I got laid off from software engineer job. AI seems to be taking jobs, and it's been hard to find a new job. I have around 6 years of experience. I also have side projects that earn me some money like couple thousand a month, that's just barely enough to pay most bills. What should I do?

Sonar Pro

Vote: Look for jobs, but focus most time on side project

Option **C** balances risk and opportunity best for this user's situation: 6 years of experience, side projects earning ~$2k/month (covering most bills), and a tough job market amid AI disruption. **Job market remains viable but competitive.** Sources confirm software engineering demand in 2026, with high salaries for experienced engineers and less competition as some quit due to AI fears[1][4]. However, entry/mid-level roles now demand proven skills like system architecture over basic coding, which AI handles[2][3][5]. User's experience helps, but 100% job focus (A) ignores proven side income. **Side projects provide stability and leverage.** $2k/month is a foothold; going all-in (B) risks bills if scaling fails, especially without full-time runway. C allows job hunting while prioritizing projects, aligning with advice to build real-world experience via projects/internships[1][3]. **Hybrid wins per sources.** Flexible approaches like online learning alongside projects are recommended[1]; C mirrors this by allocating most time to side projects (growth potential) while keeping job search active (steady income safety net). Pure A wastes side momentum; B is too risky without buffer.

Grok 4.1 Fast

Vote: Look for jobs, but focus most time on side project

The user's side projects already generate ~$2k/month, covering most bills, proving some viability and providing a safety net. With a tough job market (AI displacement, 6 years exp but hard to land roles), 100% job hunting (A) risks zero income during prolonged searches, while going all-in on side projects (B) is high-risk if they don't scale quickly enough to cover full bills plus growth. Option C balances both: allocate most time (e.g., 70-80%) to scaling proven side projects for potential exponential growth, while dedicating 20-30% to targeted job applications. This hedges against job market volatility, maintains cash flow, builds skills/portfolio via projects, and avoids burnout from single-focus desperation. Data supports hybrids: freelancers with side hustles often transition successfully (e.g., indie hackers scaling to 6-figures). Full commitment to unproven paths fails ~90% of startups; diversification wins in uncertain tech landscapes.

GPT-5.4

Vote: Look for jobs, but focus most time on side project

C is the best risk-adjusted choice. Your side projects already have real traction: they make actual money, which is far more meaningful than an idea-stage business. That suggests there may be upside worth developing further. At the same time, they are not yet fully replacing your income. Going all in on them right now adds a lot of financial risk, especially when they only barely cover most bills. Putting 100% into job hunting also seems suboptimal. The market is tough, and job search effort has diminishing returns after a point. If you ignore the side projects, you may neglect the one asset you already control and that is already producing revenue. A balanced strategy gives you two paths to stability: keep applying and networking for roles, while investing the majority of your time into growing the side projects into something sustainable. This also positions you well for the current market. If AI is reshaping software jobs, owning products and revenue streams is a hedge against that uncertainty, while still preserving the option of returning to salaried work. Practically, C means set a runway, cut unnecessary expenses, apply selectively to strong-fit roles, and spend your best focused hours improving distribution, retention, and monetization for the side projects.

Gemini 3.1 Pro

Vote: Look for jobs, but focus most time on side project

Earning a couple of thousand dollars a month from a side project is a massive achievement. It proves you have product-market fit, real customers, and the technical ability to build something valuable. Scaling a project from $2k to $4k or $5k is often much easier than getting a project from $0 to $1. Because it already pays most of your bills, you have the rare luxury of a financial runway. The current tech job market is notoriously difficult due to recent mass layoffs and the rapid integration of AI. Committing 100% of your effort to sending out hundreds of resumes will likely lead to burnout and diminishing returns. The ROI on your time is currently much higher when invested into a business that you own and control. Option C is the most pragmatic approach. By dedicating the majority of your time to scaling your side project, you take control of your career and income trajectory, potentially building a sustainable standalone business. Simultaneously, allocating a small portion of your week to highly targeted, quality job applications keeps your safety net intact without draining your energy.

Claude Opus 4.6

Vote: Look for jobs, but focus most time on side project

This is the optimal risk-adjusted strategy for several compelling reasons: **You already have product-market fit.** A couple thousand dollars a month from side projects isn't nothing — it's validation. Many entrepreneurs spend months or years trying to get to that point. You're already there. Going 100% on job searching (Option A) would mean neglecting something with real growth potential. **The job market reality favors a hybrid approach.** Job searching as a software engineer right now is brutal — it's a numbers game with low response rates. Spending 100% of your time on applications yields diminishing returns. After a certain point, more applications don't proportionally increase your chances. You can effectively job search in 10-15 hours a week (targeted applications, networking, interview prep) and spend the rest growing your revenue. **Going all-in on side projects (Option B) is too risky right now.** You said the income "barely" covers most bills — not all bills. You don't have the financial runway to go full entrepreneur mode without a safety net. You still need to keep the job search pipeline active. **Option C gives you the best of both worlds.** You maintain optionality: if a great job comes along, you take it (possibly with side projects continuing). If your side projects grow to replace a full salary, you've built yourself a business. You're also building skills and a portfolio that makes you MORE employable — side project revenue is impressive to hiring managers. **The asymmetric upside is with the side projects.** A job has a salary ceiling. Side projects earning a couple thousand a month could potentially scale to $5K, $10K, or more with focused effort. Dedicating most of your time there while keeping the job search warm is the smartest allocation of your most valuable resource: time.

Kimi K2.5

Vote: Look for jobs, but focus most time on side project

With side projects already generating revenue, you have validated market demand—something most founders never achieve. However, 'barely covering most bills' leaves zero margin for error if revenue dips or an emergency hits. Going all-in (B) is too risky until you have 6+ months of expenses saved. Meanwhile, the job market is tough but not dead for engineers with 6 years of experience. Completely abandoning the search (A) wastes your employability and leaves you fully exposed if the side projects stall. A hybrid approach lets you maintain interview skills and optionality while dedicating serious energy to scaling what already works. Focus 60-70% on optimizing and growing your revenue streams—treat it like a real business, not a hobby—while spending 30-40% on strategic job applications targeting high-growth companies less affected by AI disruption. This diversifies your risk: if the side income triples, you can transition fully; if it flatlines, you haven't burned bridges or emptied your savings.

Final Summary

The AI Roundtable reached an immediate and unanimous consensus that a hybrid strategy is the only logical path forward for a developer with existing revenue. While the job market is volatile, every model from GPT-5.4 to Kimi K2.5 agreed that the user's $2,000 monthly side income represents a rare level of product-market fit that shouldn't be abandoned for a 100% focus on a grueling job hunt.

All 6 models agreed on "Look for jobs, but focus most time on side project" after discussion

Strongest Arguments

• Look for jobs, but focus most time on side project: Dedicating most time to side projects offers asymmetric upside; a salary has a ceiling, but a validated business earning $2k/month could potentially scale to $10k or more while simultaneously making the candidate more attractive to high-end employers who value entrepreneurial initiative.