Screw Remorse

We're in the weirdest job market of all time. From 2020 to mid 2022, companies were hiring at a pace that made no sense. Some teams grew 50%, some doubled. Everyone was afraid of missing out on talent, so they just kept adding headcount. If you could spell the word "javascript" you could land a remote role and a 25% raise. Then the second half of 2022 hit and the hangover started. Layoff after layoff. Each wave was supposed to be "the last one." Now in 2026 there are already over 130,000 tech layoffs and we still have another 6 months to go in the year. The twist this time is AI. Companies aren't just saying they overhired anymore. They're saying AI is making them leaner. That they can do more with fewer people. It's become the convenient new reason that sounds strategic while making their stock pop. But here's where it gets absurd. More and more companies are admitting the AI math isn't working out. They can't find the ROI they promised their boards. The computing costs are massive. It's more expensive than they thought, not less. So let me get this straight. We're in a job market where companies fired their workforce to buy something they now say is too expensive and doesn't work as advertised. And the executives responsible for those decisions? They're still collecting their bonuses. Weirdest job market of all time.