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I was wondering if anyone has any experience in the job market after learning to code later in life. I'm 37 years old and I have about 4 semesters (probably a year and a half) worth of coding classes with a focus on Java and Android. I think that at the pace that I'm going I will be able to claim some level of expertise by the time I'm 39 or so, but my fear is being to old to be employable.
What's your take?
You are in a difficult spot. It is not so much that younger developers are better, but developers that start young shows that they have passion, and are not simply chasing a paycheck. You need to prove that you are not only a competent developer but also that you are passionate about the field. Start reading ... A LOT.
When people say they would rather hire junior programmers it is because of their drive to learn new stuff and their use of the most modern techniques, not their age.
Java is a great basis to work off, and I bet you'll get a fine job with it, but also consider learning a more dynamic language like Python, perhaps learn it at codecadamy.
I don't personally have any experience with being 37 and looking for a job, but I don't see a reason why someone should turn a fine developer down because of his age.
Also, 37 is not very old at all..
First off, remember that it's not legal for a US employer to ask your age. They can only ask if you're over 18. Of course, if you want to be sly about it, you'll need to craft your resume carefully (putting the year you graduated from high-school or college can tip off). Also, your looks may or may not belie your age (I have no gray hair and can look late-20s if I shave my beard).
Also, I think the biggest (perceived) issues are that either (a) employers don't want to hire older developers because their experience demands higher pay or (b) they want younger developers who can work insane hours. I must say, I don't know if these are generally true (they aren't when I hire people).
But for you, (a) shouldn't be an issue. You're a new developer so you probably are fine with a entry-level salary.
Several years ago things like lambda functions, scope and closures were weird and hard to comprehend for me. It took time, but after all you can become fluent.
As I see now, it doesn't take as much brilliant mind as it takes just "flight log hours" to handle complex problems. A guy who won a national programming olympiad (Russia) told me he won by "outsitting" the others, ie. he took more time to prepare and knew more cases. Although it was a disappointment for him (that problems became all the same and boring), it's a nice surprise for us: we (not-CS-graduates) can eventually cover the "flight hours" gap.
You will need to create your own opportunities. Simply taking courses in coding is not going to cut it. Take what you learned so far and apply it to something concrete. Studying Android? Build an app and put it in the market place. Blog about it. Get people to use it. You will soon discover larges gaps in your knowledge. Study those concepts on your own. You can't wait for a course to teach you. You are in a difficul…