{"id":6511,"date":"2017-09-03T16:57:51","date_gmt":"2017-09-03T20:57:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=6511"},"modified":"2017-09-03T17:00:19","modified_gmt":"2017-09-03T21:00:19","slug":"kerrys-tips-on-skills-to-keep-your-career-on-a-roll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=6511","title":{"rendered":"Kerry’s Tips on Skills to Keep Your Career on a Roll"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/a>Older Americans closing in on the golden years may prefer to switch their jobs than go into retirement, and having the right skills to continue working or make a career change is crucial.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Younger professionals were the group most likely the ones to want to switch jobs but older Americans weren\u2019t that far behind \u2014 40% of professionals between the ags of 55 and 64 said they wanted to change jobs rather than retiring, and 19% of those 65 and older said the same thing, according to a survey of more than 2,200 participants by Harris Poll on behalf of the University of Phoenix.<\/p>\n

Read on MarketWatch<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Why? Many survey respondents said they didn\u2019t make enough money or were burned out in their current field, but it could also be taking on a passion they never explored, said Ruth Veloria, executive dean of the school of business at the University of Phoenix.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey want to fulfill a dream of owning a business or a company,\u201d Veloria said.<\/p>\n

See:<\/strong>\u00a0Why retiring in America has become less attractive<\/a><\/p>\n

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When it comes to retirement, 60s are the new 50s<\/h3>\n

Instead of retiring, more and more people are working through their 60s to maximize their earnings. Here’s what you need to do in your 60s to make sure you live comfortably in retirement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The idea of taking on another job later in life instead of retiring isn\u2019t necessarily new, but the perception of retirement overall has certainly shifted in recent years. Instead of lounging on a beach or spending the rest of their years golfing or volunteering, people are using those retirement years to explore options, even dreams, they never tried when they were younger. (Of course, there are also those who simply cannot afford to retire, because they could not save enough or do not receive enough in government benefits like\u00a0Social Security<\/a>). For retirees who want to balance some more freedom but an extra income, they\u2019re turning to the gig economy because of\u00a0its flexibility<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 about 11% of current retiree households are in the gig economy, and more expect employment to make up a quarter of their income in the future.<\/p>\n

See also:<\/strong>\u00a0Why you shouldn\u2019t be afraid to change jobs when you\u2019re near retirement<\/a><\/p>\n

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There\u2019s plenty more older Americans should be doing though, and it does not involve coloring their hair or getting Botox, said Kerry Hannon<\/a>, an AARP jobs expert and author of \u201cGreat Jobs for Everyone 50+.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Instead, older workers looking to stay in the\u00a0workforce<\/a>\u00a0should brush up on their resume and promote skills they already have, such as those in accounting or marketing. \u201cIf you have tech skills, there\u2019s no way around that \u2014 that\u2019s the top skill in any field,\u201d she said<\/strong> \u2014 even navigating the web well or understanding the nuances of social media helps. Many people think they need to reinvent themselves if they want to switch careers, she said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Soft skills are also valuable, and may include being a self-starter, a good listener and strong communicator, or a creative or analytical thinker. \u201cThis is where they can shine, no matter what field they\u2019re in,\u201d Hannon said.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>A good communicator can explain how they fit in with the organization, and a good listener will always make a good leader, she added.<\/strong>\u201cWhat a lot of employers look for if they want you to be a part of the team is if you have social skills.\u201d<\/p>\n

These workers should also do thorough research into the career they plan to transition to, and perhaps even take a class or volunteer in the field to see if they\u2019d really like to move forward within that industry. Being physically fit, if even just walking a lot, boosts confidence and keeps a person healthy, too, she added<\/strong>, as does being comfortable with their finances \u2014 both of which help when transitioning jobs. \u201cA lot of this stage is being resilient and being flexible,\u201d said Hannon.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Americans at retirement age have shared stories about following their childhood dreams, like working on music full-time and training with\u00a0a voice coach<\/a>, or becoming\u00a0an actress<\/a>. Today more than 40% of workers between the ages of 58 and 62 have voluntarily switched jobs after\u00a0age 50<\/a>, and doing so gave them greater job satisfaction (though their compensation decreased). If someone is thinking of switching jobs \u2014\u00a0regardless of age<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 they should think about goals and what they\u2019d like to see themselves doing next, join LinkedIn to network and even try out that job before jumping in completely.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe truth of the matter is a lot of what you can do is redeploying skills you have. It\u2019s a matter of doing soul-searching,\u201d said Hannon.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0By\u00a0Alessandra Malito<\/a>, MarketWatch<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

Alessandra Malito is a personal finance reporter based in New York. You can follow her on Twitter @malito_ali.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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