Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 301 posts

Re: Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

#31

Post by Fruitmaniac »

jamesrr39 wrote: post #19
popularrecluse wrote: post #16

I never stopped developing. After getting laid off in April 2023 after 13 years as first a full stack then mobile dev, I just started working on things that interested me. I did apply and interview a few times, but I started to realize that pushing 50 and being as cynical as I now am, I'm pretty much unemployable as an IC. So I released my application to the App Store this month, and while savings are dwindling, thin…

I have heard this a few times from different people/places, but why is it the case that at 50+ it is harder to find work? Assuming a regular retirement age, there are still many more years left in the career than a typical tech employment lasts.

On the one hand, I was declined by Google multiple times but ended getting a $10k settlement in a age discrimination class-action suit.

On the other hand, I just got hired at 55 and it wasn't difficult.

Re: Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

#32

Post by jagtstronaut »

redleggedfrog wrote: post #4

Not me, but my buddy got out of software development and learned to be, as he describes it, "a bog standard electrician." He had money for trade school, and then apprenticed under an experienced electrician. Dude is in his 40's, so late career change. Makes double the money he did doing remote coding.

I’ve done some of my own electric work and the logic isn’t dissimilar to what we do. Just way less abstract, way slower, and way simpler. I found it kind of interesting.

Re: Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

#33

Post by joshuamcginnis »

jamesrr39 wrote: post #19
popularrecluse wrote: post #16

I never stopped developing. After getting laid off in April 2023 after 13 years as first a full stack then mobile dev, I just started working on things that interested me. I did apply and interview a few times, but I started to realize that pushing 50 and being as cynical as I now am, I'm pretty much unemployable as an IC. So I released my application to the App Store this month, and while savings are dwindling, thin…

I have heard this a few times from different people/places, but why is it the case that at 50+ it is harder to find work? Assuming a regular retirement age, there are still many more years left in the career than a typical tech employment lasts.

I think landing (and keeping) a job in tech is challenging, whether you're a recent graduate or a seasoned professional with decades of experience. While the reasons for rejection may change with age, the key factors for getting hired remain the same: competency and collaboration. Demonstrating strong skills and being easy to work with will always be valuable—focus on these, and opportunities will follow. - a 40's something developer with 20+ years experience

Re: Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

#34

Post by secondcoming »

gremlinsinc wrote: post #27

I'm living out of my car, door dashing and Uber in Southern Utah. Saving up to rent office space for my computer (I don't have a laptop)... I lost my mom, marriage of 18 years, Grandma, and sanity a bit last year... but I'm doing great mentally now, just need financial to align, I'm trying to enroll in WGU for CS and then ai/ml masters and I want to double major with psychology...I want to work with therapy ai things…

Wouldn't it be cheaper in the long run to just buy a laptop?

Re: Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

#35

Post by Drunkfoowl »

mjthrowaway1 wrote: post #23
itsoktocry wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yes, but I presume at a high physical cost in the long-term? Why? Electricians aren't doing intense labour, and I'm 99% certain that being in a job where you move around a lot (as opposed to sitting at your desk) has long term health benefits , without even getting into carpal tunnel syndrome and other RSIs associated with being at a computer.

I hire electricians regularly. Driving a grounding rod is physically demanding. Moving conduit and hoisting it overhead for long runs is demanding. Carrying tools around, mounting light fixtures…and this is for light commercial work. It’s definitely not easy on the body and why older electricians want to transition in to design and engineering as opposed to field work.

I think the key here is the extra income. He doesn’t need to grind as a sparky he can be very selective.

I have seen it in other trades. My family is GC, we have retired biz folks doing cranes, excavators, and some light hand trades.

I personally am considering starting an arborist.

Re: Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

#36

Post by marssaxman »

bilbo-b-baggins wrote: post #30
jamesrr39 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have heard this a few times from different people/places, but why is it the case that at 50+ it is harder to find work? Assuming a regular retirement age, there are still many more years left in the career than a typical tech employment lasts.

One reason is there’s literally many times fewer roles for someone with 20+ years of experience. And as time marches on, there’s more and more competition for those roles.

I wonder how that could be possible? There are proportionally so few of us old-timers around to begin with, given how much smaller the industry was and how rapidly it has grown over the last 20-30 years.

Re: Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

#37

Post by beryilma »

popularrecluse wrote: post #16

I never stopped developing. After getting laid off in April 2023 after 13 years as first a full stack then mobile dev, I just started working on things that interested me. I did apply and interview a few times, but I started to realize that pushing 50 and being as cynical as I now am, I'm pretty much unemployable as an IC. So I released my application to the App Store this month, and while savings are dwindling, thin…

> but I started to realize that pushing 50 and being as cynical as I now am, I'm pretty much unemployable as an IC.

Well that's me. My theory is that it is not age that makes one unemployable in the software industry, but the unwillingness to put up with shit cooked up by bunch of 25 year old CEOs, CTOs, and the like.

Re: Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

#38

Post by jongjong »

jamesrr39 wrote: post #19
popularrecluse wrote: post #16

I never stopped developing. After getting laid off in April 2023 after 13 years as first a full stack then mobile dev, I just started working on things that interested me. I did apply and interview a few times, but I started to realize that pushing 50 and being as cynical as I now am, I'm pretty much unemployable as an IC. So I released my application to the App Store this month, and while savings are dwindling, thin…

I have heard this a few times from different people/places, but why is it the case that at 50+ it is harder to find work? Assuming a regular retirement age, there are still many more years left in the career than a typical tech employment lasts.

Because most founders who made it in the field, did so at a young age and so they are biased to view old people who didn't "make it" and are still coding as incompetent even though it has nothing to do with reality. Reality is that being good in the tech side does not correlate that mich with being good on the business side. They are almost independent factors aside from some low baseline requirement of competence...

The baseline requirement of technical competence for extreme financial success in tech is so low that most big tech companies don't even hire rank-and-file engineers whom don't meet that requirement half-way.

Re: Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

#39

Post by popularrecluse »

Fruitmaniac wrote: post #26
popularrecluse wrote: post #16

I never stopped developing. After getting laid off in April 2023 after 13 years as first a full stack then mobile dev, I just started working on things that interested me. I did apply and interview a few times, but I started to realize that pushing 50 and being as cynical as I now am, I'm pretty much unemployable as an IC. So I released my application to the App Store this month, and while savings are dwindling, thin…

I dunno. I'm 56 and got hired last year as an Android dev. But then, I'm not very cynical.

Yeah I don't doubt there are roles out there if I really grind for one. I'm just happier now.
Post reply on HN