6 ms·

Do most software companies even hire people over 50 when the applicant doesn’t disguise themself as a younger person?

mech422 4y ago
Dunno about 'most' ... but myself and my cohort are over 50, and it hasn't been an issue. I think salary is a bigger issue then age - why pay for a senior engineer (10+ YOE for most of my cohort) when a recent grad is cheaper ?
- cudgy 4y ago
  The question they should be asking is: why are people here with 10+ years experience not worth more than a recent grad?
  - mech422 4y ago
    I agree ... but lots of companies seem to be penny-wise and pound foolish.
anonuser123456 4y ago
In my small sample size (established, profitable companies) yes. Startups need young workers that will grind out lots of hours and pivot at the drip of a hat because the problem space is so large; there is no clear ‘right path’ forward. But established companies with clear product lines etc. need people to keep the machine going. And there is a lot of skill in the over 50 crowd. The best programmers I know are in their early 50s.
coldtea 4y ago
Depends on the country/culture. In two different countries I know of (though, not the US) they do.
michaelcampbell 4y ago
Can't answer "most" but I know at least some that do; maybe I don't look it (which seems unlikely), but I've been hired over 50 more than once.
micromacrofoot 4y ago
Depends on how old the people hiring are in my experience. The number of times I've heard "ehh doesn't seem like a great culture fit" at US companies is a little ridiculous, it's the legal catch all for otherism. You've got your work cut out for you if you're over 35 and not a manager.
cjrp 4y ago
For a senior/staff engineer/principal/architect sort of role, I don't think it would be a problem. If you were applying for a junior role, it might be a different situation.
thorin 4y ago
Yes, but the number of people wanting to do software over a certain age also goes down. I was working with a developer/tester in his early 70s until recently. He's not working now but I messaged him the other day and he was working on so ML project in his own time. His previous companies would hire him back. Even I'm past mid 40s now and many of the team are older (although they're called architects now).
- tedivm 4y ago
  I just transitioned to a Principal Architect role so I find this comment to be kind of hilarious. From my personal anecdotal experience the ageism in tech may be better described as generationalism. It appears that companies don't mind hiring "older" people, but that there's a generational gap that companies are less likely to cross. As time moves on that generational gap also ages up.
  - hhlevnjak2 4y ago
    Also, there are more sw devs aged 20-30 today than there were 20-30 years ago. Those who would be 50 today never existed in such numbers, so dev population is skewed towards younger generations.
Oxidation 4y ago
This isn't about software engineers, it's more about the nurses, GPs, teachers and everyone else who has said "well, sod this for a game of soldiers" and retired early rather than be paid to little to be the ablative armour of a system stretched to breaking.
- bryanlarsen 4y ago
  According to the article, it's about people who stopped working due to health issues.
  - InitialLastName 4y ago
    Both of those can be true. Health issues are a spectrum; depending on how little I like my job, I might make a different decision about whether a particular health issue rises above the threshold of "I don't want to do this any more".
    - cjrp 4y ago
      Stressful job = long-term sick due to stress, presumably.
- Moissanite 4y ago
  > rather than be paid to little to be the ablative armour of a system stretched to breaking Love that imagery. Although I work for a tech consulting firm rather than having a real/useful job like those you describe, I would apply the same sentiment. The difference is that while public services are being worn away at an accelerated rate due to a lack of maintenance, tech is like The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down - hurtling along with bits (and people) flying off in all directions, desperate to avoid going below that critical speed.
  - ed_elliott_asc 4y ago
    Consultancies are, working directly is very different. When there is only one interested party and goal it is much less stressful - when everyone wants a piece of the pie it becomes much more complicated (and late, always late)

Dunno about 'most' ... but myself and my cohort are over 50, and it hasn't been an issue. I think salary is a bigger issue then age - why pay for a senior engineer (10+ YOE for most of my cohort) when a recent grad is cheaper ?

cudgy 4y ago
The question they should be asking is: why are people here with 10+ years experience not worth more than a recent grad?
- mech422 4y ago
  I agree ... but lots of companies seem to be penny-wise and pound foolish.

anonuser123456 4y ago

In my small sample size (established, profitable companies) yes. Startups need young workers that will grind out lots of hours and pivot at the drip of a hat because the problem space is so large; there is no clear ‘right path’ forward. But established companies with clear product lines etc. need people to keep the machine going. And there is a lot of skill in the over 50 crowd. The best programmers I know are in their early 50s.

coldtea 4y ago

Depends on the country/culture. In two different countries I know of (though, not the US) they do.

michaelcampbell 4y ago

Can't answer "most" but I know at least some that do; maybe I don't look it (which seems unlikely), but I've been hired over 50 more than once.

micromacrofoot 4y ago

Depends on how old the people hiring are in my experience. The number of times I've heard "ehh doesn't seem like a great culture fit" at US companies is a little ridiculous, it's the legal catch all for otherism. You've got your work cut out for you if you're over 35 and not a manager.

cjrp 4y ago

For a senior/staff engineer/principal/architect sort of role, I don't think it would be a problem. If you were applying for a junior role, it might be a different situation.

thorin 4y ago

Yes, but the number of people wanting to do software over a certain age also goes down. I was working with a developer/tester in his early 70s until recently. He's not working now but I messaged him the other day and he was working on so ML project in his own time. His previous companies would hire him back. Even I'm past mid 40s now and many of the team are older (although they're called architects now).

tedivm 4y ago
I just transitioned to a Principal Architect role so I find this comment to be kind of hilarious. From my personal anecdotal experience the ageism in tech may be better described as generationalism. It appears that companies don't mind hiring "older" people, but that there's a generational gap that companies are less likely to cross. As time moves on that generational gap also ages up.
- hhlevnjak2 4y ago
  Also, there are more sw devs aged 20-30 today than there were 20-30 years ago. Those who would be 50 today never existed in such numbers, so dev population is skewed towards younger generations.

Oxidation 4y ago

This isn't about software engineers, it's more about the nurses, GPs, teachers and everyone else who has said "well, sod this for a game of soldiers" and retired early rather than be paid to little to be the ablative armour of a system stretched to breaking.

bryanlarsen 4y ago
According to the article, it's about people who stopped working due to health issues.
- InitialLastName 4y ago
  Both of those can be true. Health issues are a spectrum; depending on how little I like my job, I might make a different decision about whether a particular health issue rises above the threshold of "I don't want to do this any more".
  - cjrp 4y ago
    Stressful job = long-term sick due to stress, presumably.
Moissanite 4y ago
> rather than be paid to little to be the ablative armour of a system stretched to breaking Love that imagery. Although I work for a tech consulting firm rather than having a real/useful job like those you describe, I would apply the same sentiment. The difference is that while public services are being worn away at an accelerated rate due to a lack of maintenance, tech is like The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down - hurtling along with bits (and people) flying off in all directions, desperate to avoid going below that critical speed.
- ed_elliott_asc 4y ago
  Consultancies are, working directly is very different. When there is only one interested party and goal it is much less stressful - when everyone wants a piece of the pie it becomes much more complicated (and late, always late)