In my ten years as a software engineer, I’ve discovered a bizarre trend that smooth projects often get less recognition than chaotic ones. It may be due to a perception that it must have been an easy project if it was so smooth. On the other hand, projects with multiple day follows, dramatic reverts, etc get a ton more visibility. Have others seen this on their organization?

I'm job searching again due to being laid off after a long tenure. I have 8 YOE and a modern stack, but I never finished my degree. Recruiters are reaching out, but my cold applications get zero traction. I'm seeing that CS degrees are required everywhere now. Is finishing my degree a smart move to help me get past these automated filters, or is it a waste of time at my level?

Ageism sucks. And I see older folks constantly subjected to it. But let's be clear, ageism isn't *just* towards older people. A common occurance is older people trying to pull rank on younger developers, even when the younger devs are clearly more qualified. It seems the more meaningful distinction is not age or years of experience - but whether or not you care about your work, and have continued to refine your taste and explore new ideas. Maybe we need a new metric: "Years of new experience".

Final-year Software Engineering student based in Perth, WA, actively applying for internships. Would love any advice from engineers on what companies look for in junior/intern candidates — especially for AI or software dev roles. Also curious what the Perth tech scene is like for new grads!

Is anyone else nervous about getting pushed out of tech as you age? I love software engineering and can’t imagine doing anything else, but I worry the industry won't love me back in ten or fifteen years. Is this a realistic fear, or is it just standard mid-career anxiety?