The Next Chapter: What to Look for in a Second Career

What do you do when: there’s job loss, forced retirement, downsizing, or a layoff just one time too many; even a side hustle wouldn’t put enough of a dent in your basic living expenses; and the 9 to 5 is more of an earworm than a siren song calling your name? Gone are the days when you could bank on thirty years with a company and retire with a gold watch and sufficient pension then live out your golden years in peace with home improvement, hobbies, grandkids, and cruises to fill your days. The golden years are tarnished; you have a second mortgage if you are on the path to homeownership at all; hobbies are YouTube shorts that are monetized; the grandkid possibility has been replaced by “pet babies”; and cruises are just outside of your financial reach due to inflation or not as safe as they once were.

The answer to resolve all of these problems: more money! But how? You redefine yourself and write the next chapter of your life. Looking inward first, then outward is key to redefining yourself. Now is the time to ask yourself some questions and re-evaluate your skill sets’ transferrable nature to the needs and niches of the economy. You will find your way and your place in a brave new world that is richer because of you and your redefined place in it.

1. Define your time.

Time is your first consideration. It is the most valuable resource because once it’s spent (unlike money), you can’t get it back. It affects how tired you are after a day’s work depending on how long the workday is. It expands or limits how much free time you will have. After health, it is your greatest wealth.

So, do you want to be part-time or full-time; flex or on-call; temporary or permanent; or even freelance where you could make your own hours? Do you want a job in your time zone or another? Each has its own pros and cons that you would need to explore.

Lastly, and realistically, how healthy are you to perform any job you choose? Check with your doctor first if you are pursuing more physical work, like where you would have to stand all day, or being limited in some way, like not being able to drive in the dark. They will help you agree upon how long and what type would be a reasonable workday for you. You may not be able to return to the same type of work you once performed, but you still can find something that fits the redefined you!

2. Define your industry.

This is dream time! Brainstorm all the different kinds of jobs that you would like to do. Let nothing hold you back except for your creativity. Think of your education, experience, and expertise to narrow down the choices.

Figure out how easy or challenging it is to enter into the fields that remain. Work from this list to match your skills with existing industries making special note of how stable or long-lasting these careers are. This is the reality.

Next, do your research to find any new fields or roles that can use your abilities honed after years of hard work. Additionally, look into your former field to determine how you could level up and re-make it into a current one.

You may need to get more skills or updated certifications and licenses to lead to a more lucrative career. Think of changes you could make, like taking a class at the local community college. For example, you might try replacing word processing by upgrading already good typing skills to excellent for data entry or learning Excel and QuickBooks to modernize bookkeeping abilities so that you are more marketable.

3. Need or want?

What’s driving you to reinvent yourself? Is it a need for more income so that you aren’t faced with a choice between gas for your car to get to work and food and/or medicine that would sustain you? Or is it a want for extra spending money for a pricey experience: tickets to an epic concert with an in-demand performer, dinner at a five-star restaurant, or a new designer handbag or a pair of sneakers? How much would you like to earn in your new role?

Part-time pay is usually less than full-time salaries and offers no benefits, like healthcare or retirement, which may be solid considerations as you age. Also, you may have an earning cap on how much you can earn while working if you are on a fixed income. These are all factors that should be weighed before not after getting the job.

4. Define your location.

Where do you see yourself working? Local or remote? On-site with a commute, a hybrid schedule where you pop into the office a few times a week, or work from home 100% of the time? The choices are almost endless and can be a real perk. Again, it requires an honest inventory to realistically assess who you are and how and where you work best.

A remote job requires discipline and if you are working from home, you may feel like you are or should be working all of the time. While comfortable, and with saving money on gas and wardrobe, it requires self-control to filter out the temptations of TV and fridge or thinking about doing the laundry and noticing neglected household chores, along with a myriad of other distractions that may claim your attention instead of focusing on your work.

5. Redefine yourself.

Self-evaluation aside, how do you see yourself redefined? As a manager or as an employee? Blue, white, or gray collar? With a dead-end, low-stress job or climbing the corporate ladder? Do you see yourself as a twenty-first-century entrepreneur or an independent contractor accepting or declining projects as you like? Do you prefer doing physical or mental labor? With any of these options, you are making a valuable contribution.

You know yourself best of all. You know what you can handle and what you are and aren’t willing to tolerate. You have had significant work experience before. Now it’s time to revamp your professional brand and move forward. Use an employment setback as a setup for success and you will do more than survive. Knowing yourself first and foremost gives you more choices and equips you to overcome challenges. See your previous job/career as a stepping stone on the path to greatness and rise higher!