The IT industry hears that “IT engineers have age limits” and “there are no freelance projects after the age of 45”.
For those who want to become a freelance engineer, there are many anxieties and doubts about how “age” affects when looking for a job or job.
In this article, freelance engineers investigated the reality of “age”, such as “how old can I aim for?” And “how old can I continue?”
table of contents
- 1. Freelance engineer age survey
- 2. Is there an age limit for freelance engineers?
- 3. [By age group] Advantages and disadvantages of freelance engineers
- 4. [By age group] How to play an active role as a freelance engineer
- 5. Freelance engineers have no age limit!
- 6. I don’t know the age limit! Benefits of using crowdsourcing and agents
- 7. Summary
1. Freelance engineer age survey
Let’s check the age at which freelance engineers are active based on the survey contents.
1.1 Most freelancers are in their 30s and 40s
The survey results from the two data are as follows.
According to the “Freelance Survey 2018 Results” provided by Lancers, more than half of all freelancers are in their 40s or older .
Among them, the IT / creative freelance population is the fourth largest, and it was found that 810,000 people are working as freelance engineers.
Source:Â Freelance fact-finding 2018 Lancers
According to the “Freelance White Paper 2019,” in which a quarter of the survey subjects are IT engineers, more than 70% of the respondents are in their 30s and 40s .
Survey target: Freelance in general (corporate managers, sole proprietors, crevice workers)
Source:Â Freelance White Paper 2019
2. Is there an age limit for freelance engineers?
According to the survey results in 1. , many freelancers in their 40s and above are active.
However, since IT engineers have a deep-rooted view that it becomes difficult to get a job as a freelancer as they get older , such as the “35-year-old retirement age theory”, questions and anxieties about the “age limit” are raised. It seems that there are many people who hold it.
In this chapter, I would like to share my views on the main content of some of the questions about the age limits of freelance engineers.
2.1 Questions about “age limits”
Let’s take a look at the questions raised on the QA site about the “age limit” of freelance engineers.
・ Can I aim for freelance even in my late 30s?
・ Can I aim for freelance by going to school from 0 even in my 30s and 40s?
・ Is there an age limit for freelance?
・ How old are you as a freelance engineer ? Can I work?
・ Will I not be able to get a freelance job depending on my age?
Reference:Â yahoo chiebukuro
2.2 Aimable age limit
◆ The limit of age for freelance from 0 is up to the 30s
When trying to aim for freelance from 0, the following reasons seem to be a cause for concern for human resources in their 40s and beyond.
・ Many companies judge that younger people (from 20s to early 30s) are better at absorbing technology and flexibility when working.
・ Simply “younger people in their 40s or older who have no experience” In many cases, the probability of being hired by a company decreases.
・ If an inexperienced person is older when joining a company, it may be difficult to teach (communication concerns). Many companies want to avoid
Reference:Â Survey by our sales staff
◆ Experienced engineers have less trouble with age limits
On the other hand, if you have the knowledge and skills as an engineer and can utilize them as an immediate force, it can be said that age will not be an obstacle to becoming a freelancer.
As with those who are aiming for freelance from 0 in their 40s and beyond, “whether or not you can have an image of working together” is a necessary point in addition to the skills you have now , rather than age. It seems to be.
2.3 Limit of age that can be continued
◆ There is no limit to the age at which you can continue freelance
As you can see from the survey results in 1. , there are many freelance engineers who have been active for many years even in their 40s and 50s.
Let’s take a look at the characteristics of people who are active as freelance engineers in their 40s and 50s.
- Understand and acquire skills from a business perspective that suits the times
- Youthful appearance and high communication skills (you can interact with various age groups)
- Physically managed (healthy)
- Young way of thinking
- Making good use of crowdsourcing and agents, we continue to work on projects
3. [By age group] Advantages and disadvantages of freelance engineers
Freelancers have a work style that suits their age. Let’s compare the advantages and disadvantages of each age group.
| Age | merit | Demerit |
|---|---|---|
| 20’s | ・ Youthful communication skills ・ Physical strength ・ Low cost (merits from the perspective of the company) |
・ Experience points are shallow ・ Credit is low ・ Unit price is low |
| 30s | ・ Youthful communication skills (early 30s) ・ Experience points increase ・ Physical strength |
・ Experience points are shallow (early 30s) ・ Credit is low |
| Forties | ・ Abundant experience ・ Expected management skills ・ High technical skills ・ Increased personal connections |
・ It is difficult to handle because it is a veteran ・ The unit price is high (disadvantage from the perspective of the company) ・ It is difficult to give instructions when you are older than the person in the field ・ Physical strength is reduced |
| 50s | ・ Abundant experience ・ Expected management ability ・ High technical ability ・ Abundant personal connections |
・ It is difficult to handle because it is a veteran ・ The unit price is high (disadvantage from the perspective of the company) ・ It is difficult to give instructions when older than the person in the field ・ There is physical anxiety |
◆ The greatest strengths of people in their 20s and 30s are youth and flexibility
Many companies judge that “younger people have the ability to absorb skills and the flexibility to work” , and it can be said that “youth” for the 20s and early 30s is the greatest privilege to be active as a freelancer. Probably.
Being loved by clients may guarantee long-term continuous work. It is the greatest weapon in living as a freelancer.
