It is not unusual for many professionals to leave their careers and become consultants and freelancers in their field.  Experience professionals bring a wealth of expertise which business and industry would love to collect and contract. While you are searching for a second career thinking about using your expertise as a transition in your retirement.

To do this you need to let people know you are in business and they need to know what is that business. Your network may still think you’re communications director at a large hospital in Chicago and have no clue you’re looking for consulting work.

Now let’s suppose your network did know you were consulting thee days.  Do they know what business leads work for you? Have you told them what your ideal project or client is?

This beginning of this transition time is when you make it known and establish your credibility as a consultant by writing in journals, speaking at events and getting quoted in the media. You no longer work for a large company for instant recognition. You need to be proactive about yourself as an individual and entrepreneur.

Spending your time marketing yourself on the social media only goes so far. One to one contact is more important for you. You need to get out and meet people and start conversations. That means going where your potential clients are located. That means writing for blogs that are written not for your peers but for people like your clients. That means getting published in commercial magazines and speaking at community events.

Let’s say you’ve been employed as the IT director for a large legal firm in New York. Many of the larger banks and accounting firms and business are outsourcing part of their IT processes. Smaller companies and banks can’t afford to do that. It seems to me you may be able to help them become more efficient in their IT process so that it costs them less to operate.

Or maybe you’ve been an Art History teacher at a small college in South Carolina. What about offering your expertise to some of the smaller urban museums for collecting and displaying collections and coordinating them with local schools.

I think if we can get out of the box more often our thinking will lead us to greater exposure, the possibility of that transition before we enter our second career, and a direction for doing something we enjoy.

Much success with your encore career.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Content Creator
Health Writer

I am frequently asked what I do to make my working at home a success for my business and family.

My answer is always: “it depends”.  It depends on my children, my parents and my husband’s parents, my clients, and the weather. Why the weather? You may ask. Because I tend to get what I call a heavy head when the barometer changes and my work effort slows down.

In other words there is no finite answer. It depends on where you are in life with your children and what they require. Are you one of your parent’ caregivers? That takes lots of time. Are you training for a marathon? That also takes up a good junk of the day.

The beauty of working at home, for me, is that I can fit my work around what is required in my life.

I can give you some of the steps I take when I have a new client and writing assignment.

Research is the first thing I fit in. It may be research about the client or research about the topic he wants me to focus on. Keep in mind, however, that research is not productive work. I don’t get paid for research. However, I need to do the research if the content I write for the client is valid.

I usually find time for research after I’ve completed a project.  And I usually set aside that part of any particular day when I know I may be interrupted or I need to other things in-between the research. This way when it’s time to write an article I don’t have to stop and look up something because I’ve done the research.

I schedule my writing time on those days when I have blocks of time and won’t be interrupted. I like to set aside between 2 and 3 hours for any writing project.

On the other hand, if I need to interview someone I opt for contacting them either on Monday afternoon or on Tuesday. Monday mornings are usually devoted to cleaning up left over work from the previous week and going thru e-mails and mail.

I only contribute to my own blogs and write my own articles for distribution when my assignments for clients are completed.  I come in last.
Following writing for my own blogs and distribution centers I start exploring what else I can learn from attending a network session or an online program.

By Tuesday I have a fairly good idea what my week is going to look like. That’s when I call colleagues and do some networking.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to focus because I’d rather be outside walking or playing bridge.  So I use that which I love to do as my motivation. I tell myself I can’t go for that second walk (the first walk is part of my daily exercise plan which is a must) until I complete the tasks I’ve scheduled.

I’m sure my way of getting things done isn’t going to work for everyone but bits and pieces my. Good luck in your endeavors.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Content Creator
Business Writer
Health Writer

A recent report by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College stated that half of today’s workers are financially able to retire at 65. However, if everyone decided to retire at age 70 over 85 percent would be financially ready.

