Photo by Loic Leray on Unsplash

This is not a new problem. This article is not even a new take. These few words are intended to be the beginning of providing a solution to the problem.

Why write another article? Simply put, there are a vast amount of articles on this problem and all they do is acknowledge the issue as if that takes us from point A to B. So, as boring as it is, let’s look at and acknowledge the problem again and then move through to a solution in the coming days and weeks.

The Paradox: A Vicious Cycle

This is the briefest summary I can come up with.

Companies want senior developer because there is less ‘risk’ with a senior developer. Senior developers are expensive. So companies consider hiring junior developers. Junior developers come with a risk. Junior developers want the experience they need to move to mid-senior developer to make more money. Companies take the risk. Onboard the junior. Six months to a year later the junior developer leaves for a better offer.

So companies are hiring less junior developers meaning there are a lot of junior developers entering the market. The market is not saturated, even though there are many junior developers because the market wants more senior talent which it cannot get because the growing pool of junior talent cannot grow to senior because for them to grows means risk for companies, and on and on and on.

The Solution: Who Absorbs the Risk?

We have to ask that question. And, as unfortunate as it may seem, Startups and the Junior Developer will be the one who absorbs most of the risk. From changing careers to finding to gaining the necessary experience, the junior developer absorbs that because it’s too costly for companies to do that.

I’ll explain more in my next article