There are companies like the one I work for that are willing to hire experienced engineers and then train them on their chosen technical stack. The job engineering descriptions on the Rover.com career page include "Rover’s web app is written in Python and built on the Django framework. Nevertheless, we are willing to train people in Python and Django, so first and foremost are looking for good engineers who are eager to learn."
Don't get me wrong, I love make, but I also can admit it's old and has some legacy warts. Phony targets, double dollar signs, the tab thing you mention. I've learned to be ok with it, but I've seen it be a barrier to adoption.
I'm not saying it should be a barrier, I'm saying it is a thing I have experienced in my career.
I disagree. Makefile syntax has been a barrier to entry for many engineers I've worked with. When I saw this I got very excited. I haven't used it yet, but I'm looking forward to playing with it next week.