In my country (Sweden) it is mostly the sme but for some years I have seen more posts for senior developers. Of courde most employers want someone with 30 years experience and is 25 years old though :). Most companies does not value experience high enough and especially understanding the business domain which in mnay cases is just as imprtant as understanding how to code. Companies also overestimate their own processes and ability to form new developers. But development is more a craft/art than an industrial process. I think who you are is more important than your age. Old developers might be bad because they have always been bad and never improved. And other older developers might be adapt to new technology and being able to change just as easily than a young developer. And some younger developers think just because they have learned to solve problems a specific way using some pattern(s) that it is the only way to solve ANY problem and produce over-designed code complicating an easy problems just because they want to follow some rigid rule.