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How Old is Too Old for a Career Change?

By Job Journey on Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Is it too late to enter a new industry?

Every day we wake up, get out of bed, brush our teeth (hopefully), take a shower, and go to work. That’s our routine, day in and day out.

Each day has a little bit of the same, and that’s great, if you enjoy whatever that “same” is. But what if you wake up and realize you want to do something different? Maybe you’re an administrative assistant and wish to move into sales, or you’ve worked in warehouses all your life and would like to try something in an office building.

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At Work Retirement

Have You Considered Phased Retirement?

By Job Journey on Wednesday, November 7, 2018

You’re tired of working and ready to retire, so what’s stopping you?

Maybe you can’t afford it yet. Or perhaps you don’t want to stop working because you enjoy it. You want more time to dedicate to your family or hobbies, but aren’t quite ready to give your job up and retire. So, regardless of reason, you keep working.

The Good

But working forever isn’t the only option. There’s another way to ease out of the workforce—phased retirement.

Not sure what that means? Investopedia defines phased retirement as including “a broad range of employment arrangements that allow an employee who is approaching retirement age to continue working with a reduced workload, and eventually transition from full-time work to full-time retirement.”

In other words, phased retirement allows you to work in a part-time capacity for a certain time period before you start full-time retirement. You get to keep working for longer, while employers get the benefit of you passing on your knowledge and experience before heading off to retirement.

Sounds enticing, right?

The Bad

A study published by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, as reported by Forbes, notes that 77% of employers believe many of their employees want to keep on working post-retirement. Forty-seven percent think employees would like to do some sort of phased retirement. The issue?

Only 31% of those same employers actually allow that shift to a phased retirement, and only 27% are okay with employees taking on jobs that are less stressful or demanding to make retirement easier.

The Solution

If you want to keep working and embrace retirement, there is still a solution through staffing companies like Express Employment Professionals.

You don’t have to pay anything to benefit from Express. All you need to do is pick up the phone and call a local office or register online. Let your employment specialist know your work availability and they’ll find you part-time positions that allow you to phase into retirement at your own pace.

For more in our retirement series, check out these helpful blogs:

Retirement: Happy 40^th Birthday 401(K)

Beginner’s Guide to Retirement

Job Searching Past Retirement Age

Three Tips for Getting Your Retirement Started Off Right

Do you plan on retiring? If so, will you retire outright or opt for a phased approach? Let us know in the comments section below!

Retirement

Retirement: Happy 40th Birthday 401(k)!

By Job Journey on Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Do you have enough saved to retire?

For those who don’t know, as defined by NerdWallet, “a 401(k) is a savings and investing plan offered by employers that gives employees a tax break on money they set aside for retirement.”

Why is it called a 401(k)? The term refers to Section 401(k) of the tax code, initially created in 1978 to give those who earned a high wage a tax advantage. That evolved into what we have today: one of the most popular retirement savings account for workers in the United States.

This year, the 401(k) turns 40.

401(k) Stats

To commemorate its 40th birthday, let’s go over a few stats, information brought to you by The Motley Fool, published in the Society for Human Resource Management’s HR Magazine.

Average 401(k) balance: $96,288
Approximate account value for those age 65 and over: $200,000
Percentage of U.S. employees who work for an organization or company that provides a 401(k)-type plan: 79%
- Percentage of these workers who choose to participate in a 401(k): 41%
Percentage of the overall U.S. workforce that is saving in a 401(k): 32%

Are you saving in a 401(k)?

What do those numbers tell us? That many U.S. workers could be saving in a 401(k), but aren’t.

If you aren’t saving for retirement yet, consider starting now. Retirement savings aren’t just for going on vacations or replacing your income source after you retire. A modest retirement account can pay for medical expenses, moving from one home to another, or simply paying for help with tasks you are unable or unwilling to do when you’re older.

You’re never too young or old to contribute into a 401(k). If you’re young and new to the workforce, dedicating even a small percentage of your income into that account each paycheck really adds up. And if you’re older, having some sort of retirement savings is still better than nothing. Essentially, if you’re working and receiving a steady paycheck, it’s worth it to invest in a 401(k).

And if your company offers matching funds and you aren’t contributing into a 401(k) , you’re losing out on free money! And everyone likes free money.

Still have questions about what to do with a 401(k) and how to start saving for retirement today? Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Retirement.

How old is your 401(k)? How is it performing? Let us know in the comments below!

The Job Search

Revamp Your Job Search After 60

By Job Journey on Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Show that age isn’t a factor with these hit websites

Are you older and recently laid off? Decided it was time for a change when you reached mid-life? Hoping to finally find a job that lets you fulfill your passions? If your answers to any of these questions were yes, you’ve probably already realized how difficult it can be to job search after 60.

The hardest part is how different everything is. You haven’t had to interview or update a resume in years. And the internet is full of job search websites that all seem the same.

Fortunately, there are several websites available that cater directly to your needs. These sites provide a wealth of resources to put you in the driver’s seat.

WhatsNext.Com

WhatsNext.com is a perfect first stop on your mid-life career journey. The site covers six main categories, each with its own blog, as well as sections for guides, courses, tests, tools, and connections (where experts in the community can get in touch with the website).

