The Old Gray Mares
They're Better Than They Used to Be

by Kate Wendleton

Fifty isn't as old as it used to be. Bill and Hillary are over 50; Jane Fonda is turning 60!

The average American today is living 29 years longer than the average American did a century ago -- but those years are being tacked on to middle age, not old age. Middle-aged people today are in better health and are planning to work longer. Many have whole new careers in front of them!

Lydia Bronte, author of The Longevity Factor, conducted a study of the careers of people over 50. Almost half of the study participants had a major career peak after age 50. For example, Julia Child wrote Mastering the Art of French Cooking when she was almost 50, and her career took off.

About one-third of the study participants had major career peaks after the age of 65!

Those over 50 experience job searches that take just a few weeks longer than the searches of those under 50. If a person wants to work, what can he or she do?

1. Decide how many more years you want to work. If it's only 5 years, you can try to stay in your current field. But if you want to work for 20 more years -- as many do -- develop a plan that you find exciting.

2. Think about how you want to live those years. Here are a few examples:

• Steve had done what others wanted all his life, and now he thought it was time to do what he wanted. He just didn't know what that was. At age 61, it took him six months of planning to start his own consulting business. He's having more fun than he ever thought possible. And he has flexible hours so he can spend time with his grandchildren and run marathons in Bermuda!
  
  
• Gerry, at age 55, decided to move from his banking job to private banking, which is a growth field and one where age is a plus. He became a certified financial planner, and is now targeting 14 companies, trying to decide which would be best for him.
  
  
• Janet, at age 52, wanted to get into the hospitality field. She got a job in events planning at Arthur Anderson through Advantage Human Resourcing -- a temporary placement firm. She's full-time in the field she wanted.
  
  
• Art had been a general manager of top radio stations. He now helps a major company set up new radio affiliates -- and is moving towards ownership.