The only reason to change such job I can imagine is to sit out your non-compete package. But I am not in this industry so maybe I’m missing something.
I also worked at an HFT C++ shop that used no STL. Every data structure has a weird name and API that you get used to. The whole architecture has its own idioms, and hasn't needed much upgrading in terms of language features.
Imagine you learn the grammar of English. You learn how to pluralise nouns, when to put an s at the end of a verb, how to to use commas, and so on. You then go to work at a place where they have a different word for coffee, drink, and order. Along with every other word. You end up learning where everything is and how to talk about it, and you're productive.
How do you apply for another job? Chances are you will be asked how to order a coffee and drink it.
Very real issue btw, I still have friends there.
Getting rid of weird data structures that now have STL analogs then is a productive exercise - existing devs get to learn more STL and new devs have more familiar ground. You get to delete code too.
There's at least one in the bay area though.
> It never sat well with me. Colocated systems saw latencies no mom-and-pop investor could ever dream to achieve. That is one of the reasons why the second company I joined was a non-profit that built systems to help track human rights violations, enforce labor rights, monitor democratic elections etc. Third job was in the food industry and the last one, in housing / property management. So I'd like to think I've made sufficient amends.
Ah, nevermind. Turns out they were worshipping Memnon with C++ and renounced that cult with web tech! :p