Alicia Munnell, director of the Center stated that “working longer is really the key to security in retirement because it improves financial security in 3 ways:

• Improves financial standing
• Leaves more time for their 401(k) to increase
• Shortens the period employees have to support themselves in retirement

According to the study, because today’s workers are healthier, better educated and do less physically demanding work than the last generation, working longer often makes more sense and is available. Besides, as health and longevity continue to improve, employees will still be able to enjoy a reasonable period of retirement. Working until 80 or 90, however, is not the answer.

Interestingly, many business magazines have published articles about the rising retirement ages for the baby boomer generation. Some of thee articles claim that boomers may be working into their 70s.

Some of the reasons why boomers need to work longer are:

• The median 401 (k) plan held only $150,000 , obviously not enough to retire on.
• AARP reported that one in four older workers has already exhausted their savings during the recession and an increasing number of older Americans are facing bankruptcy.
• Other studies show that Social Security runs out of money by 2033.

With these issues it becomes obvious that retiring for the leisure life at 65 is not a reality.

The research also provides steps that individuals can take to help their financial security including:

• Planning to work longer than the traditional option to earn more wages and accumulate more savings.
• Increase the rate of savings until you do actually retire.
• The paper encourages employers to help workers achieve retirement by:
• Developing an appropriate target retirement age
• Demonstrating the positive impact that a few extra years of employment can provide financial security

I’m guessing that some benefits will also be given to those businesses which make working longer easily available in their companies. It will be interesting to see what kind of legislation is enacted.

To your successful retirement.
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Content Creator
Health Writer
Business Writer

It’s important to be able to transfer what you know now to your new career if you’re truly looking to find success in your career change.

Many people change careers, especially in mid life, because they just say ‘now or never – time to follow my passion. It’s difficult but not impossible. However, passion only goes so far. You also need to be a realist.

To change your career,just like being a business owner, it’s important to pay close attention to ourselves, especially to the things that attract our attention. It is more difficult, however, to put those things in an organized manner that will fit into our lives.

It takes enormous courage to walk away from a good paying, secure job and say I want to do something else. Children tend to be locked in a particular direction which continues throughout their lives. Few people at any stage of their life reinvent themselves.  I’m often convinced it’s where your heart belongs is more than a major factor in changing careers.

Regardless of where your interests lie, transferable skills to your new career will help you succeed in your career change. A simple way to figure out what skills you need for this career change is to go online searching the areas that interest you and examine the skills and level of experience required. Make a list of skills required. Do they match what you have?

I wouldn’t worry if you can’t match every skill but you should be able to match the top 3 or 4 skills required – at least in part.

Now you know what skills or credential you need to make your career change. My advice is to address these requirements before you make any change.

Credentials and Education

You may need to be certified by a professional organization if you want to be a personal trainer. You may need additional training if you want to teach French instead of remedial math in high school. Look for providers through business and professional associations and trade associations. There are lots of online opportunities to meet these requirements.

Experience

Some of you may already have experience in your new career working as a volunteer or working on a part-time basis. Be sure to include that on your resume.

Are internships required?

Some professions require that you go thru a one or 2 year internship before you meet requirements. Can you do that on a part time basis while you work your regular job? Or do you leave your day job and take a huge cut in pay for this internship. Can you afford that?

If you’re a senior there are companies that are hiring older workers as interns. The jobs are low paid but they may help you get the experience you need to make the transition to your new career. Will taking an internship be a good move for you?

If you’re looking for a new career, not just a new job, you need to be honest with yourself and accept all the facts out there which may slow your progress. Be a realist and be patient. And above all remain open to possibilities.

To your successful career change
Ruthan
Copywriter and Content Creator

Ruthan Brodsky
Michigan Copywriter
Freelance Health Writer
Freelance Business Writer

It will help your career change if you know the answers to these three questions.

• Do you know what are your strongest skills?
• Have you figured out for what careers, what industries, or what fields they match?
• Do you know what new skills you need to learn to complete your career change?

What are your strong skills and interests?

Think about what you’re good at doing. Then think about what you like to do. I am betting there’s either a match or a close correlation.

