Most high-tech employers would likely deny that age discrimination is an issue at their companies. But many IT workers over 50 beg to differ, saying they have experienced age bias or know someone who has.

The bias can take several forms, they say. Their salaries might stagnate. They might have few or no opportunities for advancement. They might not be included in training and professional development programs. And they might be the first to be laid off and the last to be hired.

As a result, they may be hit harder by the recession. According to recent U.S. government data, unemployment rates for older IT professionals have increased more quickly than the rates for younger tech workers since the recession began some three years ago.

All of that can add up to a tough road for older people in high tech.

Age bias is "something that no [employer] talks about. But it's a reality in tech that if you're 45 years of age and still writing C code or Cobol code and making $150,000 a year, the likelihood is that you won't be employed very long," says Vivek Wadhwa, who currently holds academic positions at several universities, including UC Berkeley, Duke and Harvard.

As Wadhwa's observation indicates, "age bias" is a simplistic label for a complicated set of factors that influence the job prospects for senior tech employees. When considering workers over the age of 50, employers take the following factors into account:

    The relevance, applicability and currency of their skills, which may or may not be up to par with those of younger employees.
    The level of compensation they expect, which is typically higher than the salaries younger people seek.
    Their behaviors and attitudes, which can become rigid and narrow-minded with age.
    Their energy level, which is presumed to be lower than that of a 25-year-old.

While none of these generalizations is necessarily true for any particular candidate, each is a stereotypical assumption about older workers. What's more, they are all logical and legal reasons for an employer to fire, or not hire, someone.


http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/358761/IT_s_age_problem

50 years old is too high, try 30-35. Even with your experience you are expected to have peaked at some managerial position in your chosen IT career - else the young guns will come in cheap, single and with all the new tech knowledge and skills. they will work all night and all day without sleep and really make Mgt wonder why they are paying you soo much to go home early when they have an IT slave

lagerwhenindoubt:

50 years old is too high, try 30-35. Even with your experience you are expected to have peaked at some managerial position in your chosen IT career - else the young guns will come in cheap, single and with all the new tech knowledge and skills. they will work all night and all day without sleep and really make Mgt wonder why they are paying you soo much to go home early when they have an IT slave

You made a good point sir. . .That's why at some point in time (as early as possible), one needs to start working towards that managerial role. . .

I happen to be working with a guy who is 51 years old. He claims he hasn't experienced any discrimination based on age. He presents his credentials and it is up to the company to decide whether or not to hire him. Of course, per unwritten work rules, we have never discussed salary.

Based on my experience working with him, I will say the following:

1) At least in web dev, job roles stagnate at usually the senior level

2) Even if a managerial position is available, I personally wouldn't take it as, if you lose your job, it is harder to explain what you do as a manager (besides, do we really need that many?) as opposed to explaining what you do as a web developer

3) The key is to continue to remain marketable. How do you do that? Keep on reading.

What is my advice to myself (locale-dependent of course)?
Remain marketable but don't count on current global trends to ensure my job availability in the next 30 years. I need to not get comfortable and continue seeking the next opportunity, even if it isn't in my core competency areas, including making a complete 360 switch of careers, if I need to.

Education and skill training cannot be substituted for anything. The need to continuously improve yourself is vital to development and growth.

Reminds me of the lecturers in the computer science dept of my alma mater. I used to pity them cos the students they are teaching know more about the courses than the lecturers.

This post is true oo. At my former place of work, the head of IT is just a figure head and his job is almost being taken over by a young guy who has than 3yrs experience. In all important meeting, the young guy is always invited by the MD. In fact, the so called head does not manage the guy any longer b/c d MD perfers dealing with d young chap.
Unfortunatly for d head of IT, the guy engineer is on d fast lane and the former is not studying to catch up and retain his position or move forward.
I have talked to him but he wouldnt hear/ see danger roaming.

Basics007:

Reminds me of the lecturers in the computer science dept of my alma mater. I used to pity them cos the students they are teaching know more about the courses than the lecturers.

Correct