Multiple Encore Jobs

I started this blog just over a year ago. My goal was to explore encore careers by networking on-line.  Since my first day of retirement I have been a house painter, a complaint investigator, a sales consultant for a textbook company, president of a statewide non-profit organization, a volunteer at the botanical garden, a web site editor and a concrete mason.  All this in addition to my daily workout and hobbies, reading, travelling, and cooking. I barely have time to keep up with the Kardashians!

Looking for a Vocation Vacation?

Earlier in the year I wrote about the firm that coordinates Vocation Vacations. Their concept is that the best way to learn the ins and outs of a dream job is to spend time with a mentor in the field.  The vacation part is that most of the mentors are in fantastic locations and you combine a nice trip with a learning opportunity.  Their latest development is small group vocation vacations. Several careers are offered but Travel Writer struck my fancy.
Here's a sampling and the link:
"Do you love to travel? Can you imagine combining your travels with writing and photography? Do you love the idea of making a living while traveling for free?"
http://vocationvacations.com/StaticDreamJobs/group-mentorships/ron-stern.php
Enjoy and maybe I will see you in the Rockies!

Encore Careers, Happiness, etc.

     A fantastic opportunity has arisen! This Thursday (June 17, 2010) there will be a free webcast with two of my favorites in the field of encore careers and stepping aside: Marc Freedman and Anna Quindlen. The webcast is sponsored by Merrill Lynch so it may be heavy on the investing issue but I plan to tune in!
     Here is the blurb:  Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anna Quindlen, best-selling author Daniel Gilbert (Stumbling to Happiness), and Civic Ventures CEO Marc Freedman (author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life) in a lively discussion on all aspects of preparing for an encore career.
     And the link  http://www.totalmerrill.com/totalmerrill/pages/Webcast_Retire_0610_TM.aspx

I'm Just Getting My Thing Together

With the passing of Dennis Hopper we felt compelled to watch Easy Rider last evening. One of my favorite pieces of business is when Peter Fonda throws his watch onto the side of the road. Wyatt and Billy retired and went looking for America.  My trip has just begun. I am working on a soundtrack equal to theirs.

Thirteen Days In

     My first full week of retirement coincided with Spring Break. Although I didn't experience a rush of feelings, I did have time to reflect on the many wonderful expressions of good wishes from my professional colleagues.  The dreaded parties were enjoyable and low key.  (Dreaded because of having attended so many poorly executed, overly maudlin retirement parties throughout my career.)
    I am especially grateful for the gift of a beautiful memory book. A lot of thought, effort, and time went into it and I know I will cherish it for many years.
   This month I am enjoying the beautiful weather of southwest Florida. After a few weeks of healthful eating, exercise, and de-stressing I will be ready to begin one of my encore careers!

Encore Career Research

The Encore Career e-newsletter that I subscribe to included information from a research project funded by MetLife.  Interestingly, they project a labor shortage in the next decade. I recommend you read the full report and I have included the link to it below. The major conclusion of the study is that older workers will be vital in filling "social sector" jobs that are crucial to the economy and the well-being of our citizens. Here is some data from the report.

After the Recovery: Help Needed; The Coming Labor Shortage and How People in Encore Careers Can Help Solve It
By Barry Bluestone and Mark Melnik; Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy, Northeastern University; Boston

Total Social/Government Sector – Projected Encore Career Job Growth 2008-2018 (in thousands)

Primary, secondary and special education teachers 647.3
Registered nurses 581.5
Home health aides 460.9
Personal and home care aides 375.8
Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants 276.0
Medical assistants 163.9
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses 155.6
Business operations specialists 147.2
General and operations managers 143.2
Child care workers 142.1
Teacher assistants 134.9
Receptionists and information clerks 132.7
Medical and health service managers 100.8
Clergy 85.1
Social and human service assistants 79.4
Maids and housekeeping cleaners 78.6
Educational, vocational and school counselors 73.3
Computer support specialists 64.0
Office clerks, general 60.8
Managers, all other 57.6
Social and community service managers 57.0
Mental health and substance abuse social workers 56.4
Accountants and auditors 55.6
Rehabilitation counselors 54.2
Medical and public health social workers 53.9
Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks 52.3
Administrative services managers 52.2
Lawyers 52.0
Computer systems analysts 50.1
Human resources, training and labor relations specialists 49.1
Cooks, institution and cafeteria 48.5

Source: Lacey and Wright, “Occupational Employment Projections to 2018,” Analysis of Labor Market Assessment Tool

http://www.encore.org/files/research/JobsBluestonePaper3-5-10.pdf

I was especially encouraged by the authors' certainty of an economic recovery!

