Tag: 50+ (Page 1 of 2)

50+ in the workplace.

03/12/2019 / Laura

Boris Pasternak wrote his first novel, Dr. Zhivago, when he was 55.

Madeleine Albright became U.S. Secretary of State when she was 60.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Guggenheim Museum at the age of 80.

What did they all have in common?

Age. With all its wisdom, life experiences, and broader perspectives.

Plus a great deal of talent and creativity, and the broader thinking that we over-50 types are blessed with in abundance.

Wonder what would happen today in America’s youth-oriented society if one of these successful people tried to get a position with a major company…interviewed by a 20-something who instead of seeing the wealth of talent and experience, only saw the gray hair, glasses, and (gasp) a few well-earned wrinkles?

In other countries of the world, the interview would probably go a lot better. But here in the good ‘ole USA, we seem to be addicted to being young. Which, when you consider the almost priceless value brought by someone who actually knows what they’re doing, is very very sad. And very very bad for business.

But there are still a lot of us out there who want to keep contributing.

I wanted to get some advice from someone who’s been putting potential employees and employers together for a long time. So I called Pam Witzig, whose firm, Witzig, primarily concentrates on marketing and advertising, filling both agency and client-side assignments. She’s an experienced boomer who knows too well how challenging it is for anyone over 50 to find employment. (I’ve stayed in contact with Pam for years, and always found her to be intelligent, friendly, and helpful….and her regular email newsletter is a delight to read. Check out her website to learn more.)

Pam is quick to respond when asked why employers should consider people over 50 for the workplace.

“Older workers want to contribute. They are more apt to think outside the box. Studies show we become more creative as we age…and we are more able to look at different aspects of a problem and make fresh associations. We also are not as concerned about climbing the corporate ladder or insisting on greater salaries with each employment change. ”

In addition, Pam points out the value of a 50+ person over a millennial in terms of logistics. “Older workers usually don’t have the pressures of a growing family…soccer games, schedules, etc. They are much freer and can focus all their energy on their job. Plus, I think we don’t take ourselves as seriously. We enjoy our work, and take a more relaxed approach to things, which really benefits our coworkers and customers as well.

“There’s an unfortunate mindset that once you reach a certain age, and you are not a senior VP, or a head of a department, you’re out. What a waste of experience and talent! The idea that everyone who comes into the workforce is eventually going to become CEO is ludicrous. There can be only so many chiefs. You need good people to do the work.”

And maybe the best reason of all? Employees over 50 are more relevant.

Our segment of the population is the biggest and fastest growing. We are the ones out there making the cash registers ring, choosing new residences or communities in which to retire, traveling, buying cars, and so on. According to the U.S. News & World Report, Americans over 50 control 77 percent of the total net worth.

So how can a 50+ person re-enter the workforce, or change jobs, or hope to relocate and keep contributing?

Pam offers some tips:

Be confident. Go into the interview or phone call strong. Do not let a lack of confidence show.

Be honest. Put the dates on your résumé. Do not leave them off. Not having dates just creates a mystery and actually makes you appear even older than you are. Use it your advantage; talk depth of experience.

Don’t oversell. There’s a fine line between confident and desperate. Talk about your strengths and the value of your experience. And do not use words like “seasoned.” Just tell them what they’re missing!

Be current. What are you doing now? For example, if you’re trying for a position in an advertising agency’s creative department, do not show samples that are 10 years old. Your potential employer wants to know what you are doing now. So even if that means doing some pro bono projects, it’s worth it.

Be creative. If you’ve been out of the workplace for an extended period, do your best to connect the dots to your potential employer. Maybe it’s the hobbies you’ve been pursuing. Or there’s something in your background that connects you to the industry. Look at your whole life experience—can you find something that could benefit your employer?

Pam Witzig knows what older job candidates are facing. Her firm has made a sound reputation of matching people and positions in marketing and advertising. Yet she admits that these days, re-entering the workforce after 50 is challenging, because so many times it comes down to appearance. She speaks of a friend over 80 who is more active than ever, while many people in their 30s are “some of the oldest people I know.”

