Are You Ready For Your Encore Career?

Thursday morning at 11:00 am. Mary Smith, VP of HR at an insurance company settles into a chair in my office to discuss the exploration of a career change. Mary’s employer recently announced a merger with a competitor which will result in her job loss. She confides that she’s burned out with stress related health issues, her marriage is in jeopardy due to her exhausting 70-hour work week and has lost her ‘mojo’ for her profession. It’s no longer fulfilling.?Mary is highly educated and has enjoyed thirty years of career promotions with a corresponding six figure compensation package.?She’s excited at the opportunity to find another career path which can leverage her passion for blending human capital with strategic business goals. But she’s afraid that her age (56) will work against her in the ‘youth oriented’ job market. Plus, she’s invested everything in her current career and wonders if it’s easier to take another HR job and coast into retirement.

Mary is a perfect candidate for what is now commonly referred to as an ‘Encore Career’. According to Wikipedia,” an Encore Career is work in the second half of life that combines continued income, greater personal meaning, and social impact. These jobs are paid positions often in public interest fields, such as education, the environment, health the government sector, social services, and other non-profits.”

More Baby Boomers are launching an encore career whether it’s for financial reasons or to explore something completely different that will provide a renewed sense of purpose. Others are motivated to ‘give back’ to the community through a new career in the non-profit world.

If you are a candidate for an ‘Encore Career’, there are a few things to consider.

1.???Are you prepared financially and mentally for the ‘long game’? It takes an average of 18 months to make the transition and there is a high probability that your income will be reduced during the transition. You will need to identify your ‘why’ and your end goals to keep yourself motivated during the process.

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2.???What are your primary and transferrable strengths and skills that you can apply to a new career direction? Ask the professionals who have worked with you to tell you what THEY perceive to be your greatest strengths. Often, we take our own strengths for granted because they come naturally to us but are perceived differently by others. Use these as your selling points during your career transition.

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3.???Develop a strategic and tactical plan to enter your encore career. What will you need in terms of additional education, certifications, and career training? What is your timeline? How will you leverage your current network, or build a new one that can lead you to contacts within your new career industry?

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4.???Consider investing in the services of a career/job search coach to expertly guide you through the entire process. Job search strategies and tactics have dramatically changed in the last five years. Using outdated methods and having a DYI attitude can lead to a dead end, waste your time, and empty your wallet.?You’ll be competing with candidates currently employed in your newly selected industry. A good coach will be your competitive advantage.

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5.???Update your image. It’s very likely that you’ll be interviewed by someone younger than you. No one can change their age, but you can control how you ‘show up’. Invest in current eyewear and make sure your hair style and clothing are updated.

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Never say “I’m too old for this”. Instead focus on how you’ll improve your future, one day at a time. Remember your previous achievements and trust that you’ll be successful in your new