Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s?

#121

Post by indymike » Fri, Jan 20, 2023, 6:44 PM UTC

-Is there any hope for someone like me?

Yes. Lots. Best job market ever (well, maybe slightly worse than last year, but still virtually best ever).

-Is there any reasonable path to starting over?

Find what you love, learn it, and start do.

Degree requirements are out the window for many jobs. Companies can't find enough people.

-Where do I even begin?

It's hard to start if you don't know what the end is. Figure out what you want to be when you grow up (I'm 50 and still haven't grown up).

-Will tech co’s ever consider hiring someone like me?

Yes. Some of the best people we have hired at my company changed careers in their late 20s and 30s.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s?

#122

Post by germinalphrase » Fri, Jan 20, 2023, 6:45 PM UTC

imjqz wrote: post #64

gensym wrote: post #11

I know lots of people who have started their careers over in their 30s. My mom, for instance, went to school to become a respiratory therapist. My dad was in his 30s when he learned to be a tool and die maker. Both of them needed formal training. I've hired people who have switched careers by going to dev bootcamps, but their situation was different because they hadn't had a period of downtime. In general, though, I…

> but I need them to have the focus and the drive to do that growth This is really important. I just spent the last couple of months helping some people transition to the tech industry, and I'm seriously reconsidering whether I want to continue. It's demotivating when people don't have the drive to take initiative or follow through when you're volunteering your time to help them. So OP, there's definitely people out…

Were you helping people specifically transition into technical/engineering roles?

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s?

#123

Post by eddsh1994 » Fri, Jan 20, 2023, 6:48 PM UTC

I'm on a FB group for people interested in flying planes and saw a ~45 year old stay-at-home mother who went through a divorce train and become a pilot for a major airline. I know a ~60 year old who just got his blue belt in BJJ having started two years ago. It's never too late :)

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s?

#124

Post by soitgoes511 » Fri, Jan 20, 2023, 6:50 PM UTC

Twice since 30. I screwed up my entire younger years, went back to University after 30 to get a degree in Electrical Engineering and worked hard during university. I was hired on as an engineer making semiconductors for one of the largest analog semi's in the world. During the pandemic, I decided to start yet another career in another country.. Now I work as a technical electronics expert in the automotive industry...

So, yes.. It is very possible to do this. Like most things in life, you will have to work hard and make sacrifices.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s?

#125

Post by whoknew1122 » Fri, Jan 20, 2023, 6:50 PM UTC

I started over in my 30s. Here's what happened generally:

1.) Graduated with a degree that had very limited options post-graduation 2.) Worked dead-end jobs 3.) Got tired of said dead-end jobs, and started teaching myself Linux and AWS 4.) While employed at the last dead-end job, I got LPIC-1 and AWS Solutions Architect Pro certs 5.) Used the certs to get an entry-level Linux System Administrator/AWS SA job at a startup 6.) Worked my butt off for a year at the entry-level job, and then applied for a job at AWS (in support) 7.) Got job at AWS, which I'm still at

I went from making like $35k to 6 figures in around 4 years.

Find something you're passionate about, and go about learning it. For entry-level jobs, certificates are often a good replacement for experience (at least to get hired). Once you have your first job, focus on meeting people and learning as much as you can. And then pivot.

You won't ever know how good you are unless you take a leap. Only reason I thought I was good enough to apply to AWS is a recruiter reached out to me cold and I gave it a shot.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s?

#126

Post by anthomtb » Fri, Jan 20, 2023, 6:51 PM UTC

dboreham wrote: post #114

anthomtb wrote: post #97

(Disclaimer: USA-centric advise) I advocate the formal education route here. Figure out the least expensive path to getting yourself a technical undergrad degree. Meaning a BS in Engineering or Computer Science, from an ABET-accredited university. For my BigTechCo, you are not going to get hired without a technical degree. Any Engineering degree with some Computer Science emphasis will work, or straight Computer Scie…

> technical undergrad degree OP stated they were in grad school, implying they have some degree. I'm not sure it would help to take another one now?

I think it would, assuming they want to work for an established tech company. They do not say what field their degree was in. If it is non-technical, even a hard science, getting an additional undergrad in an Engineering field would make them much more employable.

If they do have a technical degree then I agree that an additional undergrad would not help. But I certainly think returning to graduate school would help them get hired.

An aside, they OP is not really stating what they want to do. I am interpolating from:

> Will tech co’s ever consider hiring someone like me?

That they want a role like my own (senior software engineer, 15 YOE). But I am not certain.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s?

#127

Post by GiorgioG » Fri, Jan 20, 2023, 6:52 PM UTC

My wife just graduated from nursing school at 44 years of age. Plenty of her graduating class were in their 30s, 40s and 50s. She was a social worker until we had our first child - she's been home with the kids for 15 years. There's plenty of hope: decide to do it and let nothing stop you.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s?

#128

Post by whoknew1122 » Fri, Jan 20, 2023, 6:54 PM UTC

anthomtb wrote: post #97

(Disclaimer: USA-centric advise) I advocate the formal education route here. Figure out the least expensive path to getting yourself a technical undergrad degree. Meaning a BS in Engineering or Computer Science, from an ABET-accredited university. For my BigTechCo, you are not going to get hired without a technical degree. Any Engineering degree with some Computer Science emphasis will work, or straight Computer Scie…

I didn't find it necessary to go back to school to get a technical undergrad degree. I taught myself IT and got certs instead. I was able to use those certs to break into the industry, and eventually get hired by AWS.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s?

#129

Post by itsautomatisch » Fri, Jan 20, 2023, 6:55 PM UTC

I was a BA in Japanese graduate during the 2008-2009 recession and ended up doing IT for a little bit, took time off to teach English, and ended up going back to school for a BSc in Software Development. I landed my first software job over 4 years ago in my 30's and have been fairly happy with my trajectory. Starting at the "bottom" as a junior with people about 10 years younger than me was a bit humbling, but ultimately I realized that having life experience was a big help in moving up faster than younger folks.

Based on your description, it sounds like you have no idea what you want to be doing. This will make it hard to find meaningful work because you'll just float around to different jobs doing whatever is available. I would suggest taking some time and be introspective about what motivates you to get better, otherwise I would just reconsider your career path and try something new to see if it sticks.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully started their career over in their 30s?

#130

Post by anthomtb » Fri, Jan 20, 2023, 6:58 PM UTC

whoknew1122 wrote: post #128

anthomtb wrote: post #97

(Disclaimer: USA-centric advise) I advocate the formal education route here. Figure out the least expensive path to getting yourself a technical undergrad degree. Meaning a BS in Engineering or Computer Science, from an ABET-accredited university. For my BigTechCo, you are not going to get hired without a technical degree. Any Engineering degree with some Computer Science emphasis will work, or straight Computer Scie…

I didn't find it necessary to go back to school to get a technical undergrad degree. I taught myself IT and got certs instead. I was able to use those certs to break into the industry, and eventually get hired by AWS.

A technical undergrad is definitely not the only path to employability. But it is a well-traveled and straightforward path.