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0 pointskcplate7mo ago0 comments

> Have you asked past bosses…

I am not the original commenter but I think something that younger people forget is that when you reach 2 decades or more into your career, your network starts to dry up for you. This is in addition to your skillsets and work cultural fit being suspect because of your experience and age (set in their ways, old thinking, etc…).

I have been in tech for nearly 40 years. Almost every one of my former bosses is either out of the industry, retired, or dead. My network is useless to me. If my current job ends…I won’t find another tech gig.

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sanswork7mo ago

Surely your current boss or recent colleagues aren't out of the market though.

I've been developing for over 25 years and my early bosses are almost certainly retired but I still have connections from back then in colleagues that are still wording I could reach out to. Unless you stopped interacting 40 years ago you should still have current people regardless of time in the industry.

kcplateOP7mo ago

How much do you interact with colleagues from 2000 and how much do they really know about your current capabilities? Probably nothing or minimal…”he was a helluva cobol dev back in ‘00” doesn’t sound like a valuable reference if I am a hiring manager in 2025 looking for a Rust dev.

Current colleagues and bosses would have to cycle out themselves and land elsewhere before they will be a help as a network resource.

Also, for current colleagues—-consider the case if your whole team gets RIF’d. At that point they are no longer your colleague, nor really a good network resource until they land. What they are is a competitor and a competitor likely similarly skilled as you, competing for the same roles that you are.

Your best network resources don’t currently work with you, but are secure in a gig, and someone you have worked with or for in the last 3-5 years.

sanswork7mo ago

Old connections can still be helpful even if they don't know your current skills as long as they can assess what kind of worker you are. I've personally recommended people I worked with 17 years ago because I can remember how valuable they were with no consideration given to current specific skills. I currently regularly speak with 3 people I worked with over 20 years ago and check in annually with another half dozen or so.

If you don't keep any connections with your previous colleagues then you are self limiting your career options. But the second best time to plant a tree...

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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sanswork7mo ago

Surely your current boss or recent colleagues aren't out of the market though.

kcplateOP7mo ago

Current colleagues and bosses would have to cycle out themselves and land elsewhere before they will be a help as a network resource.

Your best network resources don’t currently work with you, but are secure in a gig, and someone you have worked with or for in the last 3-5 years.

sanswork7mo ago

If you don't keep any connections with your previous colleagues then you are self limiting your career options. But the second best time to plant a tree...

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse