Whas does the career ladder from 40-60 in tech look like ? Is it a sustainable career option
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Average technical people plateau in their careers by the time they are 40-45 years old, 20-30% keep going till 55, and less than 5% make it to 65. That's my perception.
Unfortunately according to me, as you age, the IC ladder becomes more challenging. The superstars are the exceptions but for all normal ICs, it’s difficult beyond a certain YOE to show the value they add. Also getting on to new tool sets becomes difficult. Better to move to the managerial ladder. This does not hold true if you are at a place like let’s say Google where you can coast as an IC
Retired
WeRetire ?
WeFired
I think the problem is people expect compensation to keep growing with experience; and it does’nt. A 50 yr old might be equally effective in work as a 25 yr old, and spend half the time at it, but would they be happy getting the same comp?
I’m quite happy with the TC I get now compared to what I got 25 years ago when I was around 25 years old 😄
TC?
This is depressing. I try not to think about this right now
I’ll tell you a secret. You’ve got it wrong if you think aging is depressing. The cool thing is, we all do it together. BTW, Ohana 😊
Welcome to our Ohana
Can't wait to read all of the comments from ageist motherfuckers who will be complaining about this same thing in 15+ years.
If you know Cobol you might able to be employed by age 100. Just stop getting into new tech area. In JS, age 30 will be consider too old .
Silly, perhaps this is your take on sarcasm. I started learning and using JS when it was still in beta in the Netscape browser nearly 25 years ago and was an acquaintance of Brendan Eich at that time. I’m in my 50s and though I don’t currently develop much in JS now (mostly C++ and Java currently) I can easily hold my own in JS when necessary. Don’t forget, much of the technologies you use were developed well before your time and even mine. I’ve always respected the pioneers in our field and have personally thanked them when I’ve been able.
The thing is not how easy it is for you. It is , let's say you worked on js for 30 years, can you easily outperform a guy in his 20s and wrote 2 years of React.
I’m red flagged, I put words in other people’s mouths.
I don’t see myself saving 2.5 million. That’s a lot of money. My entry into well known software companies is 3 years back. Before that I was employed by small and not so popular firms. I see myself working until 65 even though my comp doesn’t keep going up. I try to keep up by learning as much as I can. All the younger kids around me are very fast learner so I take their help to learn new things.
Pretty sure your TC peaks in your early 40s, unless you breakthrough into some executive role.
I’ve over doubled my TC since my late 40s and I’m in my 50s now but I know we are in the good times. Always be prepared for the downturns.
Honestly, no one knows your age. Never write your year of graduation on your resume. I encourage everyone to do that, even the young ones so it's harder for companies to be ageist
IMO, if you haven’t made enough money to FIRE by 40-45, you’re doing something wrong. Realistically, as long as you keep your skills up to date and make an effort staying relevant, there will always be a need for experienced engineers. The hard part is making sure you keep up when people who are 10-15 years younger can pick up things faster and can dedicate more time and effort into their work.
How much money in savings/investments is needed to be FIRE at say 45?
Totally depends on where you live and how much your annual spending is. My number is 2.5 - 3 mil with a paid off house.