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Ask HN: Over 60 = no engineering jobs?

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Re: Ask HN: Over 60 = no engineering jobs?

#261
post #40

Use this as your application, don't write anything else: My summary: 35 years in Silicon Valley; 3 STEM undergrad degrees, MS in AI from Stanford, PhD in AI from a top-10 program; ICPC champion; always considered to be an elite programmer; very current knowledge; constant employment; wide variety of skills; management experience with small teams; very stable life; no vices; very healthy and energetic; I get along wit…

So a few impressive but outdated credentials alongside a dozen completely subjective opinions.

Re: Ask HN: Over 60 = no engineering jobs?

#262
post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apparently people past middle age aren't one of those groups. If Zuck had said whites or Asians or men “are just smarter” he would have been flayed alive, but he was (is?) brazenly ageist and not a murmur. That’s Silly Valley in a nutshell.

Don't worry...he will be old soon.

Laughing into his billions while his age cohort struggles thanks to people like him.

Re: Ask HN: Over 60 = no engineering jobs?

#263
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do they use instead?

I haven't updated my resume since ~2005; when I re-entered the market looking for a new gig in 2010 and ever since, it's been LinkedIn curation and getting opportunities passed to me from my network 100%.

Is a double edged sword - I've not updated my resume since 2005 and continually get approached about junior roles, as per my 13 year old CV.

If I had been in industry for >10 years and was still looking for junior roles I sure as heck wouldn't be trying to hire me!

Re: Ask HN: Over 60 = no engineering jobs?

#264
post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a hiring manager involved in many hires over the past few years, this is excellent advice for anyone with ~10 years or more of experience.

Out of curiosity: what do you think when you meet the candidate, and it’s obvious they have much more than ten years of work experience? Is there something the candidate can do to put you at ease? I’ve noticed some anxious double-takes in interviews after passing hiring filters with my shorter resume.

Just explain it in person and offer to provide an extended resume if they would like one. You could also he projecting?

I’ve met people who have changed careers and decided to leave off their prior career work. Resumes are used in the background check for some companies but no one looks beyond 7 years. And if they really have a problem, do you really want to work for them?

Re: Ask HN: Over 60 = no engineering jobs?

#266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The main reason is we have 4 kids living in the Bay Area and my wife doesn't want to move away from them.

Fine, take them with you. Can they code too?

His kids are probably adults by now and the reasons his wife won't move away is because of grandkids that are already there or expected soon.

Re: Ask HN: Over 60 = no engineering jobs?

#267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LinkedIn my last job search I hardly did any direct job searches and I am hem hem close to 60

LinkedIn has been completely useless for me. Not a single time has it been acceptable. I'll link it in an email, and people will ask for me to send a PDF instead. Got a few complaints when I used the "Save as PDF" feature, since it was obviously generated from LinkedIn. shrugs

Its not a CV - its lead gen for your job search.

Re: Ask HN: Over 60 = no engineering jobs?

#268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LinkedIn my last job search I hardly did any direct job searches and I am hem hem close to 60

LinkedIn has been completely useless for me. Not a single time has it been acceptable. I'll link it in an email, and people will ask for me to send a PDF instead. Got a few complaints when I used the "Save as PDF" feature, since it was obviously generated from LinkedIn. shrugs

It takes 2 clicks to generate PDF from your LinkedIn or StackOverflow profile.

Makes no sense to maintain manually written resume when you are already maintaining your employment and experience history on LinkedIn.

All the relevant data is in their database, just click the export to pdf button, if somebody insists on PDF, and attach that to the email.

Re: Ask HN: Over 60 = no engineering jobs?

#269

Anything more than 10 years old on your resume is worthless. Yes, you may have 3 STEM undergrad degrees, but no one cares because it's not relevant anymore. What modern technologies have you recently worked with? What does your resume show, 20 years at the same company, or do you have experience at well-known, "prestigous" companies like FANG? Are you pigeon-holed into a specific area, or are you a generic, back-end…

I can imagine 50 vs 60+ would make a big difference...In the case of the latter they are much closer to retirement (potentially Not saying it should be that way but I bet some people will think a >60 year old may just look to hang around/coast for a few years waiting for retirement.
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