People Power Beats Resume Power
3/18/2026
In this week’s newsletter, I want to run a thought experiment.
What if I had to restart my dev career in 2026?
Same drive. Same work ethic. Same willingness to grind.
Would I even make it?
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to compare two people:
Junior Dev Jonathan — 2017 AND Junior Dev Jonathan — 2026
They’re the same person. The only difference is the environment. And the environment changed more than most people want to admit.
People Power Beats Resume Power
If I were starting over in 2026, this is the part I would take the most seriously.
In 2017, I could apply to jobs directly and reasonably expect to get in front of a human being. Not every time, but often enough that it felt like a real path forward. I could refine my interviewing skills because I was actually getting interviews.
That’s not the environment anymore.
Open LinkedIn and click “Easy Apply.” Within hours you’ll see hundreds of applicants. Many of them are experienced. Many were laid off. Many have impressive resumes. And before a human being even sees your name, AI tools may have already filtered you out.
It can feel dystopian especially if you’re looking at long-term unemployment.
If you never get in front of someone, none of the other advice matters. You can grind LeetCode. You can memorize the four pillars of OOP. You can rehearse system design answers in the mirror. But if no one gives you the interview, those skills stay theoretical.
That’s the uncomfortable shift. In 2026, access is the skill. That means doing things that don’t feel like “real work” at first:
- Going to local meetups.
- Participating in hackathons.
- Being active online in a way that’s thoughtful.
- Building small projects publicly instead of privately.
- Reaching out to hiring managers in a way that shows curiosity instead of desperation.
Everyone knows networking is important. But most people don’t actually do it. The reason isn’t laziness. It’s the internal narrative.
“It won’t lead to anything.” “I’ll look awkward.” “This feels fake.” “I’ll be in a room of ass kissers.”
Your brain is constantly running simulations. If it predicts low reward and high social discomfort, it will quietly convince you to stay home.
The trick to networking is to go to at least one meetup. For example, in Texas there is the Dallas Developers Group where they have talks and even help you practice your interviewing skills. Find one in your state, and force yourself to go, once. By going you’re building a habit and short circuiting the part of the brain that keeps you on the couch.
The reality is that networking rarely produces immediate results. You don’t go to one meetup and walk out with an offer. What it does is expand your surface area for luck. It increases the number of conversations, weak ties, and shared experiences that can compound over time.
In a crowded market, being technically competent but invisible is a losing strategy.
You don’t need to be loud. You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. But you do need to be present.