It’s true, isn’t it? We’re individuals, and we should be judged that way. Yet in the land of “younger is better,” it’s an uphill climb. I can only speak for myself, but I know I’m doing much better work in these years. I’m much more relaxed about all of it. I have so much more to draw from these days.

And I still have that classic work ethic—the one instilled in me by parents who survived the Depression—that I think makes one heck of a difference when it comes to the bottom line.

But yes, there are gray hairs. And a few wrinkles.

But there’s also experience. Wisdom. Empathy. Honesty. Persistence.

So as long as we can contribute, we should. As my wise friend Pam says, tell them what they’re missing!

“The years teach much which the days never knew.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Getting older or better?

09/10/2018 / Laura

Are you scared of turning 60? Or 70? Or whatever age you’re about to be?

We get a number in our heads and we start worrying…what will life be like, what will I look like, and how much longer do I have…and most of the time, these fears are based on advertising, old movies, or mean old people we knew when we were children.

That crabby lady down the street who never handed out Halloween candy. The old man who seemed to get so old so fast. Our third-grade math teacher who never smiled. When we were about 10 years old, they seemed to be 100. But of course, they weren’t.

They were just older. And since it was probably 50+ years ago when we knew them, they were older in a different time. A time when there weren’t yoga classes for people over 70. Or strength training opportunities for anyone past 80. Or well-designed communities for people over 55 with everything from an indoor pool to a pub to a non-stop calendar of events.

So, whether it’s true or not, it seems like people “back then” aged faster. They certainly didn’t have all the health and nutrition advantages we do now. Many of them probably did physical labor for so many years it took its toll. Health conditions that are quite treatable today weren’t then. People sat outside and worshipped the sun without realizing the dangers, so there a whole lot more wrinkles to rock.

Today, some say 50 is the new 40, 60 is the new 50, and so on. Maybe just say 60 is the new 60! Maybe don’t worry about the number; but do have a good understanding of the physical changes that occur as we age and how we can enjoy life more than ever.

There are some physical changes to be aware of as we get older…startsat60.com lists a few:

Our taste buds are not quite as sharp.
Body odor changes.
Always loved sweets? You might find yourself with stronger cravings for salty, or vice versa.
Feeling stiff and sore in the morning is common as we age.
Wonder why you always seem to have a bruise? Your skin is thinner so a slight bump can leave a mark.
Feel achy? If you’ve had bad posture or have been inactive for years, it’s going to show.
Dry skin. Drink more water and use lotions.
Bladder problems can occur.
You might forget things more often.

Is it all bad news? NO! While it’s a good idea to understand that these changes are normal, it’s even more important to know you can do quite a lot to level the playing field.

Here’s some thoughts from Mayo Clinic about healthy aging:

Every day, do something physical. Walk, swim, do chair aerobics…it will help you maintain a healthy weight, lower blood pressure and feel better in general.
Don’t smoke. Eat a healthy diet. And get enough sleep.
Bones weaken as we age. So, get enough calcium, vitamin D and watch your alcohol intake. And join a gym for some strength training—you are never too old to build muscle.
Stay social. Find reasons to get out and meet people, stay in touch with friends, have the family over. Social interaction wards off depression and stress, which can contribute to memory loss.
Exercise your mind by always learning something new…a foreign language, a new way to drive to the store, or a complex puzzle to solve.

The GREAT news about turning older.

Remember when you were 39 and you thought 40 meant it was all over?

Or turning 50 and thinking everything was going to stop?

Well chances are it didn’t….you look back now and laugh, thinking how young you were then, and if “I’d only known” then I wouldn’t have worried. It’s the same now. Find someone 10 years older and they will urge you to get up, get active and enjoy life with all the gusto you can.

Because being afraid of what might come isn’t going to help.

Being proactive in making “now” better just might.

You can sit in front of the TV all day. Or you can go to the park and walk by a lake.
You can never learn another thing. Or you can take an adult education class and learn all about something you never even considered, make new friends, and expand your world.
You can eat the same food every day. Or you can go online and find new recipes and try them out on your friends.
You can look at old photos and cry. Or you can become a docent at a local history museum and interact with interested people all day.
You can decide no one cares anymore. Or you can connect with a volunteer agency in your town and start helping the truly needy and forgotten.

