Re: where do old programmers go?

Vaughn Treude
----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Schwartz
To: Main PLUG discussion list
Cc: Mike L Schwartz
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 2:27 PM
Subject: Re: where do old programmers go?

  On 1/23/07, Josh Coffman <josh_coffman@yahoo.com> wrote:
    Hi,

        I'm a programmer, and i'd like to know where old programmers go. I'm wondering because I don't see a lot of 55+ programmers and I want to be prepared for the future.
    Some might say I'm still young (30's), but now is probably the time to plan for the next 20-30 years of my career. 

        Does everyone get sucked into management, quit IT, or find quiet jobs in the corner where no one notices?

        btw, no offense to anyone. old programmer and being old are not the same thing.

    -j
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  If you are in your 30s now, then I would agree that the future is 
  light years away, both in terms of being hard to predict, and
  in the fact that, many of the changes could turn out to be 
  ((not only "numerous", but also)) surprising.
     Speaking as someone who moved to AZ in the 70s (when
  I was in my 20's) I am still working in the software field
  (embedded SW used for Avionics), even though I did lose 
  a job in '05, and was between jobs for a while, and some of
  my friends were surprised that (being over 55), I was able to
  find one without having to switch fields and become a nurse
  or a CPA, or a pharmaceutical sales rep., or... 
     Feel free to write to me off line, but I have a feeling that
  the next 30 years might be quite different from the last 30, 
  [so] "YMMV", big time.
  PS:  Starting in the 70's, I have invested in real estate 
  as well as in stuff like stocks & bonds.  I have a lot
  to be thankful for.
     Best wishes, from
  -- 
  Mike Schwartz    
  Glendale  AZ 
  schwartz@acm.org
  Mike.L.Schwartz@gmail.com 

Josh,
I'm a little younger than Mike, and moved to AZ about 10 years later, but I've also been able to stay in the tech field. I went the route of being an independent consultant, which has had some lean times but has been a much more interesting and satisfying route. I was once at the same company for 7 years, and I thought I would die of boredom. The only problem with the independent life is the high cost of health insurance, which I've solved by having a wife who works for a large company. :-) (If I was not married, I would probably have health savings account and major medical only.) Unfortunately, I did not invest in real estate, but put my money in the bank - bad move, in retrospect. Consulting's something that's best approached when you have a few years of experience under your belt, but it's nice to start thinking about it early. If you're interested, I'm involved in the Phoenix Area Consultants Network, ieeepacn.com.


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Vaughn

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