10 Older Americans Share Tips for Starting New Careers After Layoffs at 60
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Sep 20
10 Older Americans Share Tips for Starting New Careers After Layoffs at 60
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Sep 20
Summary
10 Americans who lost jobs around age 60 told USA TODAY that the first step is not to rush into replacing the role, but to pause, assess finances and decide whether they even want the life they left.
61-year-old Todd Fannin and his wife turned a layoff into a deck-and-patio franchise, while 62-year-old JoAnne Kim moved to Mexico and chose semi-retirement instead of another senior marketing post.
60-year-old former corporate attorney Margaret Bowles said taking odd jobs opened unexpected paths and eventually led her to photograph NFL games for the Associated Press.
62-year-old Joanne Dority said LinkedIn and long-built professional contacts were crucial after her sales layoff, underscoring advice for older workers to lean on networks for referrals and references.
AARP, Challenger, Gray & Christmas and the National Hispanic Council on Aging also urge older applicants to stay current on technology, keep resumes to the past 10-15 years and project confidence rather than apologizing for age.