The Everything Feed - All Packet Pushers Pods HN808: Is IT a Young Person’s Game?
Dec 12, 2025
Russ White, an experienced networking engineer and author, joins Ethan Banks and Drew Conry-Murray to tackle whether IT favors younger workers. They explore the youthful drive and willingness to take risks, while contrasting it with the deep mental maps and learning agility seasoned professionals bring. The discussion also dives into the pitfalls of Silicon Valley's grind culture, biases in hiring processes, and the risk automation poses to entry-level jobs. They emphasize the importance of adaptability in an ever-evolving tech landscape.
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Weekend Duty Drove Early Promotions
- Russ recalled Cisco TAC "BIC duty" where younger engineers took weekend shifts and got promoted.
- Older engineers prioritized family and skipped BIC, which labeled them as less committed and limited advancement.
Interaction Surfaces Drive Modern Complexity
- Ethan argued modern networking stacks present far more interaction surfaces and dependencies than decades ago.
- Russ agreed the increased interaction surfaces are what make today's systems more complex to design and troubleshoot.
Hire For Role Fit, Not Age
- Blend youthful energy with seasoned mental maps to maximize team value.
- If hiring for a role, choose the person who best fits the position, not simply their age.
