Q. I just took time off to travel. My parents died before
they could enjoy retirement and I don't want that to happen
to me. But now it's hard to find a new job. I'm between 45
and 50 years old with lots of experience. Last time I
job-hunted, ten years ago, I was turning down offers. Now my
resume lands in a black hole.
A. Taking time out can make a great deal of sense. I took a
year off myself several years ago and I've always taken my
retirement in chunks, like Travis McGee of the old mystery
series: a year here, a month there.
Even if you never leave, you'll find job markets change, for
the whole economy and/or a specific field. And even if
your field is wide open, time adds both work and life
experience. You gain a new perspective and you're seen
differently, too.
For a challenging career move, develop a creative
strategy.
(1) Build relationships. You may get leads through online
groups and databases. More likely, your next job will come
from personal contacts.
(2) Continue job-hunting (unless you have a really large
cash reserve), but begin to explore options to develop your
own business. Your corporate years, combined with time
off, can help you develop some unique offerings.
(3) Resist conventional job search steps. Recruiters can
help -- if they're filling a slot for which you are uniquely
qualified. Human resource departments are geared to
applicants who follow a linear career path.
Readers contemplating a sabbatical can plan ahead of time to
maintain active contacts with your professional field:
everything from publishing a blog to building skills. Re-entry
can be planned.
************************************************************
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., author, speaker and consultant, works
with midlife professionals who want to rebuild, renovate and
revitalize their careers.
"Ten secrets of mastering a major life change."
http://www.cathygoodwin.com/subscribe.htmlWebsite:
http://www.cathygoodwin.comContact: mailto:
cathy@... 505-534-4294
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
