Ryan Bigg, a software developer with two decades of experience, announced he is leaving the tech industry after an extensive and unsuccessful job search.
According to his account, Bigg applied for over three dozen positions and received 24 rejections. He attributed his decision to step back to the current state of the tech job market and the toll the rejection process has taken on his mental health. “I cannot continue to put myself through this process of rejection. It is causing me a great deal of mental harm and anguish,” he wrote.
Bigg’s background is substantial. He has worked as a developer for 20 years in languages beyond Ruby and JavaScript, for which he is best known. He has authored programming books, delivered talks, and organized events within the developer community. He maintains two of the most downloaded Ruby packages and, according to his account, has a track record of delivering value for shareholders, including growing a team from 2 to 12 people at his most recent position.
Bigg highlighted a mismatch between market demands and practical hiring realities. He noted that the industry currently seeks developers who can leverage AI to advance business goals, but observed: “not one person knows how to use AI to actually do that.” He described his own approach to AI as a tool for code generation that requires critical review before production use.
Another barrier Bigg identified is geography. He is based in Warrnambool and works remotely, a practice he has maintained successfully for the past six years. He noted that hybrid work arrangements are infeasible for his location, as Melbourne—the nearest major city—is 3.5 hours away by train. Despite his proven ability to work remotely effectively and his experience helping others transition to remote work, he found this requirement difficult to navigate in the current job market.
“So it’s clear that there’s no room for me in tech anymore,” Bigg concluded, indicating he plans to explore other career paths. He indicated he would consult with others to determine his next steps.
Key facts
- Bigg applied for over 36 jobs and received 24 rejections before deciding to leave tech
- He has 20 years of development experience and maintains two of the most downloaded Ruby packages
- He cited the current job market conditions and mental health impact of rejections as primary reasons for leaving
- Bigg works remotely from Warrnambool, about 3.5 hours from Melbourne by train, and found hybrid arrangements infeasible
- He noted a disconnect between industry demand for AI expertise and the practical reality of AI implementation in business