From punch cards to the cloud: How to stay in demand in Tech at any age

In a world where technology is advancing at the speed of light, and start-ups have barely finished school, finding a job in Tech after 60 seems like something out of the realm of fantasy. However, the experience of Sergey Vyatkin , senior software engineer at the American company Moody’s Corporation, proves that in programming, age is just a number in a variable.

From Soviet satellites to American clouds

Sergey’s career began back in the USSR, when personal computers were the size of refrigerators. His first task was to receive satellite data from an American satellite. From working with space technologies to modern cloud services is a journey of 40 years. Sergey has worked for such companies as TuneIn Internet radio, General Electric and Bank of America.

In 2000, Sergei decided to conquer the American Tech industry. The timing, to put it bluntly, was not the best: the dot-com crisis was just around the corner. Sergey arrived with his family: a pregnant wife, a young son, and a green card in his pocket. They lived at a friend’s house for the first time, then moved to Oakland, California.

In 20 years in the US, Sergey has lived through three major crises: the dot-com crash (2000–2003), the financial crisis (2008–2010) and the current recession. Each time he had to adapt and find new ways of doing things.

The last time Sergei looked for a job for 10 months at the age of 63. The statistics are impressive: 640 resumes sent, 60 companies responded, 20 final stages of interviews, and 1 offer. On average it came out to 70 responses per month, 20 per week, 3–5 applications per day. Does it sound like job searching is a full time job? It is.

Age discrimination: myth or reality?

Contrary to expectations, Sergei did not encounter obvious ageism. At the recruitment stage and when talking to the hiring manager, age is not paid attention to. However, there is a nuance — team fit. If the team consists of guys under 30, the chances of finding a common language are significantly reduced because of the difference in approaches to solving problems.

Despite outward confirmation of ageism from recruiters and hiring managers, Sergei was still worried about his age and tried to hide it.

Disguise in the white man’s way

For the online interview, Sergei used an old webcam with low resolution. This created a slight blurred effect, which helped to hide some of the signs of age, such as wrinkles on his neck. He also tinted his beard brown, covering up the gray hair. Sergei believed that such small tricks would help him create a more youthful image during video interviews. In fact, however, it did not play any role, because even without it he successfully passed the interviews.

Secrets of a successful job search after 60

So what will actually help candidates find a job?

1. Study, study and study again!

Every 2–3 years, master a new technology. Sergey went from working with mainframes and assembler in the 80s to modern cloud technologies and data streaming. He emphasizes that once you master something new, the next job can already be sought with that updated skill. Given that the life cycle in a company is usually 2–3 years, this allows you to always remain a sought-after specialist.

2. Summary: less dates, more skills

Sergey advises focusing on the experience of the last 10–15 years. You should not state in your resume what you did 40 years ago. He even allows small adjustments to dates, such as the year of graduation, explaining that this is a typo, in case someone pays attention. Or simply hide the year of graduation. The main thing is to emphasize relevant skills and experience with modern technology.

3. Legacy could be a trump card

Experience of working with legacy systems can be a key advantage. Sergey believes that he was hired for his current position largely due to his experience of working with legacy systems in corporations. The ability to work with old code and translate it into new technologies is especially valued in large companies that are modernizing their systems.

5. Additional projects

Sergey has worked part-time on AI training projects that pay 40 to 45 dollars an hour. He mentions companies like Data Annotation and Outlier AI that offer such work. It’s not a lot of money for California, but it allows you to not only earn extra income, but also stay up to date on the latest technologies. You can work as long as time allows. So don’t be squeamish about a job that isn’t the most attractive if it helps you learn something new.

6. Support networking

In the Russian-speaking Tech community in the United States, it is important to keep in touch and help each other. Sergey notes that when he put his “Open to Work” status on LinkedIn, several former colleagues contacted him, offering recommendations and insider information about job openings.

7. Open to Work? Open to All!

A green “Open to Work” badge on LinkedIn can attract the attention of recruiters. Sergei says that thanks to this he has consistently had recruiters write to him about once a week. This helps not only in communicating with recruiters, but also in networking in general.

8. Prepare for the marathon

Nowadays, job interviews often include several rounds of technical interviews. Sergey tells us that it is now normal practice to conduct two coding interviews in a row. Be prepared to solve problems and communicate with several interviewers.

9. Crisis is not a judgment

All crises, be it the dot-com crash of 2000–2003, the financial crisis of 2008–2010 or the current recession, eventually pass. The main thing is to keep your hands up and keep looking, even if the market seems unfavorable.

From Senior to Super Senior

Sergey’s experience shows that in IT, age can be an advantage if it is presented in the right way. Deep knowledge, experience of working with legacy systems, the ability to adapt to new technologies — all this makes “age” developers valuable specialists.

Sergey emphasizes: if you have to look for a job, you just have to look for it, without complexing or thinking too much. In a world where technology changes every day, experience and wisdom can be no less valuable than youth and energy. The main thing is not to stop learning and not to be afraid of new challenges. Even if you are over 60, there is always room for another super-senior in IT.

To view the full video interview with Sergey Vyatkin, please visit https://youtu.be/cSWMzqT-TcE