My Struggles as a Software Engineer in 2026

This post is adapted from my YouTube vlog, "My Struggles as a Software Engineer in 2026!"

I started my journey to become a software engineer two years ago, and the landscape has shifted dramatically since then. One of the most persistent struggles I have faced while trying to break into the industry is the constant feeling of never being good enough or knowing enough. Imposter syndrome is real, and it is a battle I have fought from day one.

When I first started, my goal was simple: learn React, JavaScript, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL, and build a project. I felt a massive sense of pride after building my first two projects. However, the reality of the New York City job market quickly set in.

I noticed a saturation of MERN stack developers.

I realized that knowing React alone would not be my gateway into a solid software engineering role.