Skills and ready-to-use skills are considered essential for freelancers, but be aware that no matter how strong your skills are, veterans are not the only ones.
◆ The greatest strength of people in their 40s and 50s is their high experience points.
A major strength for people in their 40s and 50s is their abundance of skills. For example, the experience value due to veterans who have knowledge in multiple programming languages, have a wide range of knowledge other than the main skills, and can lead to good decisions based on past successes in an emergency or failure. valid.
In addition, experience in leadership positions, management skills with analytical and judgment skills from a broad perspective, and experience in training team members are also useful.
For clients seeking immediate action, highly skilled freelancers are reliable regardless of age.
4. [By age group] How to play an active role as a freelance engineer
4.1 For people in their 20s and 30s to play an active role
◆ It is important to accumulate achievements
The following methods are recommended for young people in their 20s and 30s, who have few connections and little social experience, to play an active role as freelance engineers.
1. Finding the means to build
a track record There are several ways you will need to build a track record as a freelancer. Let’s challenge from what you can work on now according to your own situation.
- Take a school with freelance support
- Use crowdsourcing and agents to challenge projects with low unit prices
- Gain experience by being introduced to work by friends and acquaintances
- Enter the company as a company employee and hone your social experience and skills
2.
If you have the technical skills and communication skills to hone yourself, you are more likely to be left to work. You may want to try the following:
- Study to acquire skills and qualifications
- Create a website or application
- Create a portfolio so you can talk and explain to others
3. Imagine what you want to do Do
n’t be fooled by the word freelance, it is also important to firmly consider the following points and select the best job for you.
- What exactly do you want to do
- What do you want to be able to do in the future
- Work style (duration, working hours, working place, etc.)
4.2 What to keep in mind for people in their 40s and 50s to play an active role
◆ Show a humble attitude and attitude
In order for people in their 40s and 50s to play an active role as freelance engineers regardless of age, it is advisable to take the following actions.
1. Humbly tackle new things
If you have experience in infrastructure, add knowledge of the cloud, if you have experience in the Web, always look at trending programming languages ​​and frameworks, etc. Try to catch up and improve your skills with flexibility. If you stick to specific skills, you will have less chance of being hired.
It is important to be humble in new things.
2. In the field where communication is easy
, the boss and the project members around him are often younger. ..
It is also important to give the impression that you can talk with young members on an equal footing, such as “easy to talk” and “easy to get involved”. Try to communicate flexibly without feeling age.
3. Take great care in managing your physical condition
Health insurance and taking paid holidays are different from when you were an office worker.
Physical condition management for freelancers is a point that should be emphasized because the risk increases as we get older.
I want to create an environment that does not accumulate stress, such as moderate exercise and creating hobbies and refreshing.
Also, take regular medical examinations and take care of your physical condition by holding down your hospital.
5. Freelance engineers have no age limit!
Find out what you need to know to succeed as a freelance engineer without age limits.
5.1 IT engineers have a chronic shortage of human resources
According to the “Survey Results 2018 on the Latest Trends and Future Estimates of IT Human Resources” released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, there is data that there will be a shortage of up to about 790,000 IT human resources in 2030, so freelance engineers It is expected that the number of projects will increase in the future.
Reference:Â Survey on supply and demand of IT human resources –Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
In order to make up for the labor shortage, it is expected that seniors in their 20s and 40s and 50s, who are concerned about their inexperience, will play an active role .
5.2 The number of age-conscious companies is decreasing
The following is the “age-related impression” that our freelancers feel in their sales activities to the company.
・ I have the impression that the number of companies that are conscious of age has decreased compared to the past. I think the reason is purely lack of engineers.
・ There are many companies that put immediate force first, such as “If you can produce results, you can be of any age.”
・ Even if you are old, those who have a technical antenna will be able to have an interview as if they were in their 20s and 30s.
6. I don’t know the age limit! Benefits of using crowdsourcing and agents
◆ Advantages of using crowdsourcing
Even if you are in your 40s and 50s, where new sales are difficult, or if you are a younger generation with few achievements, we recommend using crowdsourcing when you have trouble securing projects.
In many cases, a job can be completed simply by interacting with the Web, and if the delivery is completed according to the client’s request, the age of hiring is rarely asked.
◆ Advantages of using agent services
The agent service is a service that allows you to confirm the wishes and conditions of both parties in advance through the person in charge and match the matter.
Not only in terms of technology and skills, but also invisible parts such as the member composition of the department to which you belong, the type of boss, and the composition of the project members you work with, and the gap between the two, including communication skills, can be identified. The chances of getting it will increase.
There will also be an advantage that the passing rate of document screening, which tends to be a bottleneck of age, will be dramatically increased.
Try using the agent service
7. Summary
It is not impossible to work as a freelance engineer without age restrictions or limits.
However, the range in which you can play an active role varies depending on the age and career, so you will be able to succeed as a freelance engineer by knowing how to play an active role in each age group.
In addition to technical capabilities, being an engineer who understands what companies and customers are looking for in the market and can respond to it will be a human resource that is in demand regardless of whether it is a full-time employee or a freelancer.
Why don’t you aim to be a freelance engineer who can play an active role for a long time while taking the reality of age seriously?
