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