I, at 50, still manage to find IT jobs in Germany

I have been working in the IT industry for over 15 years. The labor market in this sector is no exception to the law of supply and demand, so being laid off is not an uncommon occurrence.

As long as you bring more value to the company than what they pay you, they will keep you at all costs. However, if someone else can do your job just as well but for half the salary, you may still be let go.

In Europe, however, demand exceeds supply, so IT professionals do not have to worry too much about losing their jobs. Salaries are higher, and companies offer good benefits to retain employees. If you feel that your company does not compensate you fairly for your efforts, you may not feel hesitant to leave.

When I was in Vietnam, I used to worry about getting laid off when I entered my 30s due to the imbalance of supply and demand. Thus, at the age of 35, I went to Germany under the EU Blue Card program. Two years later, I secured a position at a leading German bank.

I am now nearly 50, but last week I applied to one of the FAANG companies (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) and they still invited me for an interview.

The key here is what you can offer and whether you are a good fit for the company, not your age. I never include my age on my CV and recruiters never care much about it. Most companies I have worked for enforce strict policies against discrimination based on age, gender, or background.

For professionals like me, the focus is on learning and improving skills to enhance our value and sell our labor at a higher price. If you are laid off, the strategy is to "sell yourself cheap" to small and medium-sized companies while waiting for better opportunities. In reality, if you are a high-quality worker at a low price, some company will eventually hire you, though it may just take a bit longer to close the deal.

What are your thoughts on this matter?

*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.