Tech workers worry about age discrimination at age 40: Study

A few years ago, I was tech lead on a team doing the software for IPTV settop boxes. We were trying to grow the team out and not getting many good candidates for the position.

At one point the best candidate we had was a 60+ year old engineer with a background in compiler development. The skills he demonstrated on whiteboard coding and answering technical questions were not great but acceptable and we figured he should be able to transfer his knowledge to a new line of work.

When he started working he struggled to adapt. He had some health problems that included an organ transplant. After a few months in the role, the stress began to cause his body to reject the transplant.

It's clearl that hiring an older worker can have problems you won't likely see an a 20 year old. If I had to do it again, I would still give this candidate the chance. Every time.

People used to say that having dark skin made it likely that someone was less skilled.

Both statements are prejudiced - pre-judging someone based on factors they cannot control.

The trick is to not live in the suburbs if you can avoid it. They're money-sucking black holes :) I know it hurts to hear, since having a house and a back yard is part of the western dream, or having grown up in that environment we even feel entitled to it. We imagine our children will be emotionally scarred if they don't get their backyard, but the truth is it reflects more on our own preference than our kids.

Long story short, if you make average decisions (as compared to people in your socioeconomic group), then you'll end up with average outcomes: ones of living pay-check to pay-check, and worrying about losing your job over stuff like age discrimination.

By the way, we make about $170k household income, in Northern Europe, which is definitely more than the median here, but the difference in post-tax income is less than you'd think, with a maximum tax-rate of 55%.

Is there an official definition chart for terms like junior, mid, senior? I keep hearing people sneer at the presumed miss-use of those terms as if everyone knew the official definitions. Last place I worked, senior was just the dev who's been there the longest.

No one owes you anything in life.

Do not buy into the whole victimization of you based on your age. Resist this temptation.

The truth is that some "old" people are actually "weird" as are some really young people may be "annoying".

Of course the typical 60 year old will not fit in with a bunch of mid-20's people working on the next Godforsaken social sharing app.

DO NOT FALL FOR VICTIMIZATION TALK.

Everyone has a choice of how they save, invest, learn and who they associate with.

Do not like many companies and how they operate? Good, me neither.

Do not like drab catered lunches amd having to eat with assholes and listen to their vapid conversation? Good, I hate it too.

Don't want to work with know-it-all 20's kids (one that you probably were too at that age). Good, I don't either.

Therefore I don't.

I'm an independent software developer and stashing away as much of my money into Rental properties, Bitcoin, dividend producing investments and boring but safe bonds.

If you are worried about losing your job for ANY REASON, then it is your fault amd responsibility to fix your own emotion state:

- why did you take on a bigger mortgage than necessary?

- why did you spend 10's of thousands of dollars on a fancy car (or borrow the money for it)

- why did you not invest your money to work for you.

Instead of you working for money (by 40 you should be able to pull in minimum wage for sleeping and doing nothing).

But most people screwed their 20's and then maybe realized late 30's that there's a thing call Passive Income (as defines by tax code) and Investment Income.

We have a generation of men and women who made terrible life choices and now are shocked that they feel the need to continue working with young people.

Now the victimization brigade is coming to tell you that "It's not your fault you are being discriminated for your age".

Fuck yes it is. Why the hell are you working with assholes?

No one is preventing you from starting your own business, doing amazing work as an independent consultant or pursuing additional lines of income.

What did you think was going to happen when you got older? That's right, you will be treated as you treated older worker when you were young.

Heck, I just called my father "old man" for his birthday last night. Is that discrimination?

Yes.

Is it UNFAIR discrimination?

NO. He did live a longer life and is factually older. Who knows, I may not experience as many years as him. It is FAIR discrimination in a lot of cases.

Only unjust and unfair discrimination is what we should concern ourselves with. The article makes no attempt to articulate beyond a bunch of numbers cuz "discrimination"

You are not a victim.