Vast majority of those jobs don’t rely on the network effects of major SF/NY/Seatle hubs. There’s little difference To prospects to someone working as a plumber in a town of 30k people vs a city of 3m people.
Completely agree with you. I’m typing this on my trusty SE. Work gave me an XR back in February which I tried for a week, horrendous device.
While the lack of 3.5mm is a drawback, the phone looks only a few mm wider that the (2016)SE, which feels like the best I’m going to get befor they EOL the SE.
The wireless charging may be good enough to solve the clunkyness of having to have a lightning+3.5mm adapter.