Good choices you should make as a Software Engineer to survive at 40 !
Software Engineers are more in demand than ever before. There is no doubt that this is an excellent field of work when you’re in your 20’s or 30’s. But would it be all peaches and roses if you’re older? Is software development really a dead-end job? Does it really have to be that way?
This profession can be really hard on people who are reaching their forties and beyond, and most developers worry about their age limiting their career options. I, myself have encountered the realities of being in software engineer; and having passed 40 in an industry that is evolving rapidly, certain career choices and skills helped me reach where I am today. I would like to think that I have been pretty successful in my career thus far and I hope that this article would help you overcome the fear of age limit of being a Software Engineer and remain a compelling candidate in the future.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now” — Chinese Proverb
So, here are some things to consider if you are starting your career or midway into your career…
Imagine yourself a being a 40-year-old software engineer/senior software engineer. Yes, this is fine as long as you are happy with where you are in your career, and the company is happy to keep you as a programmer till you are 55 and retire. But circumstances don’t always remain the same. Technologies change and evolve, management change and suddenly you are not needed anymore. And there is a younger, faster version of you cutting code like a bat out of hell, and you have to start looking out for yourself and try to keep up. To be quite frank, employers are skeptical when it comes to hiring a 40 year of Software Engineer/Senior Software Engineer and their immediate question would be “What have you been doing all this time? Haven’t you improved? Gone up the ladder? What was the hold up? Do you really have the experience that you claim to have?
The IT industry is getting old, as are the IT guys. When you start your career as a Software Engineer, where do you see yourself as you grow old with the industry? As a Tech Lead? An Architect? Yes, that sounds wonderful. But unfortunately, not everyone is going to be a tech lead or an Architect, nor have the capacity to be so. So where do you fit in? What will make you so unique and stand out that a company is willing to keep you employed when you reach 40? Or, should you have done something differently when you started your career?
I have interviewed and worked with many Software Engineers who are older than me. So, here are some pointers based on their experiences, and those of myself and some of my colleagues that would help the younger generation on what is needed to survive and be successful in the IT industry.
Where to start?
“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly, you are doing the impossible” — Francis of Assisi
Sometimes, the first job & the entry-level job necessary to kick-start your career, matters!. Coming fresh out of the university and thinking you are the best in the world, and suddenly realizing that you are not that great is quite a shock. If your first job will only give you their brand name and they do not give you any experience or training on how to survive in the industry, will have negative consequences by the time you reach your 40’s. I was also given the same opportunity; to either join a branded company or a small company which will actually give an exposure to all aspects of software development. However, this doesn’t mean all well-known companies don’t provide good exposure. It’s a generalization of the industry as whole. Therefore, do your background work and target a company that will give you exposure to development, client interaction, quality & testing, devOps and everything in between. Target what is necessary at the start. These carry a lot more weight in making your career by the time you reach 40. For some, it has helped identify what they are really good at.
Don’t rely on technology
“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways” — Robert Greene
Clipper. Wondering what it is? It’s a programming language introduced in the late 80’s which was quite popular at the time. Unfortunately, those who had made a career out of it lived a very short one. Technologies come and go. Therefore, this will not be your unique selling point. Your main skill should be faster technology adaptation and not the technology itself. Problem solving skills, critical thinking and analysis, leadership, innovation, creativity; these are some of the skills that have helped me define my career 20 years back and it will be the same in another 20 years in to the future.
Getting stuck/Money trap
“Chase your passions & money will come. Chase money & you may never find your passions” — Colin wright.
Here’s a huge lump of cash! Be careful what you are getting yourself into. Most companies offer extraordinary salaries and offers you can’t resist at the start of your career. If you stay with the company forever and have given increments, all is fine. But the reality is not that. You get into a money trap where you are made immobile since the salary is way too high for the position offered. If you get stuck with a company who does not really care about your career growth, the effect can be quite disastrous for your career. Short gains are just that. Very short. So, learn to balance it out. (Don’t always settle for the highest one).
Career building
“It is not titles that honor men, but the men that honor titles” — Niccolo Machiavelli
“If the work is getting done, I am getting paid, why do anyone care about my career development?” Unfortunately, you start caring when you are getting closer to 40. But it will be a too late. Technically, most engineers are very good, but the skill required at the titles are not up to the expectation. For example, effective communication is one of the main bottlenecks for most individuals. Even when we interview engineers, we are experiencing the effect of these a lot more often now compared to how it was 5 years ago. More titles but couldn’t match it and too old to go back and re-learn.
Then again, it’s a choice that you make. This profession can be hard on some people who are above 40. But whether it is a dead-end job or not totally depends on your skills, how flexible you are and your career goals. I hope this article provided you some guidance and knowledge of what you should expect from your career as a Software Engineer and armed you with some tools to perform well and have a successful career! Thanks for reading!
“Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you have made. If you want a different result, make a different choice”
