Ask HN: Where to Work After 40? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Where to Work After 40?

#11

Post by pjmlp » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 1:14 PM UTC

For me, reaching 50, it is all about boring enterprise consulting.

You still get to jump around technology, althought it might not be as cool, as whatever newer generations are making use of on startups, but on the other hand seniority combined with such stacks is exactly what many companies are looking for.

Naturally social skills also play a big role, as they expect people of our age to also contribute to discussions with all involved key persons, drive architecure and junior devs.

You need to lookout for opportunities where you can bring more than plain coding.

Given their classical interviews and crazy workhours, I doubt Google is really the place to retire.

Re: Ask HN: Where to Work After 40?

#12

Post by withinboredom » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 1:14 PM UTC

pseingatl wrote: post #4

nunobrito wrote: post #2

Just apply to any large companies.

FB gets over 15,000 applications for each posted vacancy. Your cv is weeded out by an automated system that's difficult to game. Even if you have a contact at the company, your odds suck. You are just as likely to win the lottery. Perhaps buying scratch-off cards isn't such a bad idea.

If you've ever run a company, you know how bad people's CVs can be and what you need to do to stand out. I recommend it to everyone. I would get 15-20 CVs for a small company, and I didn't even closely look at 10-15 of them because it was clear people were just writing random shit or applying without even looking at what we wanted.

I suspect it is a similar ratio for any software company.

My best hire ever was a math teacher in a previous career that wrote his own tools. Worst hire ever was a guy with a PHD that thought he was still in university.

Re: Ask HN: Where to Work After 40?

#13

Post by wheaties » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 1:15 PM UTC

I've been told there are two places which value experience:

1. A large organization where they have enough people with decades of knowledge to recognize what that is worth.

2. A small startup as head or lead on some domain where they need your knowledge to build their products.

It used to be that you could consult but I can tell you from direct experience with this market that it has been flooded with folks who've never consulted but neednwork, e.g. they are charging way too little. The flip side, it's a great time to hire "cheap" contract talent.

Re: Ask HN: Where to Work After 40?

#14

Post by eru » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 1:16 PM UTC

pjmlp wrote: post #11

For me, reaching 50, it is all about boring enterprise consulting. You still get to jump around technology, althought it might not be as cool, as whatever newer generations are making use of on startups, but on the other hand seniority combined with such stacks is exactly what many companies are looking for. Naturally social skills also play a big role, as they expect people of our age to also contribute to discussio…

Google was relatively cozy when I was working there about ten years ago. (But that was as an SRE and in Sydney. I believe the Americans make more of a show of long hours? They always seemed more exhausted in any case.)

Re: Ask HN: Where to Work After 40?

#15

Post by eru » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 1:17 PM UTC

pseingatl wrote: post #4

nunobrito wrote: post #2

Just apply to any large companies.

FB gets over 15,000 applications for each posted vacancy. Your cv is weeded out by an automated system that's difficult to game. Even if you have a contact at the company, your odds suck. You are just as likely to win the lottery. Perhaps buying scratch-off cards isn't such a bad idea.

I have Facebook recruiters chasing me (and many of my friends). So I don't think it's that hard to get in.

(I even worked there briefly for six weeks. But that's another story.)

Re: Ask HN: Where to Work After 40?

#16

Post by dddddaviddddd » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 1:18 PM UTC

This should be about what you want in your career now, and not about your age. Once you can clearly answer the first question, it will be easy to find the right place.

Re: Ask HN: Where to Work After 40?

#17

Post by ojbyrne » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 1:18 PM UTC

I switched from SWE to SRE in my fifties. The perception is that neckbeards take a long time to grow.

Re: Ask HN: Where to Work After 40?

#18

Post by jvanderbot » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 1:18 PM UTC

pseingatl wrote: post #3

After 40, it's musical chairs. The music will stop and there won't be a chair for you. McKinsey comes in and says "cut staff." HR comes in, says "cut 5% and replace them with Desi H1-B's." Your best bet is to take a deep breath and build another start-up. In the meantime, take any job of any nature.

I try to say this gently, but this comment would make more sense if it came from lots of direct experience, rather than (what appear to be) repeated tropes. Have you seen this repeated in your own over-40 experience or the experience of people you know?

Re: Ask HN: Where to Work After 40?

#19

Post by jvanderbot » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 1:19 PM UTC

eru wrote: post #15

pseingatl wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FB gets over 15,000 applications for each posted vacancy. Your cv is weeded out by an automated system that's difficult to game. Even if you have a contact at the company, your odds suck. You are just as likely to win the lottery. Perhaps buying scratch-off cards isn't such a bad idea.

I have Facebook recruiters chasing me (and many of my friends). So I don't think it's that hard to get in. (I even worked there briefly for six weeks. But that's another story.)

Here's the thing - having worked there briefly you are now on the top of their lists. You're part of the exclusive club in recruiters' eyes, whether it actually sets you apart or not. I worked at Amazon for a few months, and regularly get contacted by Amazon recruiters. But never Facebook, etc.

Re: Ask HN: Where to Work After 40?

#20

Post by pjmlp » Thu, Jan 02, 2025, 1:20 PM UTC

eru wrote: post #14

pjmlp wrote: post #11

For me, reaching 50, it is all about boring enterprise consulting. You still get to jump around technology, althought it might not be as cool, as whatever newer generations are making use of on startups, but on the other hand seniority combined with such stacks is exactly what many companies are looking for. Naturally social skills also play a big role, as they expect people of our age to also contribute to discussio…

Google was relatively cozy when I was working there about ten years ago. (But that was as an SRE and in Sydney. I believe the Americans make more of a show of long hours? They always seemed more exhausted in any case.)

Might be, apparently doing less than 60h or not being reachable during the already short holidays is not doing enough, if the memes are to be belived.