Blues @ Fifty

Recently I got a surprise message from someone I had worked with a few years back. He wanted to have a quick chat with me. Subject to time constraints I like to talk to people I have worked with. It is good to get an update and see what the impact of work has been – if any!

When we spoke, his greeting was perfunctory. Very quickly he came to his point.

His situation is difficult he said. He had been moved out from his job of 20 plus years because of a slowdown. He is nearing 50 – an age where corporates start looking at you - to put it politely – differently. He has been at a senior level position in a large multinational with a hefty compensation package. His efforts at getting new employment are not moving at all for past 6 months. And he is worried. Very worried. He is broadly looking at opportunities where he has experience (his industry as he calls it) OR unrelated areas where he has no experience but feels can run a business OR start his own business.

He had two questions.

·???????? How much time one must give to get an opening?

·???????? And was he missing something in this process of finding a new career option?

I had no definitive answers for him. ?These were very generic questions. And generic questions get only generic answers. But we spoke for some time so that he could find his own answers.

Here are a few points that emerged. Some he was doing well. Some he was not.

Net Fishing

You can fish with a net or with a rod. In his situation, it is prudent for him to cast the net far and wide. Because in ‘his industry’ options are limited. However, he is fishing with a rod. Dangling his resume in a small pond and hoping that someone will bite. There simply aren’t enough fish in his pond. But he is reluctant to go more wide because of questions in his mind. Will it spoil my market worth? Will it look bad? Am I good enough for anything else? And more.? (6/10)

Skills First

Experience is what you have done in the past. Your skills determine what you can do in the future. He is talking more about his past – his experience. And projecting it well. But not doing enough to showcase his skills. For example - his skills at developing latent markets, his ability to build long term business relationships, his success at motivating teams, his commitment and integrity are not becoming visible in the way he describes himself. He speaks at length and with some pride about what he has achieved (and that is fine). But does not expand enough about his skills, his strengths, his ambition, his vision and what he can achieve. He does not expand on what he can do for the prospective employers. (5/10)

Reality Check

He has done well and reached a senior level in his present organisation. And periodically his salary and bonuses have been going up. But there is only so much space at the tip of the pyramid. Over time, his cost to company has outgrown his position in the company. Which is one of the reasons that he had to move on. To get this level of compensation elsewhere he must get a higher position, a bigger responsibility. He is aware of this reality. But he is pitching himself for lower options – like what he was doing. ?He does not express an openness to accept lower packages. Maybe there is an element of ego creeping in. Understandable. But not helpful. (6/10)

Confident Explorer

Because he is exploring unfamiliar territory there is bound to be a degree of discomfort and confidence issues. He is aware of this. He tries to exude confidence in discussions. But has not done much inward work. He has not done his own SWOT analysis. He has not worked enough on building up his confidence for unfamiliar territory. He himself is not convinced that he is ready for a different set of challenges. It shows up in his mannerisms. He must believe that he can deliver in the new arena. And more important – convince others that he can deliver. Knowledge is what you say. How you say it is confidence. He is too focused on the former. (4/10)

On My Own

He wants to do something ‘on my own’. This is laudable and exciting. Many professionals I have had the chance to work with would like to go down this path. He also thought about it. There is one catch though. He is looking at this as a fallback. In case I do not get a job, I will do something of my own. That does not work. If you want to be your own master, you have to master yourself. And you start by making this an equal option. You make some concrete plans. Do some research. Check your resources. And then evaluate versus the work for someone else options. He is yet to do this. (4/10)

Patient Negotiator

He is considering job roles which are at considerable variance from what he has done. If there is a big change in the career path the offers that come can be below his expectations. In some ways he will have to prove himself – again. So he has to patiently negotiate the job role and the compensation. But patience is not easy in the current circumstances. Therefore, the need for resilience becomes even higher. Formal offers have not yet come his way so this ability is not yet tested. But it has to be thought about now. (5/10)

The Blues

Around fifty is the time when many get the blues. Because this is the time for a pause. For a look back - and a look forward. More than half of working life is gone. Some expectations met. Some not. There are a lot of ideas. But less energy. The world is whizzing by rapidly. Like looking out from the train window. While you are stationary inside. Not easy to associate.

So this is a time for contemplation and resolve. What now or what next keeps coming to the mind. These two questions can create strong emotions. Emotions which can be excitement for a new start. Or frustration with the past. Or satisfaction of a well-played innings. Or many others.

I listened to him. I shared some thoughts. I let him unravel is knotted thoughts. It helped.

Sometimes you cannot do more.

I also wondered how many careers are going to change with the latest wave of technology. AI. Many, one would suspect.