| Baby boomers. They're the generation born | | | | that disappointment and maybe change that |
| between 1946 and 1964. They came of age in | | | | passion to a hobby rather than a vocation. |
| the early 70s and early 80s. They're the | | | | • Determine whether you want to make a |
| generation that made changes and waves, | | | | radical career change? say from legal secretary to |
| worked harder and longer, put off marriage and | | | | Web designer? or stay within the same |
| children, did things differently than previous | | | | profession. |
| generations. | | | | • If you like the company you're with but feel |
| Whether because of financial necessity or | | | | the need for change, see if they can retain and |
| because they have something to offer, baby | | | | retrain you. If it comes down to a complete |
| boomers are staying in the workforce longer. The | | | | career change, there are also some things you |
| U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and | | | | can do to help create a whole new career for |
| projections indicate that by 2010 there should be | | | | yourself. |
| 18.5 million boomers ages 45 to 49 in the labor | | | | • Promote yourself rather than your age. Once |
| force, as compared to 14.7 in 1995, and 16.8 | | | | you get into a position and can show off your |
| million versus 10.6 million in the 50- to 54-years-old | | | | skills, you'll be known for those skills rather than |
| range. | | | | your years. • Start slow. Before investing |
| They're still making changes. They're retiring later, | | | | heavily in education, determine if it's the right |
| or not at all. If not downsized or laid off, boomers | | | | career path for you. |
| often continue to work. When they don't choose | | | | • Network. Many non-entry level positions are |
| to continue in the same career, it doesn't mean | | | | found by references. Join professional |
| they're ready to stop contributing, and sometimes | | | | organizations in the field you want to enter. |
| they're making transitions to new careers. | | | | • Consider working for yourself. A job market |
| "On average there are three to five career | | | | survey conducted in 2005 by global outplacement |
| changes in a person's lifetime and that's pretty | | | | firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., quoted on |
| common," says Kevin Gaw, Director of Career | | | | thematuremarket.com, indicated that of 3000 job |
| Development, University of Nevada, Reno. "It's | | | | seekers, 13 percent chose to work for |
| pretty common that a layoff ends up being a | | | | themselves, and 86.6 percent of them were over |
| great opportunity for someone to find something | | | | 40. From Small Business Administration chapters |
| that's more suited to them, too." | | | | based on most university campuses to SCORE? |
| But it can be challenging to a baby boomer to be | | | | Service Corps of Retired Engineers? there are |
| suddenly confronted with a career change. They | | | | programs that can help you start up. |
| were raised in a world where you got your | | | | Another option is to leverage your experience |
| education, then got your job, and while you may | | | | and teach or train. Moving into training? coaching |
| not have stayed with the job until you retired, | | | | people just entering the profession you're leaving? |
| you would probably stay in the same profession. | | | | is a fairly informal move. Teaching requires state |
| "It can be jarring to realize you have to transfer | | | | licensing, and there are programs helping place |
| your skill set to another area," says Gaw. | | | | retiring workers into teaching positions. The |
| In 2004, Gaw's office worked with 208 alumni. | | | | University of Nevada Department of Curriculum, |
| Nearly 7.5 percent were going through a career | | | | Teaching and Learning takes executives through a |
| change, three percent because of a forced | | | | first-time licensing program and puts them in the |
| situation such as layoff or company closure or | | | | schools in just a couple semesters, often teaching |
| relocation. The rest of them just wanted to do | | | | in high-needs areas like math, science and |
| something different. When you’re faced with | | | | languages. |
| an important career shift, there are things you | | | | Likewise, IBM unveiled their Transition to Teaching |
| can to do make it easier on yourself and achieve | | | | program in September, reimbursing them for |
| a more enjoyable, productive career change. | | | | tuition and providing stipends while they student |
| • Look at your skills. Determine which are | | | | teach. Many of their executives are highly trained |
| transferable to other jobs. | | | | in math and computer sciences. |
| • Find your passion. What do you love to do? | | | | Whether making a career change to a new |
| "It's not about the money," Gaw says. "The | | | | profession or a new position, Gaw says such |
| money isn't what makes us happy. What makes | | | | changes are a normal life pattern. "It's a good |
| us happy is doing something that's meaningful to | | | | thing to be open to change. The challenge is |
| us." | | | | recognizing skill sets and knowing how to capitalize |
| • Look at reality. If you want to be an | | | | on them and present them to the new |
| astronaut but can't do math, Gaw says, the | | | | opportunities. |
| reality is it's unlikely. People need to work through | | | | |