Career Change After 40

Job Search After 40 or 50 years old? I'm Seeking Your Stories

I want to hear your story.?I’m researching a book and launching a new firm called?The?Klasik.?

The company will offer?Career Consulting and Executive Coaching?to those of us 40+ years of age. With a bit of luck, we will be able to integrate and grow our existing?Business Consulting and Strategy?practice as a result of the new, added focus.

If you’ve been through the turmoil of seeking a new job or changing careers as an ‘older worker’, I want to speak with you.?

Was the change at the behest of another or by your own choice? Were you fired or pushed out, or did you plan your exit?

Share your experiences with me; they will be used as reference and can be anonymous if you prefer. Otherwise, we may feature your story in an upcoming article or invite you to join as a podcast guest.

By sharing your story, you can help us reach a wider audience, grow our business and make a more significant impact. The choice is yours, private or public, but?please get in touch.

My Story

For as long as I can remember, the idea of remaining in the workforce and creating a fulfilling career after the age of forty-five has been a source of great concern and contemplation for me. As I approached the milestone, I couldn't help but feel a sense of uncertainty and apprehension about my professional future.

Consolidation of the banking industry, technological substitution of labor, and the firm's willingness to fire the old guys and replace us with two cheaper, 20-somethings created anxiety and fear of losing my source of income. I had yet to begin to think of AI or large language models as near-term game changers; these issues were ten years from becoming reality.

Despite my years of experience and expertise in markets and financial services, I couldn't shake off the pervasive societal narrative that older workers are less desirable and less valuable in the job market. I worried my age would be a significant barrier to maintaining secure, high-paying employment. Thoughts of achieving my career goals and self-actualization rapidly slipped down the list of priorities.

Concerns were further compounded by the real-life job search journeys of friends and colleagues, who had faced numerous hurdles: general competition with up-and-comers (and lost), a perception of lacking current skill sets, and perhaps ageism and discrimination. Preparing to challenge negative stereotypes and biases about older workers, I added these critical tasks to my list.

I knew I had to take action and proactively create opportunities for myself. I began to do all the obvious things. I sought out current and former colleagues and mentors, joined online and offline networking events, attended industry conferences, and followed everything you'd expect to find in a career search bibliography of experts.

Through these efforts, I secured several job offers and created career options that would possibly have been fulfilling and sustainable. I wasn't sure this was the answer, and by a bit of luck, I was gently encouraged (read: pushed) out the door.

It's been almost ten years since I formed my first firm. I've had a host of failures and more than a handful of successful engagements.

I've dealt with the harsh reality and shocking adjustments one has to make when moving from a very highly-paid corporate career to the role of Founder and Entrepreneur. The range of emotions associated with this sort of change is not to be underestimated. One reexamines her/his place in the world and searches for meaning - an existential moment or many ensues.

Concurrently, the last decade provided me the opportunity to share my experiences with former friends and colleagues. When asked, I offered guidance.

Then, a light bulb moment occurred. There is a niche in the market that is not being well served. If you're a highly paid employee or executive but not a C-Suite exec, there are few professionals who specialize in representing you to potential employers. Sure, if you develop relationships with recruiters and headhunters, and stay in their face, you will get the call when a job match comes across their desk; hopefully.

Think about it; the employer typically pays the headhunter. Their job is not to represent you as first priority to a range of possible hiring firms. Nor are they in any way incentivized to work with you through all the emotional up and down, nor are they compensated for 'teaching' you the ropes of a modern quest for employment - resumes, AI-driven screening systems...and on and on.

Thus, the idea, now known as?The?KLASIK, was formulated. A fee-based, career consultant, executive coach (I loathe the term coach), mentor, and guide service for those displaced by choice or circumstance.

If you are over 40 and looking to make a change either by choice or due to push from elsewhere, we want to be your first call.?

THE?KLASIK where we make the Job Search easier