> Then there is the issue that after 40 you can't get hired unless your connected,
Well that's not been my experience on the east coast. Most developers are over 35 in certain companies: finance, defence, high-status non-profits.
Sure, there's a clusters of 20 year olds without degrees slaving away in the same vertical, but they're not in the same companies.
I think for a young person, its harder to get a job unless you have a 'hot' skill because hot skills are typically in new strategies and technologies where the hiring pool is shallow.
For an older person, your experience means that you can get a job in even a 'dead' skill. Some people work using Java 1.2, some people work using Django/Rails instead of SPA Javascript. Some people get hired solely for their ability to write competent Fortran.
I don't think you need to be well connected to have these jobs. Most of those I know who got hired into them it was due to a recruiter, and not a personal invite.
> Well the first rule in developing is 'lifestyle', I agree with you 100% that if you willing to work in a shit-hole be that east-coast or houston, or any shit-hole in USA, sure there will be a job
Did you just call an entire continental coastline a 'shit hole'? An entire coastline of 112.6 million people, dozens of cities and weather ranging from cold-temperate to near-tropical?
Well, I must say I'm surprised. I knew people liked San Fran, but I never thought I'd meet someone who loved the place so much to the point their rose coloured goggles lead them to denigrate 1/3rd of the US population.
Well that's not been my experience on the east coast. Most developers are over 35 in certain companies: finance, defence, high-status non-profits.
Sure, there's a clusters of 20 year olds without degrees slaving away in the same vertical, but they're not in the same companies.
I think for a young person, its harder to get a job unless you have a 'hot' skill because hot skills are typically in new strategies and technologies where the hiring pool is shallow.
For an older person, your experience means that you can get a job in even a 'dead' skill. Some people work using Java 1.2, some people work using Django/Rails instead of SPA Javascript. Some people get hired solely for their ability to write competent Fortran.
I don't think you need to be well connected to have these jobs. Most of those I know who got hired into them it was due to a recruiter, and not a personal invite.