From: alan@unisql.UUCP (Alan Weiss)
Newsgroups: misc.jobs.misc
Subject: Re: Where do old programmers go?
Date: 22 Jul 92 20:28:35 GMT
Reply-To: alan@unisql.UUCP (Alan Weiss)
Distribution: usa
Organization: UniSQL, Inc., Austin, Texas, USA

In article <BrsvID.9qD@csn.org> jrblack@teal.csn.org (Roger Black) writes:
>
>In article <1992Jul17.023654.29234@unlv.edu> Lee Whitney (whitney@unlv.edu)
>writes:
>
>> Where do programmers go when they turn 35?  When I was introduced to
>> the teams for some major products on the market, the average age
>> seemed to be less than 30.  Beyond that, there seemed to few 'older'
>> people at most other positions in the companies too.  
>
>That's because they get weeded out by smartass young managers who
>equate "over 35" with "over the hill".  You can't sue for age
>discrimination until you're over 40; and if they want to get rid of
>you, you'll never last that long.
>
>> I am somewhat
>> concerned that after 10 years in this industry I will magically
>> disappear.
>
>Quite likely.  Plan on a major career change between 35 and 40, unless
>you work for a company that values experience over pliability.  (Such
>companies seem to be rarer than hen's teeth, but there are at least a 
>few of them out there.)


I believe that you are correct:  old programmers who don't firmly
embed themselves in management either have to learn the latest
new tricks (X windows, MS-windows, OO, rpc, whatever's hot *NOW*)
or get a new life.  Literally.

However, its worse than that:  all of American industry is going
through a dramatic triage of cutting multiple layers of so-called
"management fat" from their org charts.  Often this takes the form
of cutting out first-line managers (i.e. now they are "Technical Leads"
who in fact have to try and do TWO jobs in half the time).
Sometimes this organizational flattening occurs at higher levels,
effectively cutting the heart out of a career ladder.  There is
no where *to* go.  Sometimes its "redeployment", whereby you are
asked to go back to doing what you were 10 years ago, because
that is "productive" (this especially happens in sales and marketing,
but also in so-called "service groups" like QA and MIS -- back to
hacking).

Myself, I am 33 years old, have been managing for about 6 years or
so, and work in a small company where managers are expected to
be full time managers AND hands-on contributors.  Actually, I should
be grateful, because I can keep my skills sharp (and learn new ones)
for the future.  But I see no growth potential in management anymore,
unless I become completely ruthless and kill off my peer group
systematically.  Which sucks, and unethical, and I just won't do it.

The other alternative is to go into business for myself.  Or,
stick it out.

So, who ARE the really excellent firms that, in the words of
Harold Geneen, late of ITT, "let managers manage?"  Who values
good management above short-term goals?

 Alan R. Weiss                  #include <std_disclaimer.h>
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