“Double-nickeled and Stuck! Getting re-employed at 55 or beyond” – Part Two

In part-one of this series, we took a look at some of the psychological and emotional steps necessary to enhance chances of finding employment after 55.  In part-two, I’d like to address the issue of being prepared for the energy and commitment a full-on job search will take.

My comments will be based on someone initiating a self-directed job search i.e. without the help of a coach.  This will apply to most, especially amongst male job seekers.  I have found that female job-seekers are more open to working with a career coach than men – mostly an ego thing (hey guys, I get it!  I are one!)

In my experience,  the statistic that I mentioned in Part One regarding length of search holds pretty true for self-directed searches i.e. count on one month of search for every $10,000 in salary you are seeking. Certainly there are exceptions to this, some searches being shorter, some longer. Lots of things can impact the length: degree of job specialization, willingness to relocate, flexibility on salary are a few.

One of the biggest influences on shortening the job search is the depth of commitment to a disciplined, structured job search.  And that’s where the energy – physical and emotional – can come into play.

In Part Three of this series, we will dig into how job search has changed and the activities required to conduct an effective job search in today’s job market.  But here, we want to better prepare you for the rigors of the search.

A couple of things can come into play that will affect your attitude and thus your energy.  First, you may well be carrying forward some anger or resentment over the separation which can be a definite energy robber.  Secondly, you will most likely be stepping into unfamiliar territory and find the process confusing.  This too is an energy drain.

My suggestions for preparation for this process are simple:

  1. Increase your aerobic and anaerobic exercise by at least 50%. For some coming from a “cubical nation” job, a doubling might even be better.  Mild depression, sudden extra “free time”, confusion on where to start – all of these can easily lead to bad health habits with failing to exercise being one of the most serious mistakes.  It’s pretty simple biologically – your brain, in particular, needs oxygen to think more clearly. Remember also that “sitting is the new smoking” (a bit of a stretch, but you get the point).  Job searches, chairs and computer screens are all linked so get out of your Office Depot faux-leather throne at least three times an hour and take a five minute walking break.
  2. Modify your diet. I suspect you aren’t a vegan or a vegetarian.  But during a job search, I’m suggesting you might want to get closer to either.  Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables and healthy carbs suchs as nuts, legumes and keep the animal protein lean.  Better yet, keep the animal products to a minimum.  Above all, eliminate the high glycemic load foods (pastries come to mind) that cause energy and mood swings.  Oh – and this one is tough – stop the coffee after noon (caffeine has a six-hour half life) or replace coffee with green tea.
  3. Get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. This should probably be number one.  You may be one of those hard-chargers who has convinced him/herself that you can get by on 5-6 hours.  May have even been doing it for years.  Well, the data is in and it’s conclusive – that’s a life shortening habit and a definite drawback during a rigorous job search.  Your energy levels will be noticeably higher with proper sleep.  Check out this article if you aren’t convinced.
  4. Start your day with some form of meditation and statements of gratitude. I hope you are of the understanding that the ONE thing in life that we can truly control is our thoughts.  Coming off a stinging RIF, you may be inclined to let them slide to the wrong side of the thought ledger.  Sitting in prayer or meditation for 15 minutes and either stating out loud or writing in a journal what you are grateful for each day can get you started with the high energy day that it requires.

 

 

 

“Sound when stretched is music.  Movement when stretched is dance.  Mind when stretched is meditation.  Life when stretched is celebration.” 

Shri Ravishanker Jee

The last suggestion I have in this area is to guard against letting the search overwhelm you.  I suggest, even though you will likely have a very high feeling of urgency about this, to keep your focused search effort to no more than thirty hours a week.  The operative word here is “focused”.  Beyond thirty hours, you will approach burn-out and start hitting a frustration level that will detract from your effectiveness and tempt you to move away from your focused, structured process.

In Part-Three, we will go into the complexities of today’s job search, how it’s changed and lay out some suggestions for building structure and focus into your job search.

What has worked for you for building and maintaining energy and focus for your job search?  Scroll down and leave a comment – we’d love to hear from you.

