I got laid off from a long-term job I loved after age 50. based on a recent study, I’m not alone. Fair or not, the reality is that workers over 50 are at higher risk of losing their jobs. 

If you’re like me, you always assumed YOU would be the one to decide when it’s time to retire. That should be our decision, right? Well, apparently not. According to a data analysis by ProPublica and the Urban Institute, 56 percent of employees age 50 and above are laid off at least once or leave jobs after employers began making their situations less appealing. Only one in 10 of these employees finds new jobs that pay as much as their previous ones.

The analysis is based on data from the Health and Retirement Study, which since 1992 has followed a national sample of 20,000 people from the time they turn 50 onward. You can read the full analysis by ProPublica and the Urban Institute here.

In my case, I was 58 years old and had worked at the same job for a decade. I was one of about three dozen employees let go on the same day and was never given a reason other than that it had nothing to do with my personal performance on the job. I bet many of you reading this story could share similar tales of jobs lost late in your career.

Unfortunately, I can’t promise you that reading this story will keep you from getting let go from a job after age 50. While employers insist they aren’t practicing age discrimination, most of us know better. Age discrimination is real. It doesn’t account for every termination after age 50, but it most definitely is a factor in many of them.

What I can promise is that the SEVEN SECRETS offered below will help keep you employable later in life, whether in your current job or elsewhere. It’s our best defense if we want to keep working.

It’s pointless to get angry or bitter about age discrimination or other reasons for unexpected terminations or forced early retirements. Don’t waste any more time harboring negative feelings over your predicament. Get over it. Move forward.

This might be a good time to recall the Serenity Prayer, authored by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr:

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Here are SEVEN SECRETS for staying fit for employment after age 50. The best time to put these tips into practice is NOW, even if you are still fully employed in a job you plan to keep until the day you retire. That way, if the rug gets pulled out from under you, you will be ready for your new future.

#1 STay fit, healthy and well groomed

Your perceived health and appearance may affect your current employment, but it almost certainly will affect you if you are on the job market again at an advanced age. Some of us get a bit lazy as we age and let ourselves go. We eat the wrong foods, put on weight, fail to exercise. We might even get lax with our dressing, grooming and hygiene habits. Make sure how you dress or fix your hair doesn’t label you as “old” by younger co-workers and supervisors.

Perhaps we let ourselves go because as we age we’re comfortable (or maybe complacent) in our current work role. We are no longer trying to climb the corporate ladder. Unconsciously, we may be guilty of “coasting” as they say, toward the finish line, retirement.

Remember when you were dating and you always wanted to look your best for your sweetheart? Not to carry this analogy too far, but there’s a parallel with our jobs. Whether in a marriage or in the office, we need to stay at our best. We need to continue the courtship.

Our employers, consciously or not, are constantly assessing our “fitness” to continue doing the job. Do we have the strength, energy level, and stamina to continue being an “A” player on the team? Do we still make a positive impressive on customers and prospects? If current bosses are aware of such attributes, it’s not hard to imagine that prospective employers are even more so in job interview situations.

So, tip # 1 is to get (or stay) fit and healthy. This is so important that I would encourage anyone who is struggling in this department to seek help ASAP, whether from your doctor, a reputable weight-loss program, a nutritionist, or exercise coach.

(See our post on the benefits of walking for senior adults)

#2 Conquer your addictions

Life can be harsh. You may have turned to alcohol or drugs to cope. Or you may have become addicted at some point to nicotine (tobacco) or prescription drugs. Whatever the addiction, take steps to conquer it now. 

As noted in tip # 1, employers naturally favor employees who are healthy enough to do the job and are in control of their lives. You may think you can keep your alcohol or drug addiction at home, but sooner or later your boss and co-workers are going to learn your secret, if they do not know already. Getting arrested for a DUI or failing to pass a routine drug test at work may be your kiss of death on the job.

It was once culturally acceptable to smoke. Remember those old movies where all the actors and actresses smoked? This is the 21st Century,

and in most circles, smoking is no longer cool. While an employer might not fire you for smoking on your free time, it goes in that long list of intangibles that may affect how your boss assesses you. Employees who smoke are more likely to miss work due to sickness and may become a burden to the company’s health insurance plan.

Show up for a job interview reeking of tobacco smoke? You might as well turn around and go home.

