Why I left my tech job to work on chronic pain

I was just talking to a friend of mine, yesterday, about what happened to me.

In 2017, I was laid off of my job (of almost 27 years). I immediately started looking for work. Since the company I worked for, was a marquee-name company, I assumed that it wouldn't be hard.

Boy, was I in for a shock.

I almost immediately learned that no one in tech, is interested in hiring a 55-year-old, regardless of their pedigree. I could have gotten a job, but those companies made it clear that I would be treated quite badly.

So I made the decision to just throw in the towel and retire. I had the means, but I would have liked to have at least another ten years of salary. I have never had any intentions of stopping working, though. I love developing software. It's a hobby and a personal passion; not just a job.

I was really pissed off at the treatment. I suffered great butthurt.

But in the long run, it's the best thing that ever happened to me. I never realized how much stress I was under, while working. I sincerely believe that, if I had kept working, it would have killed me. I have no intentions of returning to the rodent rally; even though I'm quite good at what I do, thanks to all the learning that I've done, in the last eight years.

I now work every day (my GH Activity Graph is quite green), and do a fairly good job on my chosen projects, but I no longer feel that awful weight on my soul.

Sometimes, the only way that we learn how much pain we are in, is to stop suffering it for a while.

As someone who will, eventually, hit that age, I would love to hear more about that treatment?

My own impression is that the software industry is one of the industries where experience and qualifications are completely divorced.

So from my perspective one is really always back at square 0 when looking for jobs - including the need to prove oneself and stay humble.

Well, I found that independent recruiters were the worst. They all ghosted me. A couple actually hung up on me, as soon as they learned my age. In-house recruiters and managers were much better, but the interview process generally derailed, as soon as one single tecchie got involved.

I actually had one refuse to look at my [extensive] code portfolio, because "I probably faked it." One of the luxuries that I had, which I am eternally grateful for, is that I don't have to eat shit.

If reacting badly to that kind of treatment is "not humble," then guilty as charged.

I should add that I am a high school dropout, with a GED, and no matriculated education. Despite that, I ran a "skunkworks" team, employing some very good engineers, and was kept on by a very demanding Japanese corporation, where I was given an insane level of trust.

I'm pretty used to having to prove myself. I've spent almost my entire career, looking up noses. Someone with my background won't make it far, unless I know how to work well with un-humble people, and deliver the goods. I never was given much latitude. I wasn't really allowed to fail.

>> I almost immediately learned that no one in tech, is interested in hiring a 55-year-old, regardless of their pedigree.

My comment is off topic but I have to chime in: while I'm sad to hear of your bad luck, this is YOUR experience, and it is not universal.

At 54, I got my highest paying job ever in tech after being walked out of a "marquee-name" company after 24 years. This was three years ago. There is a tremendous need for senior engineers in smaller companies. The main reason is that all the A+ engineers (clearly I am not one!) have retired from decades of fat equity compensation, and those of us at the B+ level (or me who financially screwed up) are actually now a rare commodity.

So hang in there, greyhairs are still valuable to smaller companies.

Fair point.

I should say that I wasn't particularly interested in a "good-paying" job. I was set, already.

I wanted something that I found interesting.

The places that would hire me, had crappy work.

The places with the interesting work, had no interest in hiring me. Saying that it's because oldtimers are expensive, is a red herring. I would have happily taken half of what they pay people with half my expertise.

In any case, it's all good, now. I have no interest in returning to work. I'm having way too much fun, working harder than I ever did, without managers pissing all over my work.