Life really is what you make it. And you have the wisdom, experience and talent to make it spectacular. Or at least, more interesting than you thought possible.

It’s your time. And it’s your choice.

Sit and stew…or rock that wrinkle?

None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.

Henry David Thoreau

Prince, and why we should wear more purple

05/30/2016 / Laura

We’re baby boomers, most of us well over 50, so what are we supposed to act like?

Seriously. When we were kids, our 50+ relatives were ancient. Slow-moving. Wore polyester. Smoked cigars.

That wasn’t going to happen to us.

Now we’re there. 55. 60. 65. 70. 75+. We reach these ages and they don’t feel so different, other than a new creak in the bones or maybe a little less hair. But inside?

Heck, we still can rock it.

So how are we supposed to act, dress, conduct ourselves around others?

Prince’s death really got me to thinking about this. Granted, he was unusual. Didn’t dress like others. Like to wear high-heeled boots and jump off pianos. Looked good with some well-placed eyeliner. But most important, was touched by God in terms of musical talent. Simply amazing. Even if you don’t like some of the hits played on the radio, if you scope out some of his work on earlier albums, you’ll be blown away by his talent, musical ear, and savvy in the production room.

And he was generous, giving away millions, helping other musical artists, sharing his gifts.

Yet we tend to step back and judge, because he was different. Especially for someone who was 57. I mean, really. What’s up with that guy?

Why the heck does it matter so much?

So few among us (at least it seems this way) really keep celebrating the inner child, the inside voice that wants to play, wants to run down the beach, wants to play the music much too loud in the car.

Instead, we conform.

We turn down the volume.

Especially when we get older. After all, isn’t that how we’re supposed to act?

Is it? Really?

What if we lived in world where it was more than okay for us people over 50 to look any way we choose, dance any way we want, and basically claim all the freedom and wackiness due us after making it this far? What if we were the ones marketers wanted to sell the corvettes, vacations, fine wines, and giant speakers to?

What if the far left lane on the interstate was reserved for us?

What if, like Prince, we put on a purple jumpsuit, sprayed our cane silver, and strutted down the street?

Personally, I think we should. At least inside. if you can’t work up the nerve to do it outright, then try a few things.

Ride in your car with music you love turned up way too loud. Windows open, please.

Buy a crazy scarf or feather boa and wear it to the grocery store. Ask your barber or hairdresser about a little green highlight. Sleep later than ever. Have dessert first.

Wear purple.

Here are two poems, one for men, and one for women, about the joys and the freedom that come with aging.

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat that doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me,
And I shall spend my pension
on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals,
and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired,
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells,
And run my stick along the public railings,
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people’s gardens,
And learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat,
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go,
Or only bread and pickle for a week,
And hoard pens and pencils and beer mats
and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry,
And pay our rent and not swear in the street,
And set a good example for the children.
We will have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practise a little now?
So people who know me
are not too shocked and surprised,
When suddenly I am old
and start to wear purple!

Jenny Joseph

and now for the gentlemen:

WHEN I AM AN OLD MAN
When I am an old man, I will wear plaid trousers,
let my shirt tail hang out on one side on Tuesdays,
and wear ties that clash with everything.
I’ll carry a cane whether I need it or not,
to waggle at people who ask stupid questions
and poke pretty young girls.
I’ll have my ear pierced, the one that says you’re gay
(whichever that is)
and grin if someone mentions it.
I won’t smile on Thursdays, even if I’m chuckling inside,
I’ll never be angry on Sundays,
except in months when the sun doesn’t shine.
Maybe I’ll shave, and maybe I won’t,
depends on which eye I open first in the morning.
I’ll spit in public places, but not on people’s shoes,
unless they deserve it,
and belch from both ends when the spirit moves me.
I’ll eat tacos for breakfast, ice cream with salad,
drink tea with honey, coffee with maple syrup,
and rum with nothing at all.
I’ll stare everyone straight in the eye,
give my opinion on everything under the sun,
if I’m asked, and especially if I’m not.
I’ll forget how to spell “rules” but not “integrity”,
“obligations”, but not “responsibility”,
“expectations”, but not “honor”.
I’ll speak to God direct, help him out when he needs it,
but gently, cause mainly he does good work,
when people leave him alone, that is.
I’ll cry at movies and funerals,
laugh at my own mistakes, if I make any,
hug my sons and my daughters every chance I get,
raise my hat to any woman wearing purple.
I think I’ll have more fun
saying what I think,
being who I am,
staring at the stars,
when I am an old man, wearing plaid trouser

