Is Web Dev Oversaturated and How It Affects Global Business

The web development industry has seen a significant surge in recent years, with more and more people entering the field. According to a report, the number of web developers worldwide has increased by 20% in the past two years alone.

This rapid growth has led to concerns about the oversaturation of the market. With so many web developers vying for a limited number of jobs, it's no wonder that many are struggling to make a name for themselves.

The oversaturation has also led to a decrease in wages for web developers, as clients have more options to choose from. In fact, a survey found that the average hourly rate for web developers has decreased by 15% in the past year.

As a result, many web developers are now turning to freelancing or entrepreneurship to make a living.

Web development has become a highly competitive field, with hundreds of candidates vying for a single position. This is partly due to the relatively low barrier to entry, as anyone can learn HTML, CSS, and JS in a few short months.

Many people are switching careers into software engineering, starting with frontend basics. This has led to a much larger applicant pool and fierce competition for these roles.

A Reddit user noted that they signed up for freelance websites and found that web development is extremely oversaturated, with some jobs getting 35-50 proposals in just 1 minute.

The global interest in software engineering, combined with the globalized talent pool, has contributed to this oversaturation. Mass layoffs and changing economic conditions have also led to an influx of new applicants.

Here are some reasons why frontend development roles have the most number of applications:

The tech industry is facing a problem of oversaturation, and it's not hard to see why. Hundreds of candidates are applying for a single position, making it a challenge for developers to stand out.

One reason for this oversaturation is the increased global interest and education in web development. With hundreds of courses available, anyone with a laptop can learn HTML, CSS, and JS in a few short months.

The globalised talent pool is another factor contributing to the oversaturation. Freelancers love web development jobs, and many people are switching careers into the field, starting with frontend basics.

Here are some reasons that explain the oversaturation:

Mass layoffs and changing economic conditions are also contributing to the oversaturation. A Reddit user noted that some jobs would get posted and literally 1 minute later, 35 Indian proposals with the minimum price from people who barely speak English and didn't even read the job description.

The impact of AI is another factor to consider. With AI's ability to automate certain tasks, some developers might feel that their skills are becoming less valuable.

The impact of oversaturation in the web development industry is a harsh reality. Over 660,000 tech workers lost their jobs from 2022 to 2024, with many of those being top-paid and experienced developers.

These developers are now competing with entry-level candidates for the same jobs, making it difficult for them to find work. Even big tech companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft laid off hundreds of tech personnel, adding to the oversaturation.

Jobseekers may find that entry-level positions like frontend development, web development, and QA testing get hundreds of applicants quickly, often within a day. This is observed by checking LinkedIn job ads and seeing how quickly a role gets more than 100 applicants.

Here are some roles that are particularly oversaturated:

It's worth noting that even qualified developers may be overlooked in favor of unqualified applicants who click the "Apply" button despite not meeting the skills requirements. In fact, about four out of ten applicants admit they don't meet the skills, but still apply.

Remote work has become the new norm, allowing companies to tap into a global talent pool. This is especially true in the IT sector, where skilled developers from non-European countries are willing to work at a lower cost.

Outsourcing and offshoring developers have become commonplace due to the practicality of remote work. Companies can now offer lower salaries, knowing there are plenty of skilled workers willing to accept them.

The globalisation of the talent pool makes it harder for people to apply for jobs, especially entry-level ones. This is because remote positions attract more candidates and tap into more markets.

Companies can now offer lower salaries in some countries, making it cheaper for them to hire workers who can work from home.

Over 660,000 tech workers lost their jobs from 2022 to 2024 due to the global economic recession and rising interest rates.

Companies are becoming more conservative in hiring, leading to a surplus of skilled workers in the market.

Tech giants like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft laid off hundreds of tech personnel, including top-paid and experienced developers.

These layoffs have created a pool of highly skilled workers competing for a limited number of jobs.

Entry-level positions and roles with a low barrier to entry, such as frontend or web development, face higher competition and saturation.

The top roles that get more than 100 applicants very quickly are:

About four out of ten applicants are ready to admit they don’t meet the skills, but they still click the “Apply” button, overcrowding the posting.

This oversaturation is not limited to entry-level roles, but also affects specialized roles like cloud engineer or DevOps.

Remote work has favoured the globalisation of the talent pool, making it harder for people to apply for jobs, especially entry-level ones.