OK. I’m going to vent, folks.
I’ve had a plethora of “the sky is falling” emails from baby boomers the past week or so who are wigging out that their world has changed. Now, I can be guilty of being a tough-love career consultant but I’m here to tell ya’: Welcome to the New Reality.
I totally understand what you have today, financially, isn’t what you had five years ago. I understand that you may not have as much saved for retirement. I understand that you’re suffering from some loss of identity after being laid off. The big corner office is gone. I get it. I really do. And I have compassion for it. But I ask you, Boomers, were you really happy anyway?
Here’s the deal, Boomers (and the whining GenYs and GenXs too — the Boomers do NOT have the lock on whining): Life goes on. Whining about it isn’t going to bring it back. Set an action plan and move forward. And it IS going to be OK. Yes, this is a paradigm shift in today’s society, our income levels, etc. but there ARE positive stories out there about people successfully making career changes. So the laid off IT manager may not be able to make $100K in 2010 but he/she can use his/her skill set in a different industry and still make a great living on national (let alone global!) standards. Bottom line: Boomers, readjust your expectations of what it takes financially to be…..happy. That’s right. Focus on being HAPPY. And the money will come.
I don’t mean to beat up on all Boomers as clearly I have many Boomer career consulting clients who are not at all whiners. They appreciate what they have and what they’re going to attain in their reinvention. In fact, I just spoke to a woman this morning who had been laid off only a month ago. She was making great money as in-house counsel but got laid off due to a company merger. She was wigging out since she’s the bread-winner in her family of four. But….she wrote down what she wanted in a new job in her reinvention: A minimum of $x (which was less than what she was making), a light commute and some international work. Guess what?
In only a month, she landed a new job that is paying her MORE when you weigh in bonus potential, she has a commute that is 5 minutes less than her previous commute….and she is now heading up a Fortune 200 company’s INTERNATIONAL LEGAL COMPLIANCE for God’s sake. She is even still getting severance from her former employer while still employed in her new job. See. She did it. And she’s just one of many. The key: She took action. She didn’t wallow. She moved forward. With a postitive attitude.
This is where I really want to insist that everyone apply the 8-Steps To A Career Transition that’s the basis to everything that my career consultants and I do.
Whew. That’s off my chest. How many people did I just piss off as being too tough on Boomers? Hopefully not too many.
That being said, for all you Boomers who aren’t whiners OR want to stop whining because you know it’s not going to get you anywhere, then I suggest you attend my expert Boomer panel and me this Monday, June 29; 8pm Eastern / 5pm Pacific for a FREE (other than your long distance charges) teleclass geared toward the 50+ folks – “8 Steps To A Successful Career Transition For the 50+”. Sign-up!
Let’s have some FUN talking about career reinvention, exploration and happiness.
Brian
July 5, 2009 at 1:23 am
Hey Brian….
I am a “post-boomer” (born latter 1960’s) who is going through some unexpected career changes.
I will say that there is a vortex out there that draws our thinking toward fear and frankly, self-pity, when we find ourselves in the midst of unexpected change.
Probably based on how we were conditioned by observing the previous generations. I’ve had to take stock and regroup my thinking. Glad to report that there is much to be optimistic about…. may I share some of my revelations?
1. 40 and 50 are not what they used to be. I am hearing that “50 is the new 30″. Meaning that we are not considered old at 50 anymore. And there are lots of youthful 40 and 50 year olds.
2. A retired executive in my family (now in his late 70’s) who had done his share of hiring over his career states that “you don’t know $#!% ’til you are 40″.
3. Renowned trainer, Brian Tracy, reports that most people make their maximum earnings after their 50th year.
4. Why on earth are we 40-somethings and 50-somethings buying into this “Youth-worship” cultural BS?. The gen-x’ers who have made it big are the exception. They are still young and inexperienced in many matters of life. Most 20-somethings and 30-something gen-xers are struggling the same as the rest of us.
Stop watching TV! So many shows, like CSI Miami, suggest to us that the rest of the world is young, beautiful, and rich. This is all part of the Youth-worship culture. It is crap. Life is not like that.
5. At 40-something, and in the midst of a career change, I find that I can show what I am capable of and not just say it. I have a track record of success that can only be provided through time. Today’s youth can talk about what they learned or what they think more than what they have DONE.
My wife at 38 works in a field full of 20-something wanna-bes. While the newbies can’t find clients on their own, my wife is now turning clients away because she is sought after for her experience. The newbies’ freshly printed diplomas don’t mean jack in this field of healthcare compared to my wife’s EXPERIENCE.
6. None of us are alone. There are thousands, perhaps millions of us 40-somethings and 50-somethings going through these times and circumstances. So lets not single ourselves out and look at ourselves as failures or being old. We are not! These tough times just showed up when we happen to be these ages. So what.
There is so much to be positive about!
We need to stop listening to the negative voices and start doing what we are capable of! DOING speaks very loudly.
Ciao.
Chaz
July 10, 2009 at 11:43 am
Hi Chaz,
Great comments and advice. Like what you have to say: Stop listening to the naysayers….turn off the TV….and grab a mitt and get in the game of LIFE and career reinvention. It can be a ton of fun with the right attitude. Thanks for sharing….
Best!
Brian
July 11, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Brian… I like your site…. it is relevant.
There are a lot of us 40-somethings going through unexpected changes and can use all of the encouragment possible.
Unfortunately many of us were conditioned by the bygone era of job stability and think (mistakenly) that the changing job climate at our ages is insuramountable.
Not true.
Will drop by again.
Ciao.
Chaz
July 12, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Brian…
Relevant quote that indicates the value of life experience as discussed…
Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.
Jim Rohn
Ciao.
Chaz