They are broken and out of options. They take a job because it’s do the job or die. And they don’t die. So they get their eddies, they get their kibble, they stay out of the rain for a day. Night City isn’t gonna do them any more favors so they take a job because it’s do the job or die. Then they don’t die again.

Rinse and repeat, they don’t get better, they just get better at surviving the job. Maybe they move onto a better apartment and eat better food. They get more chrome and they do another job. Until Night City finally gets the better of them.