Are You Ready to Retire?

  The decision to retire is based on financial preparedness and social-emotional preparedness.  This week I spent some time talking with colleagues about capturing the maximum benefit from the Teachers Retirement System.  To some this concept was new; to others it was not at all relevant.  Putting aside the awkwardness of talking about personal finances, how do we frame the conversation about social-emotional preparedness?
   I have read many articles and books on this stage of life. The semantic context may be encore careers, life portfolios, starting over, stepping aside (Anna Quindlan), or "the narrows" (Sara Davidson) but one common exercise emerges: the necessity of self-examination. I modified a quiz developed by Sara Davidson http://www.saradavidson.com/index.html to help clarify goals for my life after retirement. Complete these sentences:

I realize work is both rewarding and fulfilling. When retirement becomes attainable, I will be ready to go because...

The thing I will miss most when work is over is...

I have finished with... (name both good things and difficulties)

I still yearn to...

In the years to come, I will be grateful for...

   This exercise has been very helpful to me in decision-making and goal-setting. Please let me know if you find it valuable.

The Net You Really Need

     The annual conference of the Georgia Council for Exceptional Children  (CEC) was held last Thursday and Friday. The keynote speaker, Marie Corrigan, addressed the value of seeking and maintaining social relationships in a speech entitled, "The Net You Really Need." She cited some interesting research that suggests that too much time networking on-line may jeopardize our ability to build face-to-face social networks. This struck a chord with me because I see how tempting it would be to let email and blogging substitute for social involvement during my retirement.
     The conference also taught me how important CEC is to maintaining strong professional relationships. With commonality of career (special education) and the traditions and "ways" of a highly structured organization, it is a valuable resource.
      With my first retirement gift in hand, I head into my last month of full-time employment in a public school system.  I intend to use much of this time strengthening, not severing, my ties to the wonderful teachers, paraprofessionals, staff and administrators who comprise my "net."

Retirement Paperwork is Done!

     Yesterday I received a letter from the Teachers' Retirement System. All of my paperwork has been processed and I will receive my first "pension" check on or about April 15th!  My last day of work for my school system will be March 31, 2010.
     My immediate plans are to make plans! I have a number of home improvement projects I want to initiate and some to complete. I also have some tentative work lined up. I am feeling a little more elated each day but I don't know how I will actually feel on the first day I do not have to get up and go to my job.  I have been gainfully employed since the age of 15 (not counting those babysitting jobs) and I want to take stock of what I have contributed. I may also sleep a lot!

Impact of Furloughs on Retirement Income

     Those of us planning to retire under the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) of Georgia have had questions about the impact of furloughs and other temporary downward salary adjustments on our retirement benefits. The Executive Director of TRS, Jeffrey Ezell, has written a very clear memo addressing the situation. It is posted on the TRS website
http://www.trsga.com/Images/NewsDocs/Furloughs%20and%20TRS%20Earnable%20Compensation_3754/Furloughs_Reporting_Employers_Memo.pdf

This is good news!  I did my application to retire on-line and found the process to be a breeze! I am beginning to get excited about my retirement.

Teacher Effectiveness Reform

  The January/February, 2010, issue of The Atlantic Monthly has an article on teacher effectiveness that everyone interested in the health of our public schools should read. http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/201001/good-teaching Written by Amanda Ripley, it describes the results of 20 years of analysis of student test score progress linked to 7,300 specific teachers. This analysis was conducted by Teach for America. Teacher practices are measured through observations, review of their lesson plans and interviews. The results are "specific and surprising."        
  Briefly (because you should read the article) the characteristics and skills of the effective teachers (defined as those who move their students one and a half or more years ahead in one year) are:
1) They set big goals for their students.
2) They perpetually seek ways to improve their effectiveness.
3) They avidly recruited students and their families into the process.
4) They maintained focus so that everything they do contributes to student learning.
5) They planned exhaustively and purposefully with outcomes in mind.
6) They worked relentlessly.

