Part 5/9:
The volatility of the tech job market cannot be overlooked. The landscape is riddled with layoffs and heightened competition for positions. I experienced this firsthand; it took me seven months of extensive applications and interviews to secure my most recent job. The idea of going through that process again — studying data structures, algorithms, and grinding through coding challenges — felt overwhelming. Coupled with my waning passion and dissatisfaction with my daily routine, it became clear that it would be a soul-crushing endeavor.