Not Even Founders Would Recommend Their Tech Role in Summer 2026
No group came out as promoters in the July survey, even while most people said the work itself is fun.
Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career · Why the AI’s honeymoon is ending (and tech workers are feeling it) | Noam SegalIn a July 2026 survey, not a single tech role had more promoters than critics, not even founder.
Researcher Noam Segal asked about 6,000 tech workers to rate from 0 to 10 whether they would suggest their job to someone close to them. The math turns those answers into a score from minus 100 to plus 100, where zero means neutral.
Founders, who Segal describes as by far the happiest people in tech, still did not come out as promoters. Product managers, operations staff and engineers were among the least likely to suggest their jobs, and designers and researchers were the least willing of all, while senior leaders were more willing to recommend than entry-level workers.
Segal described the mood as swimming in a pool where the water is kind of okay but telling others not to come in. He said most people enjoy their jobs now, but optimism about the next few years has fallen, so they expect the future to be worse than the present.
Questions people ask
Why would happy workers not recommend their jobs?
Segal said current enjoyment and future outlook have split. Most people say work is fun now, but optimism has fallen, so they expect the next few years to be harder. They are rating where the ladder is heading, not just where they stand.
Why are designers and researchers the most reluctant?
Segal said his own research community has long worried about having influence, finding meaning, and others taking on research tasks. Those worries look sharper as AI makes building cheaper. He still argues research and design raise quality, even if AI lowered the bar to start.