The 50 year old programmer

[NigelJK]

Rubber ducking = Cardboard cut out. One of the few terms coined by ICL.

[pr1]

When I've recruited programmers (both graduate and experienced) in the past, I've tended to favour those who've done well in rigorous maths degrees.
They've always been far better at programming than their less numerate counterparts.

By any chance did you do well in a rigorous maths degree? It's common to have a "similar to me" bias when interviewing

[nomadd]

Working from home is the answer to all the issues in this thread.
In What other career can someone in their elder years work from home earning tuliploads of cash.?
Make it so.

When you consider the enormous size of most Contractor Mansions, it can be a lonely experience working from home. We can only spend so much of the day staring out across the grounds watching the deer grazing... And the servants (permies) provide no real intellectual conversation, no matter how hard one tries.

No, the Range Rover must be started and driven into the City once in awhile, or one simply goes mad.

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

When you consider the enormous size of most Contractor Mansions, it can be a lonely experience working from home. We can only spend so much of the day staring out across the grounds watching the deer grazing... And the servants (permies) provide no real intellectual conversation, no matter how hard one tries.

No, the Range Rover must be started and one must be driven, by the chauffeur, into the City once in awhile, or one simply goes mad.

[sasguru]

By any chance did you do well in a rigorous maths degree? It's common to have a "similar to me" bias when interviewing

Non sequitur. I rest my case.

[Chuck]

This thread has particularly interesting timing for me.

I was 50 yesterday. I absolutely dread the idea of carrying on in this lark for much longer. I have completely failed to keep up with the latest fashions in technology and feel more like a dinosaur every day. Luckily, my current contract expires at the end of June. Given my ageing skill set, I suspect this may be my last ever role in IT.

I am both delighted, and nervous at the same time.

I've got a few years of war chest put away, so money is no immediate problem. Got a couple of houses, and can sell either and live the rest of my life comfortably.

If all pans out as it seems to be at the moment, I should enjoy a lovely summer off, and will then have to work out what to do with the rest of my life. That is the next challenge as I haven't got a clue.

[BlasterBates]

I suspect this may be my last ever role in IT.

I very much doubt that, 50 is nothing.

[Lockhouse]

I very much doubt that, 50 is nothing.

I'm certainly surprised how old everyone is (myself included).

[Fronttoback]

By any chance did you do well in a rigorous maths degree? It's common to have a "similar to me" bias when interviewing

No, he's just impressed by anybody that can understand probability. He's blinded by science!

Bluffers always hire apparently "smart" people to hide behind.

I have a mental image of assguru as Alan Partridge.

[sasguru]

No, he's just impressed by anybody that can understand probability. He's blinded by science!

Bluffers always hire apparently "smart" people to hide behind.

I have a mental image of assguru as Alan Partridge.

And yet, and yet... I'm the one doing cutting edge work from home while you commute to your miserable, high stress, code maintenance role for a lot less money.
Wake up, smell the coffee, switch on.