Empowerment in retirement may
mean choosing an encore career once retired. The retiree has the option of
returning to the same kind of work, choosing another career or enjoying his or
her retirement by pursuing life in a different direction.
Consider the following tips for choosing an encore career:
It may not be easy to return to
work depending upon your reason for retirement, or your current state of
health. Did you retire because of your age, or was it a forced retirement for
other reasons? Are you still healthy and able to work? Having a complete
physical assessment to ascertain whether you are physically and mentally
competent to return to work, may be important in the decision making process.
What is an encore career?
The expression encore career
suggests taking on your previous job again, which would entail performing the
same duties and job description. In other words, you would be returning to
the kind of work that you did before you retired. Is that what you really want
to do?
What does an encore career mean for a retiree?
For those who are already
retired, an encore career may mean going back into or possibly having to
exceed your previous level of employment after many years of work, but not
without acknowledging the reality that you have already completed an
appropriate number of years of service and are entitled to retire.
Why do you want to return to work?
Understanding why you want to
return to work is important. Do you have to return to work for financial
reasons? You may be able to find a different kind of work that is less
mentally, emotionally and physically demanding for you as a retiree. In other
words, it may not be necessary to have an encore career. Perhaps you feel that
your previous work was the only kind of work that you ever had, or ever knew.
Have you considered possible upgrading? There are endless job possibilities.
Are you able to obtain work in your encore career area?
Because jobs and job
descriptions change, it may or may not be possible to return to your previous
career, so be prepared to head in a new direction if you still want to find
employment. You might speak with your previous employer to find out if your
previous job is still available. Younger employees may have better
qualifications and you may have to upgrade to keep up with the times. Even
then because of your age, you still may not be able to obtain employment in
your encore career area.
Are you an optimist?
An optimist who has retired, often has the expectations of being able to return to a previous career. Your
previous employer may hire you back, because you are an optimist. He or
she may be willing to employ you on a higher level where you can train
others because of your positive personality and a constructive attitude, in
conjunction with your previous employment record. At the same time, it is
important to be realistic with your employer and yourself.
The temporary nature of an encore careers
After retirement, returning to
a previous career is likely to be temporary at best, so it is generally
wise for a retiree to consider the time element. What that may mean is to
change careers for a third time.
No two retires have the same
hopes and dreams or retirement expectations, nor do they need to have. You are
an individual and the decision is yours to make, so choose wisely. Your
post-retirement empowerment may depend upon it.
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