Ask HN: CS, still a good career in 3-5 years?

Re:Ask HN: CS, still a good career in 3-5 years? by trashface on Tuesday December 17, 2019 @11:05PM (#21821669)

Age discrimination is real. If you choose a programming career and don't enter management, then when you are 40+ you might find that you have trouble getting hired for a decent paying job, even if the industry otherwise appears to be booming. When I was studying CS 25 years ago I didn't even think about the age problem. Even if I had, it would not have seemed real at that time, but its real now.

That said, I don't know what else is a good career now. Perhaps primary care physician. I understand there is a shortage of them, but it's also the least paid medical profession. On the other hand, in the future few people may be able to afford most specialists. I already avoid going to them due to high copays.

Generally it seems like the US employment situation is getting less stable over time. But I admit my outlook is rather pessimistic.

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Re:Ask HN: CS, still a good career in 3-5 years? by 2rsf on Wednesday December 18, 2019 @07:17AM (#21824070)

> when you are 40+ you might find that you have trouble getting hired for a decent paying job

I am surrounded by talented people over 40, none of whom had problems finding a decently paying job.

I am aware that there's some level of survivor bias here, bad or mediocre developers have dropped along the way.

To be fair those developers tend to work anyway in places that pays less and on not top-of-the-line products.

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Re:Ask HN: CS, still a good career in 3-5 years? by watt3rpig on Wednesday December 18, 2019 @11:44AM (#21826663)

There is an artificial shortage of physicians. The number of people that graduate from medical school >> than the number of residency slots.

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