Retirement is indeed a close-and-open phenomenon, as it means the end of the career that you have been used to for decades, and the beginning of a new way of life. Post-retirement, you begin to experience life in new ways that require you to adjust and often compromise for those things that seemed quite casual in your prime work years. Retirement plans, benefits and pension are of course designed to allow you to relax without too many worries about livelihood costs. But, these are no match to the financial conditions that you’ve enjoyed so far. So, what about you starting a new career, apt for your age? Especially, when a steady second career gives you the security and also keeps you glued to a sense of independence, why not go for it?
But again, at the retirement age, there are complex needs for every individual – physical, emotional, intellectual, besides financial. Retirement is a phase that requires you to relax after a prime time of dedicated performance. The world out there is growingly competitive, and it’s natural that even after your retirement, you could get the jitters about facing the screening process for a job. However, remember that since you have the undeniable advantage of experience in the formal world, things are easier for you. A second career is often exciting, promising and progressive than the previous one. For you to be ready to face the new job here’s a four-step preparatory process.
As with any new task that requires you to be prepared, start by self-assessment to know about your full potential. The three points you need to check are your driving desires, resources and opportunities. Compelling desires are primarily your passions that concern you in post-retirement life. Your background, skills, experience, contacts and other effective inputs – even your own intellectual capital – are the resources you have. Your opportunities in retirement life encompass the needs, expectations, problems, wants and values that you are ready to put at stake. Thus, your total capacity is your demonstrated competencies plus your potentials.
Next get to know your second career orientation. Ask yourself the important questions of whether or not you want to continue in the same field that you’ve worked for so far; if you plan to improve your skill set; and if required, whether you need to invest in learning new skills. It helps to write down those milestones from your professional experiences that reflect your upsides and shortcomings, to keep yourself prepared and cautious while making new decisions.
Once you’ve decided on what kind of job you’d like to take up for a second career, draft a business plan. Use your skills and experience to device a strategic business plan that is both realistic and promising. In case of any doubts or difficulties, you are advised to take professional help from a financial assistant, who can also help you in the infancy stage of your business setup.
Finally, set up business, expand network, with the same enthusiasm as you’d have for your first career. Of course, you can afford to be more relaxed now, if you follow the above strategy well enough.
