Contractors over 40

**BlasterBates** · 24 February 2006, 09:51

40 is not a problem anymore; it used to be, but now everone else is 40, it don't matter.

**Antman** · 24 February 2006, 10:08

I got asked my age for my present code-monkey role and the Ducth PM who was interviewing me said "ah, vell as long as you are not over ze forty".

And at one of my last permie gigs a contractor friend confided that he has been obliged to accept roles further away from his home than he would usually like since he turned 40.

I'm 35 but it I'd also be interested to hear in people's experiences because it's a pretty major factor in influencing career decisions

**sasguru** · 24 February 2006, 10:12

Originally posted by Francko

So, as the big day is approaching faster and faster and I am still resting in the limbo area of permiedom but ready to shut the door back at the first good chance, I am just wondering what's the experience of people who are well over 40 regarding contracting. Did you experience it was a lot harder? Have you been rejected because of your age at many contracts? Did you have the chance to do team leading/management or you were not considered by the idiotic HR as did not have enough "career progression" to their eyes?

Would be happy to hear from veterans experience.

I'm not yet 40 but my advice is become a manager asap. Then you get your own office and can surf all day. Plus the pension, health care etc. become more attractive. Plus in the right role, the money is equivalent to contracting.

Also when you are closing on 40, your enthusiasm for development will wane.
Your best role is to use your experience to guide the talented younger guys in the right direction using your vast experience.

Downside is the need to cope with politics.

**tim123** · 24 February 2006, 10:20

Yeh,

End of the world isn't it.

I once worked with a contractor who was 62, he was crap (because he just was, not because he was 62).

tim

**Francko** · 24 February 2006, 10:22

Originally posted by sasguru

[..]
Downside is the need to cope with politics.

A big downside.... I get depressed thinking that I have to spend the next 15 years as a muppet....

And the money is not that much anyway, unless you go to very senior management. In some good technical permie roles you can achieve 100k or go very close, the not so senior managers are not a lot more than that and plus they have to act as muppets, blend when senior managers are around and be an assholes with the people below... ah and also deskill yourself completely so that you won't be able to leave the company anymore. All of that for a few extra quid a month? No, thanks.

**partimer** · 24 February 2006, 10:31

dot con era

It depends on the customer's organisation. If there is a right mix and balance of ages then getting hired is not a problem. I refer you to the dot con boom era. You had start ups with 20 year olds as directors and decision makers. They would never hire anybody older than themselves and we all know what happened there.

Young people tend to look at older people as "past it" and dinosaurs. Unable to learn new tricks, etc. Not saying it's right or wrong. The hirer could either see you as a voice of experience (which is what you're trying to show) or as a relic of the punch card days.

It's how you sell yourself.
Also I agree with the others. You don't see many old coders because by that time you'll hate it

**threaded** · 24 February 2006, 10:37

Contracting still seems really quite bouyant to me and I'm well over 40.

**sasguru** · 24 February 2006, 10:40

Originally posted by Francko

A big downside.... I get depressed thinking that I have to spend the next 15 years as a muppet....

And the money is not that much anyway, unless you go to very senior management. In some good technical permie roles you can achieve 100k or go very close, the not so senior managers are not a lot more than that and plus they have to act as muppets, blend when senior managers are around and be an assholes with the people below... ah and also deskill yourself completely so that you won't be able to leave the company anymore. All of that for a few extra quid a month? No, thanks.

None of that description above is my experience. I report directly to the IT Director and regard my staff as equals. I also stay quite hands on. Mind you I'm not really doing IT but business analytics. Moneywise I think I'm vastly overpaid for what I do, i.e. it's an excellent money to stress ratio

The politics comes in when you're fighting for budget to fund your pet projects.

**ChimpMaster** · 24 February 2006, 10:42

By 40 you should be retired.

Or at least have the option to retire if you would like to.

Contractors over 40