……ROBERT N. McWILLIAM

Life is short. Life is yours. Don’t let anyone take a moment from you. Enjoy. Embrace. Celebrate.

As a musical genius who preferred purple said in a famous song, “We could all die any day. … I ‘d rather dance my life away.”

Do it! Rock that wrinkle!

“Each day is a new beginning.”

Prince

Ready to risk?

05/09/2016 / Laura

You’re over 50. Or well past 60. You’ve decide to make a change. A big one. Take the new job. Retire. Move to the brand new address across the country or across the world. Marry someone who doesn’t quite fit your family’s heirloom locket. Or, (gasp) maybe you’re considering moving back to previous, less glamorous location after several years of living the dream.

And here it comes…

You’re too old.
You’re too young.
You don’t know anybody there.
You already have a good job.
You can’t do this by yourself.
What is something goes wrong?
Why would you want to start over?
Don’t you like it here?
Why would you want to live there?
How can you leave/ignore/betray your family?
How you leave/ignore/betray your friends?
Aren’t you scared?

How could you consider going back to where you started?
How could you give up what you have?
Don’t you love it here?
Don’t you love us?
Won’t you be going backwards?
Why can’t you make it work here?
Doesn’t it feel like you’ve failed?
Aren’t you scared?

It’s not that they don’t love you, they just don’t love that you are considering such a big change. Especially at your age.

The ironic part is 50+ is when you are best equipped to make a big change.

At least that was true for me. In my 20s and 30s, I was too busy trying to gain work experience and feel comfortable with everything life threw at me. I thought about making big changes a few times, but let fear and uncertainty stifle any real action. It wasn’t until I was able to cast off all the baggage of other people’s expectations that I could clearly hear what my soul was telling me.

And I’m so glad I listened. Because even though every major life change brings with it moments of anxiety, doubt, loneliness (and the occasional cheese dip binge), it also brings a great deal of peace. Leaving your comfort zone can be the best way to find out what—and who—really matters to you. When you put distance between you and the way things have always been, you can turn around and view it from a different perspective. It’s like standing in a museum and staring at an oversized canvas. The tiny, insignificant details fade away, the background blurs, and what is left is the core—the passion—of the painting.

Before, you saw the faces, you heard all the noise…. Now what is left? What images still touch your heart? Who do you genuinely miss and want to keep close forever? What truly matters in your life? I think it’s the good stuff—the stuff you have with you always, and can always return to.

In fact,I also think we must stay open to what comes after the big risk and the wonderful self-discovery. Sometimes, we come to a point where we start to realize we have made the dream come true. We did accomplish many things, have wonderful new friends, and gave ourselves a magnificent gift. And now that we done it, we might find ourselves longing to simplify our lives even more. And that could mean going back to where we started.

You will learn a lot when you start any new adventure. Here’s what taking a big risk taught me:

How anything is possible.
How lonely it can be.
How fantastic it can be.
Which friendships are real.
Which people live in my heart.
The wonder of email and texting.
Dogs don’t like change.
Learning new things requires forgetting some old stuff.
No matter how good you feel about things, you’re still going to occasionally wake up at 3 a.m. and wonder what the hell you are doing there.
There’s not always going to be a sign to point you in the right direction.
You can mow grass while it is snowing.
You can come home again. And again.
God is always there. He’s just quiet sometimes.

Changing your life, starting over, whatever words you use—it is not without its challenges.. But I believe the universe is standing by waiting to kick in a lot of power once you commit. The road may not be easy. But look where it can lead.