#3 Never, never stop learning

This one isn’t negotiable. You absolutely MUST keep your job skills current and never, never stop learning. When is the last time you took a continuing education course or attended a work-related seminar? When is the last time you read a work-related book or website on your free time, without being asked to by your supervisor? 

I love to see stories about grandmas graduating from college alongside their grandchildren! We’re never too old to learn! We’re never too old to keep curious about the world around us.

Being an eager, life-long learner is a trait of successful senior adults. You need to exhibit this same eagerness regarding your career. Never, never stop learning!

 #4 Embrace new technology

New advancements in technology, both at home and on the job, intimidate many older adults. Don’t be one of them. The fact that you’re reading this blog post is a good sign! You obviously know about the Internet and how to access information on your computer or other electronic devices. Congratulations! 

Even if it’s more difficult than before, let me encourage you to embrace new technology. Don’t be that last person in the office who still has a flip phone, doesn’t do email or text, and doesn’t know the difference between Facebook and FaceTime.

Take my word for it: The first time you fuss and complain and tell an employer you are “told old” to learn a new software or machine will be the beginning of the end of your career.

#5 Be ready to reinvent yourself

One point from the ProPublica/Urban Institute analysis seems clear: If you lose your job after age 50, you aren’t likely to get a comparable job again. Sure, that hurts, but it’s reality. You may love what you’ve done for the past 20 years, but start now thinking about other types of work you could do. If you put your mind to it, I bet you have more skills than you realize, and many of those skills are transferable to other career fields. So, stay positive and think creatively about your career options. 

Now may be the time to start training for a new career field that interests you. Pick up a new certification or license. Make friends with people who work in a career field of interest to you. Consider starting a side job. Then, if and when the time comes, you will be ready to step into a new and exciting career.

You may also want to consider a career in the nonprofit sector. This is the route I took. Even if the corporate world doesn’t always appreciate more mature, wiser, experienced employees, the nonprofit world does. Salaries won’t be what they were on the corporate side, but there may be a much greater feeling of satisfaction from knowing you are making a difference in your community and the world. 

#6 Be prepared to move

Especially if you want to remain in your current career field after a layoff, there’s a good chance you will need to relocate. People who refuse to consider this option greatly limit their job choices. 

I used to work as a corporate investor relations officer. That type of work only occurs in corporate headquarters for companies that trade on the stock market. In a typical mid-to-large size city, there are only a very few public-company headquarters. My jobs disappeared twice for reasons out of my control (long stories), so guess what? My wife, kids and I had little choice but to move.

If moving is your best option, develop a positive attitude about it. Consider moving part of the adventure of life. It’s your chance for a fresh start. New friends, a new house, new and exciting places to see and things to do. Besides, you just might like the new job better.

Thanks to some of my job-related moves, Kathy and I have friends in several states we would have never known before. Our lives are richer because of this experience.

#7 Don’t stop networking

In the old days, I kept a Rolodex file on my desk that included career-related and personal contacts. I also had a special folder designed to hold business cards. Remember those? Nowadays, we keep contacts in our phone’s address book and meet people online through LinkedIn. Networking is still important, even if the tools have changed.

As we move closer to retirement, the tendency is to slow down on networking, That is a big mistake. You never know when you will need a job-related contact. Stay in touch with old employers and co-workers. Keep connected with people you’ve met over the years at business conferences and trade shows.

Remember too that networking cuts both ways. When a former work friend or a LinkedIn contact is out of work and asks for your help, go out of your way to assist them. Pass along job leads. Call potential employers you may know. Offer to serve as a referral. Call the person who is asking for help, show sincere empathy, and ask how he or she is doing. Losing a job and being out of work can be a very traumatic experience.

The saying “what goes around, comes around” was here long before Justin Timberlake wrote a song with that title. Help others first because it’s the right thing to do, but also because they just might return the favor later when you are the one in need.

Conclusion

Following these seven steps is no guarantee that the firm won’t still let you go at some point short of your desired retirement date. If it happens, you will be much better prepared to remain a marketable and desirable employee for your next employer.

I found happiness in a new career after my layoff at age 58. So can you. Losing a job doesn’t have to be the end of the road.

©Copyright 2019 by This Retirement Life. All rights reserved.

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