61-Year-Old Dallas Software Engineer Still Jobless Two Years After Quitting

Gautam Dev spent more than two decades working in tech before quitting his software engineering job in September 2024, after his employer told him he'd have to relocate to another state to keep it. He chose to stay in Dallas and look for a new role instead, expecting the search to go the way it always had in the past, with gaps of only a few months between jobs. Two years later, he still hasn't found full-time work.

Dev told Business Insider he didn't start searching seriously right away, and when he did begin applying through LinkedIn and networking with former contacts, most people told him their companies weren't hiring. Some said their own jobs had become harder but that they were afraid to quit without another offer lined up. Now 61 and unable to keep up with rent, he has drained his savings, turned to gig work, started a GoFundMe to help cover bills, and is weighing leaving the US altogether.