What do you feel when you come into a restaurant and you see waiters who are in their forties or even fifties? I always feel the service will be good. And I can’t remember a situation when it appeared to be different. I think, hey, they probably work on that position for years already. They probably like it – in other case they would leave it. They want it or not the experience standing behind them is huge. They had to deal with all sorts of customers, different chefs and wide range of uncommon situations.
That’s why I expect they won’t give me a shit that these are wild mushrooms when I clearly see champignons. I expect a nod will be enough to get another beer. I expect they won’t see a chance to use yesterday’s leavings when I ask which meal they recommend.
On the other hand a waiter in general is considered as a role for young person, something temporary until a better job is found. The role which doesn’t require much experience or specific knowledge.
OK, now change “waiter” with “developer,” “meal” with “code” and “chef” with “project manager.” The story still works well. Surprise? It shouldn’t be anyway.
When I see an active developer, who is in his forties it does mean there’s something valuable out there. Or at least there should be. I can’t think of any of older developers I know who isn’t a real specialist in some area. I can name many projects or products where I’d prefer an older developer over a youngster if given a choice. Unfortunately it’s hard to find one. That’s why they’re even more valuable.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting comparison, Pawel!
But from my experience with waiters I would say that not all experienced ones are good ones. Sometimes older waiters are people who just haven’t found a better job all those years and they really hate to do it. They hate the clients who make them work, they hate everything about their job. They just do it because they cannot find another job.
Maybe it’s the same with some older developers – they are capricious, they are old-fashioned, they are tired. They cannot work as the others, they cannot party as the others, sometimes they just don’t fit the team.
I think I’m an old one for our profession and although I am a project manager I still write code sometimes. I know what is the value of my experience and I value the experience of the others. I just want to focus your attention on some possible drawbacks of hiring older developers – it’s not only about them – it’s about the team and how they fit into it.
Mike
OK, I agree you can find waiters, who haven’t found better job and that’s only reason why they stuck with the job during all these years, but I guess those are rather rare examples.
Developers are different in that area. It’s hard to keep connection with all the fresh blood coming to the team straight from universities. Unless you keep your ability to learn on high level and exploit your experience you’ll quickly end up as unemployed developer with no chances to another job. I’ve seen former developers who ended up as technical writers, because they wasn’t able to keep the track. And one more thing – you won’t hire a developer who was poor during an interview only because he looks experienced, right? He needs to convince you he’s a worthy candidate first, right?
I think you’ve left the most important thing to the very end. It’s all about how they fit in the team. Yes. One of drawbacks of hiring people with long-time experience is lack or limited possibilities to form them to be a part of the team. Along with their experience they bring all their habits which are really hard to change. But hey, you can always try to measure all the pluses an minuses of every candidate.
Pawel,
I like the way you think. It’s nice having such a conversation.
Mike
I think you are biased against senior people. It is fair to say a person must get a job on merit, but to say that “Along with their experience they bring all their habits which are really hard to change” indicates your own mindset.
Like skills people must be assessed for habits each on his own merit young or old. That is the point I will like to make.
Balwant
sharma_br@rediffmail.com
Actually reading the post one could risk a thesis that I’m biased in favor of experienced people, not against them. “I’d prefer an older developer over a youngster if given a choice.”
A remark about habits brought along with experience is general. The older we are the more habits we have and the less we are willing to change them. That’s not bias, that’s general observation.
Leaving professional area aside, look at your habits when you was 20 and your grandparents at the same time. I guess it was you who was much more flexible when you consider character, lifestyle, attitude etc. People changes that way and it certainly has some influence on their environment, workplace included. Sure, you can find exceptions from the rule, but still these are only exceptions.
As a manger I just consider above facts when thinking how people would suit to the team. That’s of course only one of points I look at, definitely not the most important one.
By the way, if I pointed other things I consider as decision-drivers when hiring I would have brought stronger accusations than above. Anyway, I still think I’m fair with recruitment. It wouldn’t be very wise to choose worse people over better ones only because some vague non-merits criteria.