It's Never Too Late

Starting a Second Career

By Teri Brown

Like many trends of the last 30 years or so, baby boomers are once again setting the mark. More people than ever before are choosing to change career paths in their 40s, 50s and even 60s. Why would people risk the possibility of a diminished retirement to switch careers in midstream? Suzanne Freiberg, executive turned career coach, says there are many reasons why someone may want to switch careers. In her case, it was a search for something more meaningful.

"There were many aspects of my career I loved and opportunities that I am thankful for to this day, but at this point I was really done with the corporate scene and wanted something where I could express more of my authentic self, something I could be passionate about," she says. "In retrospect, I believe this had a lot to do with the fact that I was mid-career and felt that with the little time I had left in my career life, I really, really wanted to feel like I was investing my time and not spending it without a greater meaning and purpose."

Freiberg, who recently turned 50, quit her corporate life to found SmartWork Career Coaching, a move that has satisfied her need to have meaningful work. "I discovered I could make a career out of my passion," she says. "I had never considered coaching, but when I saw how a coach could 'free a person' and help them clarify their issues, become more self-aware, develop an action plan and better manage their career, I was in! This is what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and career."

Ann Fry spent the bulk of her career as a social worker/therapist, and then became a professional speaker and career coach. She recently began a company called It's Boomer Time, a resource-based business specifically for baby boomers. Fry says it isn't unusual for older individuals to rethink their career choice.

"People often go into careers in their 20s because it sounds cool or because it's what their parents expect or they just need to make a good living to support marriage, family, etc.," she says. "After 20 years in their profession, they begin to ask the question, is that all there is? As marriages end and kids leave, they begin to think more about what they really want to do. They're not as concerned about what others will think, and they're often not as concerned with how much money they will make. It's time for a new beginning."

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