“Double-nickeled and Stuck! Getting re-employed at 55 or beyond” – Part One

In this part-one of a three-part series on “Double-nickeled and Stuck! Getting re-employed at 55 or beyond”, we will begin to take a look at the reality of what it takes to regain meaningful employment in today’s rapidly evolving workplace and at the process it takes to be prepared for the challenges ahead.

Am I re-employable?

We’ll assume you don’t have a rap-sheet full of Class IV felonies and that, up to now, you’ve been a productive, above-average-to-superior contributor to your employer’s cause.

Yes, you are re-employable. But we need to get real about what it may take and to go into the process with modified expectations.

First of all, if you are still reeling from the groin-kick of an unexpected “involuntary retirement” from your job, there will be a few phases you’ll have to work through before you can be effective in a job search.

It’s easy to slide into the self-doubt abyss. Expect it, accept it, work through it. For most, it will start with denial and isolation followed by anger followed by depression followed by bargaining (willing to accept less or compromise) and, finally, acceptance. The choice here is to either compact all that into a few days or let it go on for months and eat yourself alive and make those closest to you wish you were somewhere else.

The sooner you can get to that final stage, the sooner you can get moving again. A good coach can help you climb out of the abyss by providing an understanding ear coupled with encouragement, accountability and direction.

No, you’re not a slug!

Your time and developed skills have not been wasted. There is a need. You have transferable skills, probably very deep transferable skills. But it may not be back in the same industry.

I often see folks in this position only looking back into the industry that just gut-punched them. Another opportunity may exist there but consider also that other companies and industries out there can use what you have.  They need – and want – the deeper wisdom, discipline and common sense that come with that seasoned skill set. So start by being open to considering a big step away from the business space you’ve been in.

Time to reflect

You are at a very critical inflection point. It’s a good time for some introspection. Consider doing a deep-dive into three areas:

  1. What you accomplished while employed. Look, companies don’t employ slugs – at least for very long. You’ve done a good job and it wasn’t so much your performance but a new paradigm of business that took you out. Spend some time resurrecting those proud, acknowledged and rewarded accomplishments at your work. It’s likely you’ve forgotten them or taken them for granted. Journey back into your professional memory, dig them out. Write them out, preferably with hard-number quantification included. This is foundational to attitude restoration, for establishing your personal brand going forward and for helping you with the next tip.
  2. Some deep personal assessment. With this face-slap and temporary employment-lull comes a timely opportunity for re-assessment. What is it about you that made the accomplishments from #1 happen? Have you ever seriously reflected on what it is that drives you? What has motivated you to get up every morning and do your job? I suspect it was more than just mortgage coverage for 30 years.This is an important time to really examine the “why” of your life. The on-rush of life, mortgage coverage and public-image maintenance has a way of covering over one’s true motivating drivers. Now would be a good time to get honest about this area of your life.
  3. Start building your personal brand. What does that mean – personal brand? I like the definition: “the development of a unique professional identity and coherent message that sets you apart from others in your industry.”  It will be important to be able establish what will draw attention and differentiate you. Here we go back to your previous accomplishments and begin to really isolate your strengths:
    • What were you most recognized for?
    • What problems did you consistently solve for others?
    • What do people come to you repeatedly for advice?
    • What success stories do you have stretched across your career?  Your personal brand then needs to be translated to the components that you will need for your job search, specifically the resume, Linked In profile, your “elevator speech” and your interviewing skills.

All that is obviously beyond the scope of a single blog. My basic coaching program addresses this componentry with an eye toward positioning someone optimally for that move back into the marketplace.

Few of us function completely outside of innate talents and strengths. But, alas, few of us function completely within those same talents and strengths. And this is often due to the fact that maybe we don’t fully understand or acknowledge what our deepest talents and strengths are. In other words, we often are forcing ourselves to operate counter to how we are truly wired up.

That’s what I did for about 35 years of my sales and marketing and self-employment career. I had to reach my sixties (OK – I’m slow!) before I finally acknowledged and moved toward what I REALLY, REALLY wanted to do and what I was REALLY, REALLY good at. It’s still a work in progress, but a very gratifying one.

What turned it for me? A lot of self reflection along with some strengths assessments and some really solid books on personal psychology. Specifically, I bought the book “Now Discover Your Strengths” and took the Strengthsfinder assessment that comes with the book. I took the test three times before I finally accepted what it was telling me.

