Dad started out as a COBOL programmer before he got distracted by management and decided being a PM was a better path. This was his explainer to me once: To hi

Dad started out as a COBOL programmer before he got distracted by management and decided being a PM was a better path. This was his explainer to me once: To hire someone who can do the job reasonably quick and well is really expensive no matter how you slice it. Consider it a 'job well done' if you can persuade them to: a) Un-retire and b) Come out of said retirement to do actual work in the trenches again - as opposed to management. In the private sector, these people have probably made the equivalent of GS-15 Step 10 for years if not decades. Good luck trying to convince them to jump back in for what is essentially a pay cut.