It will help you assess your skills when you examine your skills, divide them into hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are your abilities, credentials, experience and know how of what it takes to perform a skill. These include:

• Degrees, certifications, licenses

• Specific abilities such as bookkeeping, teaching, design, nursing, and auto repair, etc.
• Software proficiency
• Accurate vision
• Knowledge of another language

Soft skills are your personal traits that explain your work style, the type of tasks you’re good at and how you interact with others. Interestingly, soft skills are often worth more to an employer than hard skills because they want to know how you’ll fit in with the organization, the company culture.

Some of the soft skills include:

• How well you communicate
• Are you better at written or verbal communication? The difference is important if you’re required to do business correspondence or interview people for admission to a college.
• Do you have social networking skills for the Internet? Can the business use your skill for promoting and marketing their product on the Internet?

Are you a team player or a loner?
Some companies work as teams on projects. Can you work with others sharing workload and decision making on team projects? Do you think you’re more effective working independently such as an editor or a counselor or bus driver?

Are you well organized?
Can you handle multiple projects and keep everything organized while doing your job. Do you pay attention to detail or are you more a ‘big picture’ type of person. For instance an event manager needs to be very detailed while a journal editor needs to keep track of the major departments of the journal

Do you have leadership skills?

The topic isn’t as amorphous as it sounds. You may be good at building consensus with an advisory board as a director of a non-profit organization or as president of a finance company delegating major tasks to department vice presidents.

Keep in mind that changing careers may open a new world of opportunity for you but it’s not a decision to make without understanding your skills and interests.

To your successful career change.
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Content Creator
Freelance Health Writer
Freelance business Writer

It takes a lot of chutzpah to move to some unknown direction after investing decades to what you do now to earn a living. If you’re going to make a career change make sure you have the determination and perseverance that’s required together with a well thought out plan about what you are going to do.

If you know what kind of job you want you’re a head of the crowd. If you have an idea of how far you’ll go – how much you’ll give up- you are in front of the pack.

First make sure you know the difference between changing a job and changing your career. Changing a job because you don’t like the boss or you’re not getting enough money isn’t making a career change. Switching a career means you are changing your job profile. You are moving to a different sector which requires a different set of skills. For instance I was a peer reviewed journal editor at one time. Now I am a copywriter and do freelance business and health writing.

Whatever you choose you need to think hard, invest time, energy and capital before taking the plunge so don’t be impulsive.

I love it when people say follow your heart. That may be the recipe for happiness or for choosing your next puppy but it’s not very practical or realistic when it comes to changing your career. Think about your skills and interest. Can your new career compliment both?

Now it’s time to review your priorities:

• What are the risks involved?
• What are the financial obligations?
• What are the responsibilities?

Did you get enough information about your new career? Did you speak personally to people who are actually in the career? Do the nearby universities and colleges offer graduate studies in your career choice?

How about more training in your career: are there any opportunities?

How flexible are you in terms of salary and benefits. Changing your career is like facing an entry level salary. After all you don’t have much experience in this new career.

Now that your planning is complete you may well decide that you do want a new career but you don’t want a job and work for someone after 30 years working for yourself. Your career change may involve being self-employed depending upon how much of a change you want to make.

Changing careers can open doors for opportunity. It can also cost you a lot of money.  The decision to change careers should not be made lightly.  Honestly asses yourself and understand how the changes will impact your lifestyle.

To your successful career change.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky

Content Creator

Business writer

Freelance health writer

Whether you recently left your former job or profession or you haven’t stepped into an office for 3 years, if you’re thinking about beginning a new career you need to plan. It doesn’t matter why the change or why now – you still need to plan.

You may want to think about getting help to enter this new career if you have no clue where to go. You can check with your local senior centers if they have a source for planning. I would also check out your local community colleges. They usually have lots of career planners and you may find one that suits you.

There are also many tools on line that can help you plan, get organized, and help you be clear about what direction you want to take. Most career planning tools consider your interests, your skills and strengths and abilities. DON’T BE FRUSTRATED!

