Can you still get a good job as a developer after 40 years of age ?
Sorin Alexandru wrote:
Working in IT in two countries I've noticed interesting differences regarding the age of the employees. In one country the average age of the developers is much lower than in the other country. Have you got similar experiences ?
Mark Herschberg, author of The Career Toolkit
https://www.thecareertoolkitbook.com/
Mark Herschberg wrote:
Sorin Alexandru wrote:
Working in IT in two countries I've noticed interesting differences regarding the age of the employees. In one country the average age of the developers is much lower than in the other country. Have you got similar experiences ?
I wonder about your methodology. Compared to the total workforce in the respective countries how many companies did you work at? how big were their labor forces? what technologies did the use? what industries were they in?
For example the demographics on software developers at an insurance firm in Nebraska that still has some vax systems is very different than Cambridge, MA based startup developed specialized scheduling algorithms. Neither is indicative of software developers overall in the US.
--Mark
Marcel Wentink wrote:In the Netherlands it's hard to get any job if you're over 50. Management thinks you're slow and worn out. The work culture does not appreciate experience very much. In IT it's even worse. So, there are a lot of programmers above 50, but many off them are also looking for a job, I fear. Off course since we have had this technology as an employer for quite some time now, you do see older programmers. Also the demografic pyramid of the Netherlands is quite different then from for example India. We have more older people. So yes there are older programmers, but they are not that wanted by employers. Of course you can try to get into management, but there is need for say fewer managers, then there are older programmers looking for a job.
Sorry to give negative news
This has to do with the reasons you mentioned: demography, work culture, mature technologies, etc.
Marcel Wentink wrote:
This has to do with the reasons you mentioned: demography, work culture, mature technologies, etc.
You misunderstood the work culture thing I think. The work culture is very much against older people working. The other factors demography, mature technologies are just that dominant that you do see older programmers. Actually I am happy to have a job at 43, and I am doing very much to keep my knowledge up to date and I am looking of ways to do some management stuff. Frankly I do that because I would be dead scared to be unemployed when I would in say ten years, be 53. I do not have a very uptimistic view on my market position in ten years time. I'll be older, more work will be outsourced, and getting into management has not had much result. I'll tell it to you straight, if I was a student right now, I would not choose Information Science again. Not because I do not like the job as such though, but because of what I stated above.
Sorin Alexandru wrote:So you think that above 40 is harder to get a job ?
Bear Bibeault wrote:Anyone who claims that age discrimination doesn't exist is either lying or just hasn't experienced it yet. It's almost impossible to prove during the hiring process, but it's very evident to the person on the receiving end.
It can be difficult to find companies that value experience and are willing to pay for it.
As one of those "older" developers at 51, I know. It's really really important to make sure that you've got a strong resume and some good "cred" under your belt. For me, writing books on modern technologies, and carefully picking jobs that keep me working in desirable technologies, has given me that cred. Otherwise, they just assume you're a doddering old COBOL programmer.