All it takes is for one of the big firms to go on a big hiring spree and the others will follow.
https://www.stambaughness.com/blog/amortize-research-and-dev...
Lovely new little wrench in everyone's plans.
Plus many companies hired going into Covid, thinking online was the "new normal". They're returning to a healthier headcount now.
Plus they probably let go those underperforming certain metrics or backing unproductive initiatives. Though that should have no bearing on hiring, it will.
Plus it's no longer ZIRP.
That's a lot of hiring headwind.