[mikemikemike]

I wonder if the problem is specific to ageism in individual contributor roles. I've worked at a few startups where maybe 1/3 of the product team was over 40, but I can only think of two coworkers over 40 who didn't have any direct reports. Do we find ourselves wondering why an individual hasn't "advanced" to a management position after 10+ years?

[pcsanwald]

I don't ever wonder this when hiring. It's very common to see someone who tried management for a while and didn't like it or wasn't good at it, and have concluded that they love coding for a living.

Technical management isn't for everyone, and isn't a natural progression from being a software engineer. The transition is very difficult for most people.