I mentor junior developers. Recently, one of them sent me this message:

"I finished a bootcamp. I built 4 portfolio projects. I've applied to 237 jobs. I've had 3 interviews. Zero offers. Everyone says 'just learn to code' but nobody told me it would be like this."

I didn't have a good answer. Because honestly? The playbook I followed five years ago doesn't work anymore.

The entry-level tech job market has dropped 25% year-over-year . Companies that used to hire batches of junior devs are now hiring one senior with an AI toolkit. Bootcamps are still selling the dream of "learn to code, get a $90K job" — but the reality on the ground has shifted seismically.

This isn't a doom post. It's a reality check — and a survival guide.

Here's what I wish someone had told the juniors I mentor before they spent $15K on a bootcamp.

🔥 The Uncomfortable Truth Nobody's Saying Out Loud

Let's start with the elephant in the room:

AI hasn't replaced developers.…