  Specific strategies included: frequent checks for understanding (using all-student-respond strategies, tickets out the door, etc.), using the "I do, we do, you do" structure to their lessons, and establishing classroom routines that can be executed by the students with little or no direction from the teacher.
  This is very important information in light of the 4.3 billion dollars in federal funds that will be awarded in the form of a competitive grant, "Race to the Top." This is essentially a teacher-effectiveness reform initiative designed to help states identify great teachers and shift teacher compensation from a credentials/experience model to an effectiveness model.
  The popular press was busy last month in this area. Bill Gates had an essay in the February 1, 2010, issue of Newsweek. In November, 2009, the Gates Foundation awarded $300 million to districts in Tampa,  Memphis, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles.  The grant projects will implement incentive pay for effective teachers and study ways to fairly and reliably measure teacher effectiveness.
  The work of Daniel Willingham on how we learn, think and remember also translates into the research base for effective teaching practices. His book, "Why Don't Students Like School," is an excellent resource for educators. http://www.danielwillingham.com/
  Federal and state education agencies now have a considerable body of information on which to base reform. Let's hope they don't waste too much money reinventing the wheels built by Teach for America, the Gates Foundation and Willingham.

Career Change Specialists and Vocation Vacations

     As I continue to explore encore careers, I find resources in some unexpected places. In the Northwestern Alumni e-newsletter there was a link to a site offering Vocation Vacations. http://vocationvacations.com/MessagePages/newsletter-thankyou.php Naturally I had to satisfy my curiosity. And I was pleasantly surprised to find a career consulting company that has developed the perfect marriage between careers and travel. A "vocation vacation" is a trip to spend 2 days with someone who has been trained to mentor people into their fields. The fields are mostly non-traditional and fall under the category of "dream jobs." For example: Broadway Director, Fishing Guide, Fly Fishing Outfitter, and Chocolatier!
     Brian Kurth operates a career counseling/career development company. On his web site he outlines eight steps to changing careers. The vocation vacation aligns with Step 5, "Test Drive a New Career." Here are the eight steps and contact information for Brian.
1. Define What a “Great Job” Is
     What are your passions and interests? What activities give you a sense of purpose and satisfaction? The first step in any career transition is the opportunity to explore, experiment and discover your “great job” and what you can do to pursue it.
2. Address Fear
     Financial instability, family disruption, giving up an identity, failing at something new. These are all fears that may stand in the way of a successful career transition. The biggest thing you can do to get past these fears is to meet them head-on. Bring these deepest fears to light and examine them with reason; talk about them; play each one out to its most irrational end. What is the worst thing that could happen?
3. Create an Action Plan With a Timeline and Goals
     Pursuing the ideal career is less a leap than a series of incremental steps that move you closer to your goal. What is critical to reaching that goal is making sure the steps you follow are the right ones. An action plan is needed. If you make a list of all the things you need to learn and do in order to realize a great new job, you will have mapped out a plan for transition. A knowledgeable action plan provides you with the power to forge ahead.
4. Find a Mentor
     Inspirational, experienced, realistic, forthcoming and optimistic. A good mentor is all of these things and eager to help someone else get started. Recruiting a mentor who is a good match for you requires asking the right questions and building a mutually satisfying relationship. Having a mentor is at the crux of a successful career transition. Whether you are a 50-something CFO or a 20-something marketing manager (and everyone in between in terms of age and career stage), you need a mentor in your desired vocation.
5. Test-Drive a New Job Or Career
     There’s no better way to learn than by doing. Test-driving a new job with a mentor provides a hands-on experience that has the potential to change your life. This is the opportunity to learn as much as possible about the job, how you feel about the day-to-day activities and what it takes to succeed. The mentorship experience gives you the required personal and professional due diligence you need prior to making a career transition.
6. Create Your Professional Brand
      Your professional brand (including a professional biography, in addition to your resume) separates you from your competitors and colleagues. Professional branding is not about building a persona. Instead, it is a way for you to maximize your key passions, attributes, skills, strengths and values—and use them to differentiate yourself in the workplace.
7. Network, Network, Network
     You need to reach out to people with similar interests and goals. Additionally, you need to do your homework and access resources ranging from the online social networking world of LinkedIn, Yahoo!Groups, Facebook, and Twitter to the good, old-fashioned one-on-one interaction with people in the field you are exploring and those you meet through business and university alumni associations.
8. Create A Work/Life Balance
     The biggest benefit to a successful transition is increased life satisfaction. The transition process is as much about what you learn on the journey toward reinvention, as the rewards when you reach your destination of having a work/life balance including family, friends, financial stability and physical and mental well-being.

