Ask HN: 40+ Career Advice?

#1

Post by nextstep40plus » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 2:25 PM UTC

So many recruiters are looking for senior developers like me to join their early stage team and to do development and assist junior devs via knowledge sharing.

But I don't want to exhaust myself helping other people. I want to do things for myself and for a client. I would prefer to get a more rewarding position:

* Not in an open office * Possibility to work from home * Android + Spring Boot * Not so many meetings * No incompetent managers who induce stress to people * Colleagues who are calm and quiet but enough sociable to perhaps grab an occasional beer and have a nice chat

Do these kinds of jobs exist? Do you suggest I go solo and take on development jobs myself? I think part of the problem is that many companies around expect the workplace to have open office and so on and many cannot provide me with a work environment I can thrive in.

I'm 40 years old without any children and would like to be able to not be stressed and work overtime and solve hard technical problems and move towards a more rewarding job where it's not so stressful but interesting creatively and my work is valued so that I can balance well with my life.

Do you understand my question? I don't want to take on roles that people want me to do but find jobs (by your insightful ideas) that suit me better. Thank you!

Re: Ask HN: 40+ Career Advice?

#2

Post by matt_the_bass » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 3:21 PM UTC

I think these jobs exist. Mine does. We’re a small company that makes high value physical items with a large software component. We encourage remote working but not remote only. I know this is not a popular view on HN, but I think there is huge value with regular irl interaction. It doesn’t need to be every day, but it does need to be regular. We also offer mostly single person offices (interns are currently 2 per room). We also have a culture of opensuggestions and critique regardless of official positions. I’ve always worked this way so maybe it is survivor bias. I fully admit I could make more money elsewhere but that is not my primary success metric. I already make more money that most in my area (though it is easy to believe I don’t based on some of the material things I see around my general location).

My only concern hiring older engineers is that they are stuck in a rut. But I’m my area most senior devs work for huge defense contractors. So maybe that is more an environmental factor.

Re: Ask HN: 40+ Career Advice?

#3

Post by platz » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 3:49 PM UTC

matt_the_bass wrote: post #2

I think these jobs exist. Mine does. We’re a small company that makes high value physical items with a large software component. We encourage remote working but not remote only. I know this is not a popular view on HN, but I think there is huge value with regular irl interaction. It doesn’t need to be every day, but it does need to be regular. We also offer mostly single person offices (interns are currently 2 per ro…

What does a rut look like, like what is the last recent tech rut folks use.

And what is an example of tech that non-rut folks have that rut folks don't have?

Re: Ask HN: 40+ Career Advice?

#4

Post by Myrmornis » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 4:01 PM UTC

matt_the_bass wrote: post #2

I think these jobs exist. Mine does. We’re a small company that makes high value physical items with a large software component. We encourage remote working but not remote only. I know this is not a popular view on HN, but I think there is huge value with regular irl interaction. It doesn’t need to be every day, but it does need to be regular. We also offer mostly single person offices (interns are currently 2 per ro…

> but I think there is huge value with regular irl interaction

a) People vary hugely in the extent to which they find irl interaction helpful. You can’t make a single statement like this and claim that it applies equally to everyone.

b) Huge value to whom?

Re: Ask HN: 40+ Career Advice?

#5

Post by maxxxxx » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 4:03 PM UTC

There are a lot of small, specialized, stable companies that fit your description. The challenge will be to find these companies and get hired. Usually their turnover is pretty low and they don't grow much so there is not much hiring going on.

Re: Ask HN: 40+ Career Advice?

#6

Post by GlenTheMachine » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 4:04 PM UTC

Some government jobs fulfill many of your requirements. Not all, to be sure, but some.

I am a roboticist at a government research lab. It's a good gig. The nice things about it are steady work hours (I'm not actually legally allowed to charge more than 40 hours a week, and none of my bosses over the years has ever pressured me to work unpaid overtime). No open offices, anyone with seniority has an actual office with a door. Everyone else gets a fairly decent cubicle. Many (not all) government jobs let you telecommute, at least part of the time. Colleagues tend to be competent and not stress-inducing.

We admittedly do have more meetings than I'd prefer, but I'm currently working on a rather large program, 200+ engineers, and I'm sort of the scientific representative to program management so it's not surprising. There have been times when I had one meeting a week or fewer.

Re: Ask HN: 40+ Career Advice?

#7

Post by davidxc » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 4:06 PM UTC

Consider the defense industry / government contractors. I'm not sure what kind of salary you're looking for, but the defense industry / gov contractors pay fairly well (I'd guess ~150k ish for someone with your background) and checks most of your requirements.

Re: Ask HN: 40+ Career Advice?

#8

Post by alexashka » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 4:06 PM UTC

It may seem to you like you're asking for advice, but may come across to others like you're complaining.

We'd all prefer a better work environment, with better people and less stress, so that we can thrive and have better balance in life. You haven't mentioned anything that you're doing to get there, besides asking somebody else (HN) to hand you some sort of 'insightful' answer.

The insight may very well be that given your current skillset and level of ambition and willingness to sacrifice, you are right where you deserve to be. If you want something to change, the only variable you really have control over, is you.

I'd give a 2pac quote, but it'd get flagged so I'll link it - the last line is for you.

https://genius.com/2pac-starin-through-my-rear-view-lyrics

Re: Ask HN: 40+ Career Advice?

#9

Post by ydnaclementine » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 4:07 PM UTC

My first job out of school was with a consulting company (think SapientRazorfish, Accenture, Deloitte). What I found interesting is the vast majority of my colleagues were 'older' (35-40+), and these positions are primarily remote WFH. Consultancies love more experienced developers because they know they'll get the work done. The pay is definitely above average too.

Consulting can sometimes lead to more hours depending on stage of project (so be strict on work/life balance) and there might be a lot of travel depending on the project/client. But the clients will be brands you know and the project will be technically interesting and worth millions of dollars. I figure if I ever get tired of the startup game when older, I'll move back into that space.

Re: Ask HN: 40+ Career Advice?

#10

Post by wai1234 » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 4:08 PM UTC

matt_the_bass wrote: post #2

I think these jobs exist. Mine does. We’re a small company that makes high value physical items with a large software component. We encourage remote working but not remote only. I know this is not a popular view on HN, but I think there is huge value with regular irl interaction. It doesn’t need to be every day, but it does need to be regular. We also offer mostly single person offices (interns are currently 2 per ro…

"My only concern hiring older engineers is that they are stuck in a rut."

Wow, better check that bias.