I do program every now and then in my spare time, but not to the extent the original commenter does in his spare time.
Interview wise i am doing fine, albeit not for FAANG type roles.
Basic human nature.
TBH, they have a point. I was a manager for many years, and know BS when I smell it. I had a management style that involved a lot of self-reflection and intimate feedback loops with my employees, but I also managed very experienced engineers that all knew more than I did, so treating them with respect, and listening to their counsel, became second nature. It wouldn't have bothered me a bit to have employees that used to be managers, as long as they were good engineers.
Not sure that most managers, these days, operate that way.
I just gave up looking for work, and am working with some folks on a nonprofit startup. It's great. best decision I ever made.
A career path back to coding just does not exist within the industry. Of course freelancing and founding your own company may be options but in a regular company hierarchy - no way in my experience.
I'd love to be proven wrong of course and I'd love to hear stories to the contrary.