this market.
The question is whether you are positioned like it.
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Aman landed a $295K Data Science package at Meta ($55K negotiated - almost doubling his salary)
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