Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
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Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
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Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
#2Anyone have more data on this? What happens to programmers as they age, are they in fact unemployable?
Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
#3> While a technology shift doesn’t completely negate the skills of veterans, it certainly levels the playing field for recent grads.
It can more than level the playing field, especially when the hiring managers are particularly narrow-minded. I'm seeing more and more "degree in data science" (an academic discipline that didn't exist 10 years ago) as a requirement for what are effectively programming jobs. Of course, we can agree that this is stupid, and that not getting a job at such a company is "dodging a bullet", but unemployed is a pretty nasty bullet in and of itself.
Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
#4Age discrimination is absolutely a thing, but (and this is only based on anecdata) I would say it is much, much worse in the valley than just about anywhere else. The rest of the world seems to have a less damaged culture.
Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
#5Anyone have more data on this? What happens to programmers as they age, are they in fact unemployable?
In general if you don't keep up with the pace/trends, you will become out of touch. I would suggest this is for programmers that stop learning while they age.
Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
#6Anyone have more data on this? What happens to programmers as they age, are they in fact unemployable?
I'm over 40 - I found myself suddenly back on the job market a couple of years ago when the company I worked for abruptly went out of business. I was only out of work for three weeks before I found something else. I keep current, though - one of the realities of this profession is that you have to keep learning, and you have to do it "on your own time", if you want to stay in it. Personally, I find that to be a reasonable trade-off, but I know a lot of people don't.
Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
#7Plan B is necessary for all, not only <40yo coders.
Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
#8While I’ve no doubt that age discrimination does exist, when you see people who are former programmers at 40 (or 30 for that matter) it’s often just that they started out in programming but got bored of it and moved on to other careers. Or gradually became managers rather than programmers.
Statistics may certainly show that programmers skew young, but its not always due to being forced out, or denied opportunities, because of age.
Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
#9This is generally true.
It's a combination of many things, from brain "degradation", ageism, simple economic math ( fresh meat is cheaper and more malleable ), other more important interests like having a real life and when you really mute all the marketing BS, your delusions and wishful thinking, the actual work of being a developer/programmer in a professional setting is a really shitty job and sad life for the majority of people on those jobs.
I'm a few years from 40 and not having experience or interest in large organizations, I don't know what to do.
Programming is cool, but I always found it to be a tool to get somewhere, and that somewhere hasn't happened and I don't even know what it is or looks like.
But either way, always have a plan B and don't forget about it.
Re: Programmers: Before you turn 40, get a plan B (2009)
#10Anyone have more data on this? What happens to programmers as they age, are they in fact unemployable?
I myself am 40 and am gainfully employed and paid well in a top SF tech company, I have several mid to late 40s friends who are highly paid and appreciated at their jobs and have turned down offers from FAANG. I think the key is realizing what more jr engineers able to do well and compete at something else, like depth (or extreme breath) of knowledge, soft skills, organizational skills, and of course leadership.