For more information, please email info@briankurth.com or give us a ring at 971.544.1535.

My plans are to link Vocation Vacations to Retired Teachers for another perfect match!

 

Clarity, Consistency and Congruency in the Teaching Career

This is from MAPP (Motivational Assessment of Personal Potential):
  "Our friend and career consultant, Bill Paxton, likes to say that there are three keys to creating unstoppable momentum in your life:
- Clarity
- Congruency
- Consistency
     Clarity means discovering what you are designed to do. MAPP can help you do that by identifying your greatest motivations and talents. It also provides a list of careers that you are likely to find satisfying.
     One of the greatest benefits of Clarity is having realistic expectations  for yourself. For example, a Jeep and an Indy racer are both cars, but designed to do very different things. You wouldn't expect a Jeep to be competitive in the Indianapolis 500. Nor would you expect the Indy racer to negotiate a logging trail. They are designed for different purposes. So too it is with people. Clarity allows you to have realistic expectations of what you can and can not do.
     It's one thing to know what you are designed to do. It's another to do it. The main idea of Congruency is to align what you do with your MAPP. When it comes to congruency, most of us are rather badly out of alignment. You may need to make some adjustments. Most will be incremental, but some may be radical, such as changing professions. The goal is to spend more time using your strengths. That's where performance and satisfaction both peak.
     Consistency means staying with it. Have you ever been caught in traffic in a large city? You accelerate as the light turns green, only to stop at the red light on the next corner. This pattern of starting and stopping repeats itself over and over as you make your way to your destination. It's impossible to gain any momentum.
     Careers can have momentum, too. Career momentum is achieved by practicing Clarity and Congruency over a long period of time. How long?" One researcher "discovered that it takes between ten and eighteen years to achieve world-class performance in any career. You'll never get there if you keep switching careers.
     The secret to gaining momentum in your life is to do what you are designed to do over a long period of time."

     Eighteen years to achieve world class perfomance in any career? It is instructive to read Daniel Pink on job satisfaction. http://www.danpink.com/
     The conventional wisdom is that it takes four years to be a good teacher. Based on my experience as a teacher and in supervising teachers, I agree with that four year figure. But by eighteen years most teachers become much less willing to change their practices. Teachers need exposure to a variety of school settings and opportunities to learn from master teachers. But what is mastery in teaching?
    The teaching career is inherently autonomous (one of Daniel Pink's keys to job satisfaction).  The question of mastery is a little different. Mastery in teaching is increasingly defined by student perfomance on standardized tests. In fact, the new administration in Washington would like to pay teachers based on this definition of mastery.
    How does a teacher acquire the feeling that he or she is getting better at their job?  Let's expore this concept next time.

An Excellent Career Option

My first job as a trained professional was working as a diagnostic teacher in an oral deaf education school. Over the course of my career, the influence of the signing deaf community on the field of deaf education has waxed and waned.  Because of the incredible advances in technology (cochlear implants, excellent hearing aids, better prescriptives), deaf children today have far better chances of developing normal speech and language through audition. I am pleased to post a link to a website that provides extensive information about careers in oral deaf education:Careers in Oral Deaf Education

Some of my best friends are deaf people - signers and talkers - and it has been a joy to experience the newly opened world of communication (the Internet, texting on cell phones) with them! Their futures keep getting brighter and brighter!