"I'm already 28, isn't it too late to start programming?" - this question appears in our Kodik Telegram community about once a week. And you know what? The person who asks it usually gets answers from dozens of developers at once, and many of them came to IT after 30, or even after 40.
Let's deal with this myth once and for all, and as honestly as possible - without motivational water, but also without unnecessary pessimism.
Where did this myth come from?
The idea that "you need to go into IT only from school" was born somewhere in the 2000s. At that time, there were few programmers, the competition for personnel was huge, and companies really took almost everyone who could do something. Young guys after university received offer after offer.
Hence the stereotype: "If you didn't start at 18, you're already late." But since then, the IT market has changed dramatically. Today, people of all ages are entering the development field, and this has become the absolute norm.
Real statistics, not motivational ones.
If you open the research on the IT labor market (which is regularly conducted by HeadHunter and Habr Career), the picture is interesting:
Average age of starting a career in programming — 24-26 years old. That is, most people come to IT after receiving their first education or working in another field. Those "prodigies who have been coding since the age of 12" are a minority, they are just more noticeable.
About 30% of developers changed their profession after 28 years. Some were teachers, some worked in sales, some were designers. And many of them have had a very successful career.
Age is no longer a problem for junior positions. Employers have long understood that a person in their 30s is often more motivated, responsible, and works better in a team than yesterday's student.
What really matters (and it's not age)
Here's what really affects success in IT:
Motivation and consistency. Programming is a skill that is gained through practice. Those who study for an hour a day will know more in six months than those who coded for 10 hours a week and then gave up for a month. That's why in the Kodik app, we build training on small daily portions of material — it works much better than many hours of marathons.
Ability to learn independently. In IT, technology changes quickly. The framework you learned today may be obsolete in three years. But the ability to quickly understand the documentation, google errors and find solutions is something that will stay with you forever.
Availability of support and environment. Learning programming alone is difficult and demotivating. When you can't figure out why the code doesn't work for three hours, and then it turns out that you just forgot to put a semicolon, you want to quit everything. That's why we created Kodik community in Telegram — there are more than 2000 developers who will always help, advise and support.
Where adults have it even easier than young people
If you are 25+, you have several serious advantages over yesterday's schoolchildren:
You have a better understanding of business processes. Programming is not only about code, but also about solving real business problems. Experience in other areas gives an understanding of how companies are structured, what customers need, and how to build communication.
You have more self-discipline. You already know how to force yourself to work even when you don't want to, you know how to plan your time and get things done. These are critical skills for a self-made developer.
You are more conscious of choosing a direction. At the age of 18, many people go into programming simply because "well, what else is there to do?" At 30, they do it because they really want to do it and understand why they need it.
What about salaries?
Let's be honest: a 35-year-old junior will be paid the same as a 22-year-old junior. The position determines the salary, not the age. But there is a nuance: an older person usually moves faster to the middle precisely because of his life experience and working skills.
The average junior in Russia now earns 60-80 thousand rubles, middle - 120-180 thousand, senior - from 200 thousand and above (and in large companies or freelance, the amounts can be significantly higher).
Real difficulties that are worth knowing about
It would be unfair to say that age doesn't matter at all. Here's what you can really come across:
The first 3-6 months will be hard. If you are used to stable work, and here you need to learn syntax, understand errors, rewrite code a hundred times — this can be unsettling. But it's temporary.
The environment may not be supportive. "What, studying again? You already have a normal job!" — if you hear this, don't be surprised. Not everyone understands why someone wants to change their field.
We'll have to sacrifice time. Training + work + family — this really requires good time management. But if you study at least an hour a day, the progress will be very noticeable.
How to start correctly (without wasting money on courses)
The main mistake of beginners is the purchase of expensive courses for 100-150 thousand rubles. Many of them provide knowledge that can be obtained for free or for a nominal fee.
Start with the basics. Python or JavaScript are great languages to start with. In the application Code We specifically built the program so that you write real code from the first days, and not cram the theory. Short daily lessons, practice right away, no water.
Join communities. Our Kodik Telegram chat is a place where you can ask a question and get an adequate answer without toxicity and arrogance. Both beginners and experienced developers who remember what it's like to encounter a bug for the first time from scratch communicate there.
Do pet projects. As soon as you master the basics, write your own small programs. A calculator, a to-do list, a simple bot for Telegram. This gives you practical experience and something for your portfolio.
Honest withdrawal
It is not too late to enter IT at 25, 35, or even 45 years old. It's only late when you say to yourself, "It's too late for me." The market is big, there are millions of tasks, companies are looking for developers with different experience.
Yes, the path will not be easy. Yes, you will have to study and practice a lot. But if you are reading this article, then you are already interested. And this is the most important thing.
Start small: install the Kodik app, take the first few lessons, and join our community on Telegram. See if programming is for you. And then you can decide whether to go further or not.
The main thing to remember is that there is no age limit in IT. There is only a desire to learn and develop. And this desire is the only thing that really matters.
Ready to start?
Install Code and join 2000+ developers in our Telegram community. They will always help, answer questions and support you at the start.