The next wave replaces the current. How can I survive as web developer after 30 | Hacker News Reader

The next wave replaces the current. How can I survive as web developer after 30

7 pointsduykhoa12t10 comments

If you are in the valley you are in an echo chamber. In the rest of the US the developer workforce is aging. I am 40 and as such we where the first wave of developers building the internet. We have aged with the career and you still see us around what you don't see is many before us and the reason is, there where not many before us and less that transitioned from old PC based development to what we do now.

The issue is far more complex than age discrimination, people look at the lack of examples before age 40 and the few of us in our late 30's and 40's and jump to age discrimination but the reality is there where just fewer of us back then, then the .com bust and the downturn ran a lot out to other industries and there is natural attrition.

Is over 30 an issue? I would think this is time to hit your stride. Often this is getting towards a decade of experience that can see skills peaking and bring a bunch of experience and know-how to a team.

Maybe surviving after 40. More realistically surviving after 50 is a legitimate question in my mind.

OK, that's good thought, hehe. I am forcing myself to improve a lot, not for this current job, but to catch up with the community. I am not sure I can continue doing it after 30, cause too many things to learn and gonna burn out myself.

Imagine you are part of the next wave and keep your willingness to try new things. I have met many folks over 40 that are far more savvy than their younger contemporaries in terms of exposure to what is new and being paid well.

Edit: terrible word usage in last sentence

An interesting exception to your point, which are very valid. I've seen some guys do very well in their later years when they understand older systems/languages that youngsters don't learn. With companies tied into some legacy systems these guys know their rarity and make the company pay appropriately for this. That said they live on the chopping block waiting for the inevitable upgrade.

you're right. But the problem with 30's developer is lack of opportunity to learn. Ok, for the current job, you know very well about system, architect. But you know, we're focusing to much about the current technique, the current system, and we limit ourself in learning new thing, and our learning curse is much slower than younger developers also.

Can you help this by choosing company role/size? I'm marketing side and I tend to enjoy mid-size companies as you'll get pulled into a bunch of side roles as they don't have someone for everything. It keeps the skill set broad and learning new things. Also I moonlight for some smaller companies that have flexible time expectations. I enjoy this work so find it interesting seeing different businesses plus keeps my more junior role skill-set alive and in touch with changing tech now I'm more senior on the corporate level. Does that translate into developer life options?

Thanks for your answer. I am thinking about this. I just wonder like beside your career, we still consider about family, house... If we want to move around the side role, how can we move to the next step of our career. Or you think we don't need to think about going to next level, but explore the skills set is more valuable?

What do you mean survive? I am 31 and still doing web development.

Good news. hehe. Could you share me how do you update the new technique, or you are using the same techniques you've learned several years ago. Sorry if I used a heavy word. But I saw myself out of date too quickly, and I don't think I can catchup the trend in the next few years. But I really want to do web development, or should I move to the next step as many people - to be a manager?

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