I know you’ve been reading about professional and personal development for years and those words have lost any serious meaning for you. However, they do give you a good place to start.  After all, self assessment is an important career planning tool.

You can find assessing tools on online and in books or work something up yourself. List your skills, list your hobbies, and list your interest. Note the things you’re good at and the things you’re not good at and then select a career that will capitalize on your strengths and abilities. Make a list of careers that will match what you have to offer. Then research the companies that offer that niche. It’s that simple except you may not have all the training that’s required. Figure that out before you start looking for a different career.

You may want to consider a teaching career.  Most teachers come right out of college but you may not full time employment. What about a teacher’s aid or working 2 days a week as a Spanish teacher. What about putting up the sets for the drama and music department or coaching the girl’s varsity tennis team? Private schools often don’t require teaching certificates and your expertise in a foreign language or in photography may be exactly what a school needs.
What about starting your own business with your long-standing hobby. It may be opening that knit shop which uses Alpaca yarn as its specialty or purchasing a franchise such as a swimming lesson set up for kids or Lego store. Usually if you’re starting a business using a hobby your goal is often to stay busy, enjoy the work and make enough money to cover the basic costs. Think of all the people you’ll meet who share your interests.

If you want to make your new business a success, think about using the social networks.  If you’re not interested in maintain a business Facebook page or tweeting 20 times a day, hire a service that will help you maintain your social network. The results should cover your costs.

Good luck in your second career endeavors.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Content Creator and Copywriter
Health Writer
Business Writer

The Internet has provided me with many approaches to change my career. What I’ve learned in the last 5 years is that even as I make a decision to change, technology changes so quickly that I’m pushed to make more changes.

Notice I didn’t say motivated. There are times when I just as soon not make any changes or learn something else. The problem is if I stand still and do nothing I lose out on what I want to do.

According to the statistics there were 78 million boomers working when they hit 60 in 2006. Most of these told the pollsters they expect to work until 70 because they needed the funds or it afforded the lifestyle they wanted or they simply liked what they were doing.  Unfortunately, many lost their jobs during the recession and tens of thousands were never able to find work.

There are two problems here.  First, many of these 78 million can expect to live to be 90 years old. Secondly, if they aren’t Internet savvy no one is going to hire them.

Therefore, your first tip is to become Internet savvy. Know how to send email, how to use smart phones and text, find whatever you want to find on the internet, and listen to webinars.

Then Google yourself. I also use Google before I hire anyone. I look up that person and try to find out as much information as I can about them. Type your name in the Google search bar and find out what happens when it comes up. When I type in my name, there are over 50,000 results. That means I am credited with my name being on the Internet for at least 50 thousand times.

The search engines will be able to find me. Will your next job interviewer be able to find you? This is especially important if you’re looking for a high profile job.

Your next step is to update your resume. You need to have a career change resume because you’re probably not trained in this area and your interviewer wants to know why you’re qualified. Update yours to include information specific to the type of job you want. If you want to work for a non profit, list the volunteer work you’ve done for organizations.

Network what you’re looking for with friends and family. If you’re active with a group let them know about your quest. You never know who their sister in law is or where she works.

You may also want to outline your passions, hobbies and goals in life.  You may be 65 but you have another 25 years to live and you’re entitled to goals and ambitions.

If there’s a specific job you’re applying for include a list of your skills or personality traits you’ve acquired during your education or work experience that will benefit you in your new position.

More on changing careers in mid life for my next post.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter and Content Creator
Freelance Business Writer
Freelance Health Writer

Interestingly, more women than men in this age group are becoming new entrepreneurs according to a report by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc.  Most new entrepreneurs, men and women, are coming from pas careers as professionals or managers. A lesser number were white collar workers and less than 10 percent worked in blue-collar jobs prior to their encore careers.

The two largest areas for second careers are education and health care followed by working for the government and a few working for non profits. Interestingly, those starting off on second careers put in fewer hours once they pass the retirement age of 62.  In fact, only 30 percent of those 63 to 70 years old work 40 hours or more a week. Almost half work fewer than 30 hours a week.

