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

1. Career Change and Re-Invention During the Later Stages of Your Work Life Fuqua Career Management Center November 18, 2010 Lisa Schwartz Associate Director Student & Alumni Career Services

2. Maintain or Reinvent? Change happens when Pain exceeds the Fear of Uncertainty

3. Proactive Career Management Who Am I? Where do I find opportunities? • What Do I Have • To Offer? How do I decide?

4. Success in the 21st century will require that you: • 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

5. 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?

6. Areas of opportunity and growth • Education • Health Care • Environment • Government • Non Profit

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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.

10. Prep for change • Plan Financially • Research • Learn Language of New Option • Assess Current Situation • Scope Out Training & Development

11. 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

12. 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?

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. Print Resources Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Re-inventing your career By: Herminia Ibarra Something to Live For: Finding Your Way in the Second Half of Life By: Richard J. Leider What’s Next? By: Hannon Don’t stop the Career Clock By: Helen Harkness Capitalizing on Career Chaos By: Helen Harkness Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction By:Laura Berman Fortgang

17. 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

18. Career Services for Alumni • 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 • Alumni-careers@duke.edu 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