I Paused My Coding Career. The Play Button’s Broken.

In August 2024, I quit my job to try something different. I wanted to give Forex trading a shot. Not because I had everything figured out, but because staying in that job was slowly draining the life out of me.

The company was going through one of those “restructuring” phases. You know the type. One day they just decided I should become an AI engineer. No training, no learning period. Just a casual, “You’ll be handling AI from next week.”

So I did what I could. I started coding 16 hours a day, trying to follow instructions from a senior AI engineer who’d show up once every morning, tell me what to do, and disappear like a magician. If I had questions, I had to ask them right then. Miss that window? Too bad. Figure it out yourself.

Eventually, I snapped. I left. I thought I’d take a breather, dive into trading, and come back when things felt better.

Now it’s 2025. The break was easy. Coming back? Not so much.

Recruiters still call sometimes, but the conversations usually end the same way.

“We really like your profile… but we don’t have the budget right now.”

Meanwhile, companies are getting by with one dev and an AI copilot that doesn’t need a lunch break. And me? I’m stuck pressing Play on my career, but nothing’s happening.

The Industry Changed While I Was Catching My Breath

When I quit my job, I honestly thought I’d take a short break, reset, and come back stronger. Turns out, the tech industry had other plans while I was away.

In just a few months, AI tools went from being “that cool assistant” to replacing entire dev teams. Companies started asking questions like,

“Do we really need three developers… or can one dev with Copilot handle it?”

And the scary part? Sometimes the answer was yes.

It’s not just about AI either. Startups are cutting back. Big companies are freezing hiring.

If you’ve been applying and hearing crickets, or getting interviews that lead nowhere, you’re not the problem. The industry is shifting, and it’s doing it fast 🏃‍♂️💨

For the first time in years, taking a break feels… dangerous. And yet, not taking a break might have broken me.

So… What Now?

Here’s the part where I’m supposed to say I’ve got it all figured out.

That I’m crushing it in Forex.

Or I’ve launched the next big indie iOS app.

Or that recruiters are finally blowing up my inbox.

Yeah… no. Not yet.

What I am doing is rebuilding — slowly, on my own terms.

I will start writing about iOS again, picking up projects I actually care about, and doing my best to stay sharp. But man, let’s talk about the job market for a second.

Recruiters will call you, sound super impressed, ask for your expected CTC…

and then come back with half of that — and I’m not talking about “slightly lower than expected.” I mean offers that are way below what I was already earning before the break 😅

It’s like they skipped the salary part in the job description and just spun a wheel for fun.

And the wildest part? I know I’m not alone. I’ve spoken to friends, ex-colleagues, even strangers online — the story is weirdly the same. High expectations, low budgets, and a whole lot of “we’ll get back to you.”

So no, I don’t have a perfect ending to this post. But I do have a bit of peace. I left a toxic situation, I’m learning new things, and I’m figuring it out as I go.

One thing’s for sure — when the industry does hit play again, I’ll be ready.

The Comeback Is Loading…

Even though the job market feels like a giant “Please wait…” spinner, I’m not sitting still anymore.

I’m almost done building an indie app — something I’m genuinely excited about. And soon, I’ll be renewing my journey as Swift Pal, the iOS blog I started back when things were a little less chaotic (and hosting wasn’t trying to rob me every month).

I turned it off when costs got too high, but I’m bringing it back — smarter, leaner, and with way more stories to tell.

If you’ve taken a break, lost momentum, or just feel like the tech world isn’t what it used to be — you’re not alone. It’s okay to pause. It’s okay to reset.

But just know this: your value isn’t measured by recruiter callbacks or CTC math.

The Play button might be stuck now…

but when it clicks again — we’re coming back with a new soundtrack. 🎧