Advice for Older Entry-Level Programers?

jmorse asks: "My uncle recently shut down his manufacturing business and is considering entering the job market as an entry level programmer. He's done a lot of ad-hoc programming in several languages to fulfill his business' needs, but has never held a job as a programmer or software engineer. I know it's a tough time to be looking for a programming job, especially when there are so many unemployed younger people who would gladly put in long hours. What advice do slashdotters have for an older guy just getting started?"

Comments

Long-term retention in IT?

[extra88]

They generally want someone they hope to retain for a long time, and dont have to start paying retirement benefits within a small number of years.

I think "a long time" to keep an IT person is maybe five years. And if they really would like to hire someone who's more likely to stay longer, they'd be smart to hire the older guy. I guy in his early to mid-twenties is less likely to stick around. I doubt this uncle is in his late fifties or sixties so he's still got a ways to go before retirement. He's more likely to have a mortage and dependent children so stability and security will be more important to him.

As for a company paying "retirement benefits," it sounds like you're talking about a pension. I think 401k programs are more the norm for this kind of work in which the company's contribution (if there is any) ends with the employee's employment with them.

Reasons companies want to hire young people:

• They're more trainable, both in terms of actual tasks and fitting into a company's culture
  
• They work harder for less money
  
• They grew up with the technology so they have more inate talent for the work
  
• Managers don't want to hire people older than they are
  

These are just my guesses and these just stereotypes of the young and old.