[wimagguc]

The other conclusion is, always be hireable. I guess it’s hard to be 50 and pride yourself to work for senior-senior level salary when a 30 year old can easily do your job.

Hierarchies worked very well in the uni prof’s favour, but engineering companies tend to apply flatter structures. If there’s nothing that keeps the young folks competing, they will. So for us, engineers it may be a good idea to move to supervisory roles, a field with harder-to-aquire skills, or start teaching later on.

(+1 for small sample size and confirmation bias though. /re: @pixelscript)

[happywolf]

Unfortunately being hireable and getting hired are two separate things. Yes, we can do things better and more thorough, however the sad thing is, most employers (at least in Singapore where I am) don't care. They care about salary and ability to work extra hours. Things could vary in the states though

[danielweber]

Regardless of your age, fuck employers who want you to work long hours.

(Unless you have a big piece of equity. .1% is not big.)

[dba7dba]

Agree. Being always be hireable is one's own responsibility. Not anyone else's.

[calinet6]

It's still interesting to consider systemic effects, however.

[gcb0]

good programmers can always consult.

old managers can't do nothing unless he is hired at a big company, which is exactly what won't happen according to this

[ExpiredLink]

> good programmers can always consult.

as if ageism didn't exist in the consulting business ...

[eropple]

There is, but maybe not in the direction you think. Almost every independent consultant I've ever hired or had hired into a company I was working at was, at the earliest, late thirties, most late forties/early fifties. On the other hand, as I'm starting an independent consulting business at 27, I'm finding it a little hard to be taken seriously (comments about age, "possible" experience, etc.). I'm getting there, but it's a process.

[MisterBastahrd]

Hiring managers might see age as a disadvantage, but most CEOs would rather hire a peer than someone they view as a child.

[gohrt]

Do you mean contract? A good manager can hire a pack of young contractors to rent out.

Of course an old manager can consult (== sell expensive sage advice)