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Ask HN: Been writing code for 40 years and can't get hired

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Re: Ask HN: Been writing code for 40 years and can't get hired

#31

Post by mattlondon »

Despite various laws etc, don't mention your age on your resume, and only list a few previous roles (perhaps the last 5-8 years max with "more details available on request" or something vague). Don't put your graduation date etc. Don't list job history going back decades. Basically don't give people any ammo to think you are "old".

Bias - unconscious or otherwise - is real. It sucks but you may need to try to work around it and play the games. Don't lie, just don't mention it or bring it up.

Good luck.

Re: Ask HN: Been writing code for 40 years and can't get hired

#32

Post by pfp »

icsa wrote: post #8

The churn rate of current software development practice is quite rapid. When you took several years off, you "fell out of the job market". In effect, you need to reboot your skill & tool set to make current. In addition, you must reboot your interviewing skills. I've been a professional software interviewer (600+ interviews) and have seen most very experienced software developers do quite poorly during interviews. Th…

> I've been a professional software interviewer (600+ interviews) and have seen most very experienced software developers do quite poorly during interviews.

So... you've 1) realized you're dealing with experienced people and 2) yet discarded them based on irrelevant "interview skills"?

How does this serve the company trying to hire someone?

FWIW, the couple of times I've interviewed someone -- I've always given the guy a 2nd chance if I've seen he's obviously nervous or just not on a good day, but has the material. Even an autistic nerd like myself can spot that and have the common decency to look past trivial human weaknesses.

Besides, I'd rather pick a genuine human being as a colleague rather than some overbearing, over-social, potentially arrogant prick whose competitive urges are liable to disrupt technical decision making down the line. Those types belong in the suite & tie department, not in tech.

Re: Ask HN: Been writing code for 40 years and can't get hired

#33

Post by MisterBastahrd »

cc101 wrote: post #12
icsa wrote: post #8

The churn rate of current software development practice is quite rapid. When you took several years off, you "fell out of the job market". In effect, you need to reboot your skill & tool set to make current. In addition, you must reboot your interviewing skills. I've been a professional software interviewer (600+ interviews) and have seen most very experienced software developers do quite poorly during interviews. Th…

WTF! It's your job to find people who can do the work. It is NOT the applicant's job to fit your preferred interview design. Talk about arrogance!

There are thousands of people looking for jobs at any particular moment who "can do the work."

If you are searching for your next position out of need, then you are not special. The employees who can afford to have egos are those who are being recruited.

Re: Ask HN: Been writing code for 40 years and can't get hired

#34

Post by matmatmatmat »

tomcam wrote: post #17

Some tough love here, from the parallel universe you. It was people like you in the late 1970s who inspired me to be a programmer (literally, talking to Hughes aircraft programmers on the bus to high school about the JOVIAL language), but one thing I knew by the time I was about 12, say, 1973 or so, was that aerospace engineering in the Hughes aircraft world was boom and bust. I did not learn programming until I was…

I have this same mindset and the same plan: Keep working, and keep learning. Do you have any insight from your many decades of experience that you would like to share? I would appreciate it.

Re: Ask HN: Been writing code for 40 years and can't get hired

#36

Post by nicoburns »

> Since then, and after my skills no doubt became somewhat outdated, it is absolutely impossible to find work.

This seems like the obvious problem here. You need to make sure that you have skills that are relevant for the current job market. If you're an experienced developer then it shouldn't take you very long to get up to speed, but you can't expect to just not learn anything new and walk into a job.

I would recommend picking a technology, spending 4-6 weeks learning it (in this time you can also produce some sample project code that you can use to convince potential employers of your skill), then start applying for jobs.

Re: Ask HN: Been writing code for 40 years and can't get hired

#38

Post by armchairhacker »

How many applications are you sending out and who are you applying to? Are you contacting recruiters? That's important information missing here.

I suggest looking at startups as I imagine the number of applicants is much less and interviews are less "leetcode"-oriented. Also as someone else suggested, you can look for consulting work, then if you want to transition to full-time you will have up-to-date experience.

Re: Ask HN: Been writing code for 40 years and can't get hired

#39

Post by navyad »

aaronrobinson wrote: post #6

Build a side project using modern tech. You’ll learn a bunch and then you can put those skills on your CV. I’m happy to look over your CV and guide you on stuff I would look out for. There are also programmes for people that have been out of the industry for a while.

+1 learn, build and show.

Re: Ask HN: Been writing code for 40 years and can't get hired

#40

Post by dpeck »

Tell us more about what you want to do. There’s a lot of people on HN who hire developers.

Do you have anything you want focus on or do you pride yourself on being a generalist?

Architect, team lead, or pure development of a system from day to day?

And business domains that you’re especially familiar with or interested in? E-commerce, SaaS, aerospace, business systems, data engineering, etc.

Give us a little more and someone here might take an interest and be able to help directly. The start of the year generally sees an uptick in hiring due to some pent-up demand from the previously 30-45 days when a lot of business processes slow down.

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