Ask HN: Does a Freelancer's Age Matter?
I am also above the 40 mark, but I think it is about how you present yourself more than anything.  What you are interested in doing etc.  There is quite a bit of agism in tech, but I find that the cultures that have it are usually the ones to avoid anyway, so it is kind of a filter for me.<p>I spent years consulting vs freelancing and the age helps when consulting.  Consultants are experts and hired for advice and a specific task usually.  Freelancers will be treated like an employee without all the benefits.  One is not equal to the other.<p>If you are going the freelancing route age&#x2F;experience can be more of a question that is hard for people to ask, so just address it early.  Usually the first opportunity to address it is in your position statement part of your cover letter.  e.g. I really enjoy staying on the technical implementation side of the equation... or something to that effect.  This lets them know where you are comfortable and either they&#x27;ll reach out if that fits or not.  But everyone does the math when they see how many years you&#x27;ve been working, it is hard not to.<p>As for your questions, at least from my point of view:<p>1. Age can increase the likelihood you&#x27;ll be overlooked, so you need to make sure your presentation on your resume and cover letter is solid.  Experiment with it too.  Although I think as a freelancer it is a little less likely to cause you grief.<p>2. Pay is based on experience most places so people may. The reality is unless you are crushing things at a large company you are probably stuck near the same pay you had 10 years ago anyway.  This is kinda typical if you stay technical and don&#x27;t move into management.<p>3. Consultants are definitely different than freelancers.  I built consulting agencies as my startups, and that was always how I sold myself.  Freelancer is a dev for hire, a consultant is an expert.  That is how I always found it, so I always avoided freelancer positions as being a consultant increased my fee by multitudes and increased how I was viewed.  You have to decide who you are and what services you are providing.<p>4.  Only if you want to, many places you can still code and not have to worry about being in management.  But mentoring junior roles will likely be expected.<p>5. I love this one.  When I interviewed 4 years back at the startup I am at now, I literally walked into a place where the average age of the team were within 2-3 years of my son.  I think it was a little more awkward for them. They are essentially interviewing someone their parents age and were probably more nervous then I was.  My personal style &amp; opinion is to disarm everyone and have a little fun with it, there is no hiding the facts, just don&#x27;t let them get in the way of the person.  Age is a number, how you approach them, how you act is far more important.