By BoomerYearbook.com

Baby boomers approaching their mid fifties tend to take stock, with a view to planning as comfortable a retirement as possible in circumstances that may not be financially rosy. The average baby boomer comes from a generation accustomed to getting the best that money can buy and a retirement spent economizing on groceries is hardly ideal.

Typically, baby boomers spend only a little time cursing the government and the banks and the oh-so-clever money men who got them into this mess, choosing instead to focus on a solution to subsidize their income in later years.

Baby boomer professionals are firm believers in getting things done the right way and paying the right man for the right job. This does not mean, however, that older operatives cannot learn new skills – or that picking up a pension following a successful career means enforced retirement. Many energetic and super motivated over fifties choose to take up a second career out of a desire to remain active but the truth is that the majority seek work to sponsor their ‘retirement’.

An augmented income for seniors can be a big financial help and make all the difference to enjoying retirement to the full. Find more information about second careers online. That second income might be used for grocery treats; for taking foreign holidays and exploring Rome and the Far East instead of being confined to vacations nearer to home by budget limitations; or it might simply cover membership of the golf club, which might otherwise be unaffordable. Whatever the reason for re-applying the nose to the grindstone, the choices are vast and varied:

• Medical professionals such as trained and well qualified nurses might consider a new career in child minding or home nursing, either professionally or privately, both of which require formal checks. ‘Attending’ as a supervisor for first aid training is a job traditionally reserved for qualified personnel but the role carries none of the pressures of a full time hospital position. Company nurses are sometimes recruited from retired medical staff and happily spend their time mostly in administration on a smaller but nonetheless welcome salary.
• The real estate business can sometimes provide employment for retired quantity or chartered surveyors; builders; decorators and ex employees of land offices. Experience is valuable and potential employers are delighted to pay a lower premium for someone with know-how.
• The internet has brought the era of the home based worker to the attention of prospective retirees with a cash flow problem. Outsourcing is a great way to start up a company or work for someone who is willing to pay an agreed rate. Outsourced jobs include engineering design; web work; writing and translation services; graphic design; illustration services and even ‘virtual’ assistance and secretarial duties. The advantages are obvious: there are few overheads; you can pick and choose your contracts without the conventional restrictions of the workplace and you can go to work in your pyjamas if you feel like it.

Freelancing

Freelance contracting offers so many obvious advantages for baby boomers: there is nobody to tell you how to run your job; you can cut off a relationship with any client whom you feel does not offer a satisfying work experience (although good commercial manners should always govern behavior in that direction); there is total freedom of enterprise, allowing clever contractors to charge what the market will allow and there are no restrictions to branching into other areas of expertise.

No corporate ladder! How great is that!

There are some reputable outsourcing websites to explore but remember to exercise caution when trawling the internet for work: never part with personal information and read terms and conditions carefully before entering into contracts.

The Psychological Article on Second Careers and How to Deal With Them is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

Second Careers and Where to Find Them

By BoomerYearbook.com

The age of the computer has brought us freedom: freedom of easy reference; the capability to source information previously available only in libraries or by lengthy letter enquiry. Wanting a second career is only the start of the journey for determined baby boomers. Finding the right occupation is a challenge but with the help of the internet it is possible to ‘reassess’ your talents and skills before getting out there to look for that special second string to your bow.

It is always a good idea to interact with others and make use of forums where ambitious fifties gather to swap interesting information. Other people’s ideas provide a springboard for your own so take the opportunity to learn how others are getting on in the job world.

A new career might be necessary but not necessarily daunting. Baby boomers have a special gift for insisting on the best and somehow getting it against all odds. Being the ‘new guy’ on the other side of fifty can be both financially rewarding and amusing if you approach the situation with:

• A sense of humor
• A determination to enjoy your new working life.
• A positive outlook. Negativity is the enemy of any successful venture, especially starting over in a new career late in life

From the employers’ point of view, a mature employee with years of valuable experience can be a huge bonus. Offices and factories are operated with subtle differences but the fundamental rules and guidelines of commerce are similar in most areas of the manufacturing and service industries. Additionally, forward thinking companies are beginning to appreciate that mature baby boomer staff members offer great free training resources for ‘newbies’ on a ‘buddy’ system.

There are retirees who look forward to widening their horizons by stepping into an entirely new profession at ground level. Trainees, even mature ones, are under little pressure to perform and this period of learning can be the most fun a rookie will have for years to come! This is possibly the only opportunity one will ever have to take an entirely different direction in life. Throwing away the opportunity to pick up a pension earned over twenty years to pursue a new career during one’s thirties and forties can be a strong incentive to do the time; as a result, many wait a long time to switch careers and look forward to embracing that long nurtured dream.

Finding the training

Stepping into the unknown can be worrysome – especially without any inkling of what to expect. Training information online is profuse, with advice on how baby boomers might obtain instruction, creditation, qualifications and the all important confidence to step into a brand new World.

The money is certainly an incentive but there is little point in dreading getting out of bed in the morning to face a job one cannot stand! Finding the right role that utilizes individual skills is imperative to success and happiness in a second career. Tempting as it is to find work that is totally different it is more practical to perform a role that stretches one’s talents and skills to avoid losing them through lack of use.

For those who want to go back to a job but lack the imagination or know how to source the correct type of work, there are consultants and recruitment packages in abundance, both in government sponsored programs and online. Pick one! But be sure to explore all the possibilities of one thing before you hop to another possibility. The market is huge so detailed research is important to get an accurate idea of what is out there and whether it offers what you are looking for. Where training is offered, seize the opportunity to learn new skills or update those you already have.

Pension issues

Bear in mind when considering a return to the workplace that a state sourced pension will be affected in terms of tax; likely to be withdrawn entirely or at least significantly reduced while you are earning. Tax implications are clearly laid out on government websites: make stringent enquiries before launching your new career.

The Psychological Article on Second Careers and Where to Find Them is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!