At a concert, an encore is the additional music played at the conclusion of the performance in response to the demand by an audience. It’s time to applaud for a similar follow-up to traditional careers, says author and New York Times columnist Marci Alboher. And we should applaud loudly, she argues. In the workplace, the encore may well surpass the achievements of the original performance.
The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life, suggests there is a new development — the encore years — between midlife and traditional retirement. With this change, concepts of retirement have been abandoned, supplanted by a second or third career.
This encore career movement is reshaping the workforce, the author says. Rather than the drudgery of working longer in unlikeable positions, it has the potential to reshape our lives and build a better society. It can help people find meaning and purpose in their work during the second half of their lives.
Alboher’s book is a primer on how to structure this new career. It is equal parts inspiration and practical “how to.” Along with the story of her own encore, she shares the experiences of dozens of people who have moved to encore careers in a variety of fields. The result is a superb reference that is personal as well as practical.
The author begins with a list of reality-checking questions. The first is the most asked: “Can I really make a living doing something I love?” That depends on what you love doing. If you love playing the ukulele and want to make a living at it, this could be more of a challenge than if you love fund-raising for a cause.
“Bonus years don’t come with a prepaid gift card,” the author states. The current recession and the decline of pensions are among the motivation for developing an encore career that provides a continued income in later years.
Other realities include factors such as age discrimination. Of the latter, the author is blunt: “Age discrimination is real. Many employers just don’t consider older people.” To counter this, she suggests making sure skills are up to par, particularly those dealing with technology. Also, creating a resume that emphasizes strengths as an adviser and mentor can be helpful.
There is actually evidence showing that we are hardwired for big accomplishments as we get older. Neuroscience research shows that abilities such as empathy, connecting disparate ideas and solving complex problems improve with age.
Going back to school or education in some form may be a necessity for an encore career. The author suggests talking to people in the field about the skills needed for specific roles. Often, taking classes may be the way to discover what focus an individual wants to take.
There is now a preponderance of high-quality, often free, online courses, often referred to as open education or open source. Organizations, community colleges and universities offer such courses. Recently, MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses) have been in the news. Top universities often offer these free online courses.
The book includes an “Encore Hot List” of in-demand jobs for those looking for an encore career. It includes a description of jobs that include health care, education, social services and nonprofits, as well as average incomes for each.
For those wanting to start a business, the section on encore entrepreneurs is particularly helpful. Social entrepreneurship, the use of entrepreneur techniques to achieve social change, is appealing to many — and big business. According to statistics, U.S. consumers are estimated to spend more than $220 billion on “goods and services related to health, the environment, social justice and sustainable living.”
Encore entrepreneurs often have a different sense of risk as well as urgency. “When you’re young, you think about risks in terms of health, safety or financial aspects,” says David Bornstein, a writer on social innovation. “As you age, you realize that the biggest risk is dying without having really expressed who you are.”
That risk is one of the major factors driving the encore career movement. The encore career is living your legacy, rather than leaving one, Alboher says. More and more individuals are thinking in terms of an encore career that will help improve society or the world in some way. Whatever the reason, The Encore Career Handbook provides an excellent guide to start the journey.