Age is Just a Number: Debunking the Myth That Older Developers are Less Skilled
"Just like fine wine, developers skillset are becoming better with time!"
The notion that software engineering is only for those under a certain age is outdated and untrue.
I have heard this statement repeated repeatedly, but in observation, a developer's value and potential for employment only increase with age and experience.
Recently, my friend asked me if I see myself still writing code in the next decade. The truth is, I know many developers who are over 40 years old and are thriving in their careers. They bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their work, making them extremely valuable and sought after in the industry.
In today's blog post, I want to debunk the misconception that older developers are undesirable in the workplace. I will talk about why people perceive older developers as less employable than younger ones, and then I'll explain why their age and experience are assets that should be highly valued.
Let's get right into it!
Why does it seem that an older developer has a hard time finding a job than a younger one?
Perception of Pessimistic
Mark Twain once said,
"The man who is a pessimist before 48 knows too much; if he is an optimist after it, he knows too little."
Our opinions and value are ingrained within us as we get older. We prefer to do things the same way because we find comfort in them.
One study from Journey Psychology and Aging studied 11,131 Germans across the age spectrum over 11 years pessimistic and found that on a 10-point scale, young adults rated their future life satisfaction at 6.25, middle-aged adults only gave 6.45 and older adults provided a rating of just 6.14. This means that they found early to late adulthood, individuals adapt their anticipations of future life satisfaction from optimistic to accurate and from accurate to pessimistic.
What does pessimistic have anything to do with job availability?
Pessimistic may cause cynicism in experience. Some employers want someone motivated and optimistic.
When I started my career, I wanted to do everything correctly. Thus, no matter how bad the code base is, I wanted to ensure that the code and the application are in a good state. I am also very hungry for upward mobility. A slight suggestion that extra work was needed would lead to me pulling more than 8 hours or weekends of coding marathon. Any hint of stock options or future IPOs would get me all giddy, thinking I was working for the next Google!
An experienced developer will say that I am being naive. However, I can think of my naïveté as an asset. I was very stupid for wanting to over-achieve on things I couldn't control, but it led me to gain so much experience and produce more business value for the company.
As I grew older, I started to see the lies and the truth of corporate politics. Businesses may want to test product features without justification, and I noticed my willingness to work overtime is being abused. I kept getting disappointed by the managers' promises to put me into the next promotion. Still, they told me they halted all promotions due to the economic downturn. I don't get all giddy anymore about the empty promises of most companies.
Generally, older and more experienced developers get picky about their chosen job, which is normal. However, this may be seen as older developers having a hard time finding jobs than the younger ones.
Perception of Outdated Skills
Some employers may believe that older developers have outdated skills or are less adaptable to new technologies.
During my first job after graduation in 2018, I talked with an engineering Director who shared his concern about older developers in his team. He expressed that some of them are hesitant to embrace new technologies, such as using Docker containers instead of virtualization. The Director mentioned that he continues learning new skills and challenges himself by taking on new positions and learning about different industries.
It was clear that he spoke from a place of empathy and understanding, and I appreciated the valuable advice he shared with me. He advised me that keeping an open mind and adapting to change is important for personal growth and career advancement.
High Salary Expectation
Seasoned developers might demand a heftier paycheck because of their well-earned stripes in the industry, causing them to be passed up by startups searching for a bargain deal.
After all, why pay for a vintage wine when all you need is a cheap buzz?
In addition, the longer you work in this field, the more you realize that a job's total compensation isn't only about a paycheck but also about the potential the company holds for your future. As you gain more experience, you see through the gimmicks some businesses (especially startups) use to lure in employees.
Many startups provide stock options as the major compensation component and pay experienced developers below-market-rate salaries. Older and more experienced developers cannot receive compensation with most paper money because they have bills and commitments, even though they love the company.
On the other hand, a recent college graduate doesn't have as many bills and commitments as an older and more experienced developer and is willing to dive in headfirst to learn-and-implement technology in this company. Thus, as a company or startup that needs to move fast and be scrappy, hiring less experience and cheaper labor has a better ROI.
However, I would like to tell you through the data and from my observation in the workplace that this is not the case.
Developers, we get better with age like a fine wine
A North Carolina State University study found that older (more experienced) developers possess a wider variety of technology and skills.
To examine this question, the researchers examined the number of topics users asked and answered questions about. They found that the number of topics associated with programmers declined through age 30, then increased in the following decades, suggesting an increase in the number of technologies one knows about later in one's career.
Older Developers learn Programming, And the Younger ones, if Not Better.
The study also answers to what degree older programmers learn new technologies. They divided the users into two groups, younger (under 37) and older programmers, and tested whether older programmers were given lower scores for answering questions about newer technologies.
They found that older programmers scored (statistically) significantly higher on questions about iOS and Windows Phone 7 and were essentially even with younger programmers in their knowledge of other new technologies.
I learned new programming languages and frameworks much faster because I have years of experience knowing one programming language deep down and have spent years studying the fundamentals.
Company Need to be Experienced and Old Developers To Solve Complex Problems
As programmers and developers grow their skills, they may encounter obstacles when old techniques become outdated. While this can be aggravating, the upside of updating one's skillset is being equipped to tackle many challenges.
Older programmers can talk more articulately about design choices and software lifecycle issues simply because they've had a lifetime of experience with successes - and failures.
Choosing a developer based solely on their specific skill set, like a Flash or React JS Programmer, might initially seem easy. However, this approach could prove risky if you seek a developer who excels at tackling complex challenges.
For a developer who's proven their expertise in scaling payment systems to 10 M+ users or enterprise database and network skills, you'll want someone seasoned and experienced. With a more seasoned developer at your side, your company stands a greater chance of succeeding and reaching new heights.
The problem for older developers is not that they are losing their intellectual capacity but that they have been told to become 'managers.'
Although some job descriptions offer alternative paths for individual contributors, many traditional companies still expect developers to take on managerial responsibilities eventually. As a result, older developers may feel trapped between their passion for coding and the pressure to conform to traditional career paths.
Recap
Older, more experienced developers can indeed face challenges when seeking job opportunities due to concerns around outdated skills, high salary expectations, and a perceived cynicism towards newer technology. However, it's important to remember that seasoned developers have a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience that can be invaluable to any company.
Despite these issues, older developers should not feel discouraged in their job search. The reality is that there is still a high demand for top-tier developers, and employers should not overlook experienced programmers because of their age. A more mature developer can be a better value proposition for employers than someone just starting.
While there may be pressure to move into management roles as one's career progresses, it's important to remember that not every developer wants to manage people. Many opportunities are available for those passionate about programming and who enjoy the technical challenges of building top-notch software. It's all about finding the right organization that values innovation, creativity, and experience.
In a world where anyone can learn to code, it's easy to feel like youth is the only value that counts. However, a seasoned developer with decades of experience deserves to be recognized and rewarded for their skills and expertise. So don't give up on your dreams of a lucrative developer job - with hard work, dedication, and perseverance, you can find the perfect opportunity to take your career to the next level.