4 ms·

I'm 53 and currently trying to run a small (non-software but high-tech) startup. I may be going back to Oracle programming soon. Does anyone know how much resis

by miked 18y ago

I'm 53 and currently trying to run a small (non-software but high-tech) startup. I may be going back to Oracle programming soon. Does anyone know how much resistance there is to hiring middle-aged guys out there? It's been about 10 years since I've looked.

rms 18y ago
Ageism is still absolutely rampant in the industry.
- miked 18y ago
  Thanks for the feedback, disappointing though it is. What really makes it a shame is that I know how much better I am than when I was younger. More mature and with a much better business sense. Damn.
  - acgourley 18y ago
    That's not to say that you can't find a job - just that there are certain people who will have a bias against you. Perhaps you're not interested in working there anyway.
  - edw519 18y ago
    I'm 53 and I have the opposite problem. I have so much paying work that I have trouble finding time for my start-up. And everywhere I go, I'm the best programmer they've seen, regardless of age. Sounds like you could be in the same boat if you'd adjust you're thinking and give it a better shot. Many people are primarily focused on getting the work done. If someone rejected me because of age (or anything else unrelated to the work), it's a self-correcting problem. Their bias clearly demonstrates enough mind-fuckedness that if it wasn't for this stupid decision, I'd be leaving them for some other stupid thing before too long anyway. If you're as good as you think, get out there and get to work. Someone needs you, believe me.
    - dasil003 18y ago
      That's great to hear. I'm 30 with my first kid on the way, and definitely been concerned over where my career will go in the next 20 years. I only came to a silicon valley company 2 years ago, but been doing web work for 13. I was intimidated that I would only be average in silicon valley, but thankfully I found that while there is more talent here overall, there's still just as high a percentage of talentless hacks or brilliant people who don't know how to actually ship. I think the key is working in environments where your value can be seen and really build your reputation and networks so that by the time you're middle-aged no one has to ask if you know language X, instead they say "this is the guy who built Y". At least that's my plan.
      - edw519 18y ago
        by the time you're middle-aged I'll let you know when I get there.
- gonick_daysbury 18y ago
  Depends on the area of the industry you're working in. I believe corporate IT departments are ironically more forgiving than the supposedly liberal startup scene, which tends to be younger and more suspicious of older workers, reflecting a trend in the society at large which equates youth with being "in one's prime".
  - miked 17y ago
    I've worked in both startups and corporate IT depts, and that would be my take as well. Large companies are far more concerned with anti-discrimination law. They also strongly prefer a stable workgroup, which is helped (I think) by a bit of additional age.
gonick_daysbury 18y ago
Getting a full-time job as a programmer after being away from that career for ?how long? may be a bigger problem than your age. HR doesn't seem to take kindly to that.
- miked 17y ago
  Yeah, that's part of the concern, too. I've been doing biotech for almost 4 years. That could be a bigger problem.

by miked 18y ago

rms 18y ago

Ageism is still absolutely rampant in the industry.

miked 18y ago
Thanks for the feedback, disappointing though it is. What really makes it a shame is that I know how much better I am than when I was younger. More mature and with a much better business sense. Damn.
- acgourley 18y ago
  That's not to say that you can't find a job - just that there are certain people who will have a bias against you. Perhaps you're not interested in working there anyway.
- edw519 18y ago
  I'm 53 and I have the opposite problem. I have so much paying work that I have trouble finding time for my start-up. And everywhere I go, I'm the best programmer they've seen, regardless of age. Sounds like you could be in the same boat if you'd adjust you're thinking and give it a better shot. Many people are primarily focused on getting the work done. If someone rejected me because of age (or anything else unrelated to the work), it's a self-correcting problem. Their bias clearly demonstrates enough mind-fuckedness that if it wasn't for this stupid decision, I'd be leaving them for some other stupid thing before too long anyway. If you're as good as you think, get out there and get to work. Someone needs you, believe me.
  - dasil003 18y ago
    That's great to hear. I'm 30 with my first kid on the way, and definitely been concerned over where my career will go in the next 20 years. I only came to a silicon valley company 2 years ago, but been doing web work for 13. I was intimidated that I would only be average in silicon valley, but thankfully I found that while there is more talent here overall, there's still just as high a percentage of talentless hacks or brilliant people who don't know how to actually ship. I think the key is working in environments where your value can be seen and really build your reputation and networks so that by the time you're middle-aged no one has to ask if you know language X, instead they say "this is the guy who built Y". At least that's my plan.
    - edw519 18y ago
      by the time you're middle-aged I'll let you know when I get there.
gonick_daysbury 18y ago
Depends on the area of the industry you're working in. I believe corporate IT departments are ironically more forgiving than the supposedly liberal startup scene, which tends to be younger and more suspicious of older workers, reflecting a trend in the society at large which equates youth with being "in one's prime".
- miked 17y ago
  I've worked in both startups and corporate IT depts, and that would be my take as well. Large companies are far more concerned with anti-discrimination law. They also strongly prefer a stable workgroup, which is helped (I think) by a bit of additional age.

gonick_daysbury 18y ago

Getting a full-time job as a programmer after being away from that career for ?how long? may be a bigger problem than your age. HR doesn't seem to take kindly to that.

miked 17y ago
Yeah, that's part of the concern, too. I've been doing biotech for almost 4 years. That could be a bigger problem.