One thing I've heard of from other sources is that managers who offer menial jobs like burger flipping and supermarket checkout will not actually employ someone who can get a better job.

Doesn't sound like the guy in the article has tried, but he may find his situation is a lot worse when it gets to that level of desperation.

The reason is of course that if you're running a McDonalds or supermarket, you don't want a guy who you know is actively searching for something else and will leave immediately when he finds it. There's a cost to finding and training people, even if it's a lot less than finding a dev.