I also read (twice) three books by Marty Seligman, originator of Positive Psychology which acquainted me with the importance of operating within my strengths and also provided some assessments that were, surprisingly, in line with what Strengthsfinder unveiled for me.

All that has contributed to me finally moving to where I’m operating more within my innate talents and strengths.

So there’s a starting point. Do some self-assessing and take some quiet time asking yourself those same questions: What am I REALLY good at? What do I REALLY want to be? Where have I had the most impact?

Get some outside help.

Two other suggestions here

  1. Get with 5,10, 15 people who know you well and ask them what they think are your strengths and compare them to what you think they are. This is kinda tough since you may be a bit embarrassed about your situation and your dobber may be down, but it’s often a very revealing reality check.
  2. Hire a coach. Find somebody that will help you work through the down-time and the re-invention that you are going to need to go through.

 

Modify your expectations

We don’t dare leave this Part One without injecting a caveat. THIS WILL BE A BITCH!! With some serious heavy lifting.

Here’s the reality of it all. Those of us in the recruiting and job search coaching world know that re-entry at this age is tough, protracted and not a given. Be prepared for the following:

  • For a self-directed job search, count on a minimum of one month’s search for every $10,000 in salary. How prepared are you to be able to hold out that long?
  • Being able to return to the salary you just left probably isn’t going to happen. Can you expect it to be different when you are the 55-year old going to work for the 43 year old to do what he or she will hire a 40-year old to do?
  • Today’s job market morphed while you were busy living life at your last job. What it takes to find a job has no resemblance to what you did the last time and will require a process and discipline that may tax you heavily emotionally and physically.

You will be thinking “JOB”. It’s an appropriate time for  some new thinking as you go through this process and consider “ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY” instead.
We’ll begin to address more of this with Parts Two and Three.

Let us know your thoughts about all this. What have your experiences been in this area? What advice do you have for others who find themselves in this situation? What’s worked and not worked for you? Leave a comment below – we really appreciate hearing from you.

Double-nickeled and stuck! Getting re-employed at 55 or beyond – Launching a Three-part Series

A current coaching client of mine is 58 and stuck! Had the rug pulled out from under a 30-year successful run in sales in the healthcare space following a merger of his company with another.

No warning. “Here’s a few month’s severance and thanks for your service. We already have three other people doing what you do for about 1.5x your salary.”

Another victim of the merger/acquisition steam roller running through many industries.

Another talented mid-lifer on the receiving end of the last un-addressed “-ism” – ageism.

He kinda saw it coming. You know, that little uneasy feeling in the gut that’s hinting something is up but that’s so easy to suppress and deny. That little voice that says maybe I should be thinking about “putting out feelers.”

But it’s so easy to just back-burner it and let it get lost in the onrush of 21st century life and our deeply ingrained pursuit of material goals.

Then the curtain comes down! BAM! Life just took an unintended turn and the “pucker factor” and cortisol flow just went way up.

Unfortunately, it’s a pretty common story. Current reality is that both corporate loyalty as well as employee loyalty has shifted dramatically. Today, companies feign employee loyalty but, end of day, they are looking for ways to get rid of employees and replace them with technology.

Don’t we wish that companies truly love their employees? And they do, but only as long as the “productivity index” is positive. When technology can step in and replace to restore/achieve the productivity, the love goes away.

Who would have thought that in the mere span of 15-20 years that the least safe place to find employment security would be working for a company?

Three part series

I’m putting together this three part series in hopes of providing some help and encouragement for those in this type of situation to regroup and reinvent themselves and move onto an even more productive and fulfilling period of “second growth.”

I’m breaking the series into three parts to address three of the most common questions asked by someone in this position:
• Am I re-employable? Who wants someone like me when they can get two or three “youngsters” at the same price?
• Do I have the energy to launch a job search?
• Do I even know how to go about looking for another position in today’s job market?

My answer to those questions are:
• Yes. Somebody needs you
• Maybe
• No

Over the next three blogs, I’ll expand on those answers and provide some insight into each. For now, just know that you aren’t in this battle alone and that the potential solutions are much better than you may think. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you have comments or other questions that you would like answers to, leave a reply below.