First of all let me say i'm in a similar situation. Except for a huge difference: i'm in my late 20s. After a technical university background i started a commer

First of all let me say i'm in a similar situation. Except for a huge difference: i'm in my late 20s. After a technical university background i started a commercial career and eventually had success. The whole last year was incredibly frustrating as i felt something was not quite right and in september i decided to quit and to start a whole new career as a software developer. Starting at junior level, getting half of the money. In despite of the money side, i'm now incredibly satisfied and happy. Was worth it? Yes. (Note: while i'm married, i don't have kids. My wife was incredibly supportive). I had to seek for a new job, and i had the very same doubts: am i too old? Will recruiters understand my position and meanings or will they consider me just incapable of long-term commitments? Do i have a chance in the current tech market? Well, this is what happened: One evening i said "Fuck it" and started to apply for open positions. Companies started to call the very next morning. I had my first interview in less than 24hrs. In less than 2 weeks i had a new career. So, given that i know nothing about your situation/environment, i suggest you to just try and see what feedback you get. You don't really have to abandon your current job while searching and interviewing. In general there are a lot of opportunities as a programmer.