Why can't the software development industry see gray-haired programmers? Where are the older programmers? Will companies fire older programmers?
How many companies would hire a programmer in their 50s if they applied for a job in their 20s or 30s? There's a lot of mythology and some hard truths about that.
Of course it's shocking to be considered "old man" at 40, or even 35. The word "old man" here refers to programmers who can plan to retire or change jobs.
Should Programmers Retire at 40?
Stack Overflow surveyed 66,329 professional developers worldwide in 2019. The result is as follows:
Why are older software developers so rare?
① high salary
Obviously, experienced and older software developers should be paid more than younger people (though sometimes not necessarily), and their expectations will be higher.
The problem is demand. Do software companies need these experienced developers? Are they worth hiring? Basically, the answer is no. Companies often don't need a lot of experienced senior developers.
Every company needs to face real problems, and the pressure to afford a large number of well-paid senior developers is not small.
②Changing jobs
The vast majority of developers will find a way to make more money without writing code. So, changing jobs is another reason.
③Never-ending learning
Technologies, programming languages, and frameworks evolve rapidly, so many older (or even younger) developers are out of step.
As people grow older, people also have many other responsibilities. They often don't have enough time to learn new technologies. This is another reason why the industry doesn't have too many senior developers.
Professionals in other industries do not need to face such a huge learning pressure. Programmers need to learn new technologies endlessly.
④Environment
Over time, people will gradually notice themselves becoming the older generation of the team/company surrounded by a group of younger programmers.
Due to the generation gap and other factors, many people cannot communicate well with younger programmers. They feel lonely at work. Here's another reason.
⑤ Relatively new industry
The software industry is relatively new compared to other industries. This is one of the biggest reasons. As the industry matures, hopefully we'll have the opportunity to see more older developers.
The way out for older programmers
Older developers worry about job security. They tend to bear a lot of psychological pressure. I think this can be avoided if you prepare ahead of time. New programming languages, frameworks, and libraries come out all the time, so keep learning. Sometimes technicians often overlook this. But the reality is that these technologies will soon become obsolete.
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