Clearly, there's one thing critically wrong with his hypothesis. A developer is never actually tied down to any one technology. We're human beings, not cogs, and our fundamental programming technologies are all derived from the same basic, mathematical algorithms.
I started programming when I was six years old. BASIC on the TRS-80 Model 1. I aggressively studied programming because I thought computer games were cool, not because job prospects were hot.
If a recruiter today tried to tell me that I had to stick to BASIC on TRS-80 because I started out there, I'd think he was nuts. Many recruiters actually believe this ludicrous idea and ARE nuts. It's not "re-inventing yourself" to learn a new programming language mid-career or at any time. Good hackers know it's simply learning another way to apply your skills to a new set of challenges.
I started programming when I was six years old. BASIC on the TRS-80 Model 1. I aggressively studied programming because I thought computer games were cool, not because job prospects were hot.
If a recruiter today tried to tell me that I had to stick to BASIC on TRS-80 because I started out there, I'd think he was nuts. Many recruiters actually believe this ludicrous idea and ARE nuts. It's not "re-inventing yourself" to learn a new programming language mid-career or at any time. Good hackers know it's simply learning another way to apply your skills to a new set of challenges.