Career Change and Re-Invention During the Later Stages of Your Work Life

Fuqua Career Management CenterNovember 18, 2010

Lisa SchwartzAssociate Director

Student & Alumni Career Services

Career Change and Re-Invention During the Later Stages

of Your Work Life

Maintain or Reinvent?

Change happens when Pain exceeds the Fear of Uncertainty 

Proactive Career Management

Who Am I?

What Do I Have To Offer?

How do I decide?

Where do I find opportunities?

• Communicate achievements clearly

• Maintain keen awareness of strengths, weaknesses, & values

• Know what skills transfer to a new career

• Stay knowledgeable about market trends

• Keep an updated resume and career plan

• Cultivate and build networks

• Maintain visibility

• Remain persistent despite setbacks

Success in the 21st century will require that you:

Trends

The key to career success today is quite different from what we were taught in the past.

It is not stability and specialization in one field…

Instead, flexibility, expertise, creativity and the ability to cross borders and boundaries are the new drivers!

What trends are you seeing?

Areas of opportunity and growth

• Education

• Health Care

• Environment

• Government

• Non Profit 

Reinvention requires a thoughtful and purposeful approach

• Challenge limiting attitudes and assumptions about age

• Prioritize and decide which balls are glass and which are rubber in the juggling act of life

• Create a strategy.

Challenge limiting assumptions about age:

• No research has validated that chronological age is reliable in determining one’s “functional” age

• Focus on functional age:– Ask the following question…"Knowing what I know now about myself and the

world, what would I do if I were 20 years younger?“

• Use your age, skills and experience as the springboard

• Ageism can be diminished or overcome… – By developing a conscious and skillful self-marketing strategy

Selling the Age Advantage

• Both depth and breadth of experience• A sense of history to your profession• A huge “bag of tricks.”• A large network• A strong work ethic• Fewer distractions from work• Experience working collaboratively

– Especially across generations.

Prep for change

• Plan Financially

• Research

• Learn Language of New Option

• Assess Current Situation

• Scope Out Training & Development

Create your strategy

• Set incremental goals

• Communicate your interests and transferable value

• Cultivate and build networks and new relationships

• Update your resume and develop a robust LinkedIn profile

• Volunteer - community, projects, task forces

Pot Holes

• I'll just do what I was doing before

• My experience speaks for itself

• I'll become a consultant

• I'll just use a recruiter for some career coaching

• I've always been successful…– So why should things be different now?

Box of Chocolates

• I’m willing to act without certainty

• Engagement in an active life will increase my chances of new opportunities

• Sometimes you have to take a step back before taking a step forward

• Persistence, patience and diligence account for the majority of what goes into the process for a successful outcome

If you find yourself in search mode

• Tell people what you do & why it is important

• Network and stay on your contact’s radar screen

• Adjust your resume for each situation

• Create a target list and show it to your network

• Consider taking a course and joining an association

• Update your image if necessary

Online Resources• Finding work that matters in the second half of life: www.encore.org

• Center on Aging and Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College: http://agingandwork.bc.edu

• AARPs information on volunteering: www.aarp.org/about aarp/community_service

• AARPs information on career transitions: www.aarp.org/careers

• AARPs information on finances: www.aarp.org/money

• Think tank and incubator for programs that harness energy and talents of Third Agers for civic and social renewal: www.civicventures.org

• Newton Free Library program: www.discoveringwhatsnext.org

• Action Without Borders, job and volunteer opportunities in nonprofit organizations: www.idealist.org

• Online job site for job-seekers over 50: www.Workforce50.com

• University of North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement: www.unca.edu/ncccr/NCCCR/about.cfm

• Service Opportunities after Retirement: www.soar-ma.org

Print Resources

Don’t stop the Career ClockBy: Helen Harkness

Capitalizing on Career Chaos By: Helen Harkness

Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction By:Laura Berman Fortgang

Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Re-inventing your career By: Herminia Ibarra

Something to Live For: Finding Your Way in the Second Half of LifeBy: Richard J. Leider

What’s Next?By: Hannon

Training Resources

• The Center for Third Age Leadership (Bill Sadler) www.thirdagecenter.com

• The Hudson Institute (Pam McLean) www.hudsoninstitute.com

• The Inventure Group (Richard Leider) www.inventuregroup.com

• Retirement Options (Richard Johnson) www.retirementoptions.com

• 2Young 2Retire Certification Program (Howard Stone)www.2young2retire.com

24-7 Online Resources exclusive for Duke MBA Alumni Presentations, Job Postings, Databases, Resume Book, Samples and Tips

• Alumni Career Page Link• Going Global• Alumni Clubs and Database• [email protected] for questions, coaching requests…

Short-term Coaching (3-4 sessions) for those in current transition Executive Career Consultants at Duke

Regional and longer-term coaching options Partnership with Lee Hecht Harrison Offices

Regional and Virtual Workshops Road shows brought to you in Partnership with Alumni Relations

Career Services for Alumni