These sections include: career change, purposeful living (where you can figure out what you want to do in life), self-assessment (to find your strengths and useful skills), retirement, entrepreneurship, and connection (a social section that teaches you how to maintain relationships in a busy life).

The site is built around a single mantra: “We are the future of mid-life transformation.” The founders recognize that changing your whole life, although hard at any age, is especially difficult after age 60.

RetiredBrains.Com

While WhatsNext.com focuses on changing your career path after retirement age, RetiredBrains.com emphasizes working after retirement. Finding the perfect work situation that allows you to supplement your retirement savings without working a typical eight-to-five job.

Resources include information about jobs that allow you to work from home (selling online, freelancing, and telemarketing, among many others), part-time jobs to supplement retirement savings (this includes traditional part-time jobs as well as seasonal and temporary jobs), and entrepreneurship ideas (the site includes a directory of low-cost franchise opportunities).

This is all in addition to retirement planning resources (from job search to continued education, volunteering, resume help, and more).

Other sections of the website focus on the trials that come with retirement age, from grief support to travel, money, and health.

RetirementJobs.com

RetirementJobs.com is a great place to use all the information you learned at the two websites we’ve already reviewed. It’s a job board—a place to upload your resume and find the perfect job.

RetirementJobs.com is special in that the website’s stated goal is “to identify companies most-suited to older workers and match them with active, productive, conscientious, mature adults seeking a job or project that matches their lifestyle.” The site even has a reviewed list of “Certified Age Friendly Employers.” This eliminates any chance of encountering age discrimination. The site is also totally free for jobseekers, and you can narrow your search down to part-time or full-time jobs.

Have any experience with other job search websites for those of a certain age? Let us know in the comments below!

The Job Search

Job Searching Past Retirement Age

By Job Journey on Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Changing careers isn’t easy

You’ve worked for one company for the better part of a decade and were laid off yesterday.

Now it’s time to look for a new job. Competition is fierce, so you’re happy to accept a lower ranking position if need be.

Age is only a number, and you know that your experience is valuable. How do you show that to interviewers?

Stay Up to Date with New Technologies

Employers expect recent grads to be knowledgeable on the latest technologies. You must prove you’re just as tech-savvy. You’ll need to know your way around a computer, have an idea of how to use the Microsoft Office suite, Google documents, and email. Acquaint yourself with the major social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn), and create accounts to prove you understand how they work.

Research any specific technologies or methods popular in your industry and become familiar with those tools as well. Don’t be afraid of taking online or in-person classes to stay informed. Be aware of how to access email on your mobile phone or tablet.

Leverage Your Experience but Be Willing to Learn

Employers sometimes equate youth and lack of experience to a willingness to learn. You need to prove that you are just as hungry for new knowledge and experiences.

However, you also must leverage your experience to beat the competition. This is a fine line to walk. Show you already know quite a bit, but are willing to learn even more.

To prove your experience, come to the interview prepared with several specific examples of your knowledge. You’ve been in the industry for years, and have seen both lean and prosperous times. You know how to prepare for those eventualities. Let a potential employer know you are willing to share this knowledge with others, so they will be prepared for whatever the future might bring.

To prove a willingness to learn, speak about what you want to do with your career. Why do you want this job? Where do you see yourself in a few years? What in your past proves you’re a curious person ready to learn new things?

Utilize Your Network

If you’ve been in the industry for a while, you’ve probably made a few contacts. Contact friends or previous co-workers to see what they are doing and what positions they are hiring for. Provide as much information as possible to show that you’re a serious candidate, not a desperate job seeker. A personal relationship can go a long way in getting a job.

Have you had to compete with younger candidates in the job search? Let us know how it went in the comments below!

At Work Career Advancement Uncategorized

Poll Results: Will You Retire?

By Job Journey on Thursday, October 12, 2017

A few months ago we held a Movin’ On Up poll asking whether or not retirement was in your future. Only about 23% of those polled said that they planned to retire.

Twenty-nine percent said they can’t afford to retire, while 15% think retirement would be boring. Just fewer than 9% don’t see a reason to retire since they can travel and do what they want while working. Seven percent have heavy debt they have to pay off before retirement even becomes a consideration. Six percent wanted to keep working because they love their jobs, while 3% need to support their children financially. Two percent have to support their parents financially.

Six percent chose the “Other” option, with responses ranging from needing to work part-time or being a workaholic to the desire to start a second career.

So what does all of that data mean? We’re living in a changing employment environment. For a variety of reasons, baby boomers are working longer. This is the new normal. But it can be nice to see that you aren’t alone.

Any other reasons you won’t be retiring any time soon? Let us know in the comments below!

At Work Work/Life Balance

Poll: Will You Retire?

By Caleb Yen on Thursday, July 27, 2017

From financial reasons to loving your job, we want to hear about it!

In the past, retirement was pretty much a given. That’s why you spend your younger years working so hard—so that there would eventually be some sort of payoff. But now, things are changing. As noted by Bloomberg, about 20% of Americans over the age of 65 are still working. Twelve percent don’t ever plan on retiring.

Maybe you want to help your children buy their first house. Or perhaps your work is incredibly fulfilling. Maybe you just don’t have any savings to fall back on. Regardless of the reason, we want to hear about it!

Do you plan on retiring? If not, why not? Let us know by taking part in our poll!

Choose all answers that apply.