Too Old To Write Software? Or Just the 'Wrong Era'?

"As a manager, I don’t think age is viewed negatively until you have about 30 years in. But for developers, I do think age can have an impact on people’s perceptions.

"Keep in mind that under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), workers 40 and over cannot be arbitrarily discriminated against because of age in employment decisions, including hiring. But proving discrimination is almost impossible if a job candidate wasn’t invited to interview because of their age.

"I have written before about my past as a hiring manager, noting that when I reviewed resumes I always jumped down to the bottom to learn where the candidate went to college. As part of that quick scan, I’d naturally notice of their graduation year and do the quick math.

"In my eyes, someone with 20+ years of experience has more upside than downside. They typically have learned valuable lessons throughout their career, and their maturity makes them more accountable than younger programmers."

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