OK, I'm not in the cohort you are addressing. After 20+ years in industry, I went back to academia and got my PhD in SE at one of Australia's top unis.
Nothing really changed. Ageism is still a hurdle. While I was in academia my industry contacts have gone stale. Agencies that used to source excellent contracts fail to connect with requirements which are overly specific, e.g. Java, or SAP, or whatever. Having a higher level of knowledge together with decades of experience is not competitive in face of outsourced resources from the big international consulting firms.
I have friends who work/worked for top law firms, consulting firms, some are medical doctors. Most are overworked, burnt out, frustrated with increasingly bureaucratic managements, facing relationship issues, nursing a variety of addictions.
My only piece of advice is: optimize your life for quality not income. Prioritize your health, happiness and relationships.
Nothing really changed. Ageism is still a hurdle. While I was in academia my industry contacts have gone stale. Agencies that used to source excellent contracts fail to connect with requirements which are overly specific, e.g. Java, or SAP, or whatever. Having a higher level of knowledge together with decades of experience is not competitive in face of outsourced resources from the big international consulting firms.
I have friends who work/worked for top law firms, consulting firms, some are medical doctors. Most are overworked, burnt out, frustrated with increasingly bureaucratic managements, facing relationship issues, nursing a variety of addictions.
My only piece of advice is: optimize your life for quality not income. Prioritize your health, happiness and relationships.