What is even more interesting is that the majority say they like what they do:

• They feel appreciated;
• They are able to use their skills and experience;
• They have developed a new community of friends and colleagues on the job.

It probably is no surprise to you that more than one-third of the boomers are interested in working for non-profits.  They will consider being an advocate for a group, work with children and youth, preserve the environment, and help solve the problems of poverty or work with at religious or spiritual organization.

The reasons behind the boomer interest in encore careers are first many boomers want the money. They realize they need to support themselves over a long period of time and many haven’t saved enough money especially with the skyrocketing costs of health care. Income and health benefits are major incentives for working.

In addition to the money, boomers say they want stimulation, learning and at the same time, time to enjoy life. They tend to stress that flexibility is important to them when they develop their encore careers.  The possibility that they may not have the time to do the things they need to do, such as caring for other family members, is a concern. They also want the time to enjoy the rest of their life and take in traveling and family.

Some are calling entrepreneurship the new mid-life crisis for the 76 million boomers. Partly due to the economy and partly due to longer, healthier lives and changes in job tenure, over half the boomers are expected to stay in the labor force for another 9 years.

Check out these data:

• There’s been a huge drop in the incidence of lifetime jobs for men over age 50. They are changing their jobs as quickly as men 15 years younger.

• With longer life expectancies and better heal in later life, older men and women are starting new firms and mentoring young entrepreneurs. One new incentive is the drop in transaction costs and barriers to entry for entrepreneurs of any age.

• In every single year from 1996 to 2010, Boomers between the ages of 55 and 64 had a higher rate of entrepreneurial activity than Gen-Y, aged 20 to 34. The Gen-X men and women had a higher entrepreneur rate than both.

• Finally, more than half of Internet users age 50 to 64 use social media. The number of Facebook users in the US age 55 and older grew from about 1 million in 2009 to 10 million in 2010.

With all this Boomers are creating new market opportunities and are having a huge impact on the market place, a lot more than anyone expected.

To your second career success.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky

Copywriter and content creator

Freelance Business Writer

Freelance Health Writer

Financial well being in retirement while working was the focus of my last post. In this post I’m writing about personal health status and mental self reliance. Again the information is from a recent study at the Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College.

Based on the research those working in retirement report that their physical and mental health is just as good as those who never retired. There were also no differences in how they viewed their mental health including measures of depression, stress and coping between those working in retirement and those not yet retired.

Interestingly those working in retirement reported that they are significantly more satisfied with their jobs than those not yet retired. This is supported by research which indicates that job satisfaction typically increases as people age.

What is important here is that those things that make a good job for those who aren’t retired are the same things that make a good job for those working in retirement. The Families and Work Institute (2008 NSCW) identified 6 criteria for effective workplaces that include both work and non work factors.
1.    The job is challenging and requires learning new things.
2.    Supervisors provide task support
3.    Employees have autonomy
4.    Employees are respected
5.    Provides support to work on my personal/family life.
6.    Satisfied with earnings, benefits and career advancement

What I found interesting was the two main reasons why those working in retirement chose to remain at a job:

• Economic security

• Work-life fit

Based just on this information, if you’re an older work who has decided to work in retirement you may want to consider what kind of retirement job you want before you make the move. Finding a job in a workplace that meets your needs and preferences or becoming your own boss may be your only choices. The challenge is to recognize that the kind of job you want or the work you want to do is going to be different from what you did before your retired. The fact is a good number of employees 50 and older transfer to self-employment because it meets more of their needs.  The result is that employers are considering how their programs and policies might have a different impact on workers 50 and older who are working in retirement compared with their age-peers who never retired.

Working in retirement has changed how we think about careers. It’s no longer a line of jobs through a career moving upward on the ladder and retirement being the final rung o the ladder.  Instead working in retirement creates a more flexible pattern for careers as we move through different life cycles.

Your thoughts on this post are welcomed as are your plans about working in retirement.

Regards,
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Freelance Business Writer
Copywriter and content creator
Freelance Health Writer