We, The Elders
It's challenging to be an older developer today. Once you reach your 40s, or maybe even your mid-30s, there can be a genuine sense of being the elder amongst your peers, of being over-the-hill. Fuelled by the ambition and success of Silicon Valley giants, the tech industry has a tendency to value, even fetishize, youth over experience.
As our gray hairs become too numerous to count and our crow's feet etch themselves deeper into our faces, how do we cope with these biases? Not enough of us are talking about this very real issue.
Experienced Perspective
We don't have to age into management if we don't want to—we're not all wired for that sort of role.
Coding ability is future-proof. Skilled, thoughtful developers will continue to be in demand for the foreseeable future, and that need will only continue to grow.
We older coders have a hard-earned perspective which allows us to take a holistic view of our work. We can make more informed systems and architectural decisions. We've likely gotten good at nurturing relationships with clients and colleagues. We can mentor younger developers and learn new skills ourselves in the process. There is hope for us.
Don't Go It Alone
As an older coder, you're in some excellent company. We older coders can and should support one another. We can pool our experience and resources together and work to show the industry that we still have valuable contributions to make for years to come.
I'm building Older Coders as a hub for us to connect, commiserate, organize, and find work with companies who value our maturity and experience.
If you're an older coder, join the Older Coders mailing list and be among the first to find out when the Older Coders community site is ready to open its doors. I can't wait to see you there!
Stay Informed
Sign up for the Older Coders mailing list and be among the first to know when the site is ready for launch!