Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Boomers Retire – A Brave New Work World?

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Tammy Erickson of Harvard Business Online recently wrote about the changes that may be coming as a result of baby boomers reaching retirement age.  I’ve written about how the workplace may need to become more flexible to avoid the “brain drain” that would occur as more mature and experienced workers leave their companies.  Erickson’s prediction goes beyond suggesting the employers will offer flexible jobs:

Over the next several decades, as more sectors face the looming talent shortage, there will be a rapid increase in the number of people who work in cyclical or project-based arrangements—many with no fixed affiliation to one corporation. It’s even possible that project-based work will become the norm in several decades—with most workers operating as what some have called “intellectual mercenaries” assembled by project, as needed.

Essentially, these “cyclical” workers are what might today be called contractors…They come in to do a job, get the work done and leave.

Imagine if our workforce really adjusted to this type of scenario.  Many workers would be like cogs in an ever spinning wheel.  Benefits could go by the wayside, as only a select group of essential workers would be considered “full time” employees.  Presumably, some permanent jobs may be lost, but many would benefit from the flexible arrangements. 

Erickson suggests that this workplace may be decades in the future.  It’s difficult enough planning for next month’s workplace, let alone for something that may happen 10 years down the road.  However, the suggestions she makes to prepare seem timely and well suited to anyone in today’s workforce who hopes to influence their own career path.

In summary, Erickson suggests:

  • Building and maintaining your professional network.
  • Understand your skills and talents and where they can be put to use.
  • Keep current on research and thinking in your field.
  • Keep licenses and certifications up to date.
  • Maintain a home office as a launching pad for marketing and selling your skills as well as maintaining records of billable hours.
  • Don’t become so immersed in the “here and now” that you forget to take time to consider planning for the next thing.

This last point strikes me as particularly important.  In any changing or volatile work environment, don’t let yourself get so caught up in getting through the week that you forget that another Monday is just around the weekend.  We could all benefit by more involved planning and efforts on our own behalf to ensure that we are really driving our own career bus.

Keppie Careers will help you drive your own career bus.  www.keppiecareers.com

Can Being Too Happy Hurt Your Career?

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From BusinessWeek, February 11, 2008…

Researchers from several large universities determined that people who rate themselves as an 8 on a happiness scale of 10 (ten being the most happy), actually achieve and earn more than those who top out at a 10.   So, why are the slightly less happy workers doing better than their extremely happy counterparts?

The theory is that the 8s excel at work because they “know when to worry.”  Apparently, a little negativity can’t hurt when it comes to a realistic outlook on the job.  Don’t slide too far down the happiness scale, though.  Studies show that happiness is associated with many benefits, such as better health.

Realistic, yet happy..Seems like a good life balance.

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Keppie Careers will help you transform your resume and achieve your career goals.  www.keppiecareers.com

Baby Boomers Retire – Possible Impact for the Rest of Us!

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An article in the January 14th issue of The Wall Street Journal suggested that companies prepare for looming baby boomer retirements by, among other things, offering flexible work schedules in an effort to retain older employees and avoid a worker shortfall.

The AARP’s website reports that by 2014, 32% of the U.S. workforce will be 50 or older.  They note that, as numbers of younger workers decline, companies who want to maintain their competitive edge will seek to attract and retain experienced workers.   

The impact of this potential trend may be felt by a variety of job seekers.  Parents of young children who want flexible schedules may benefit.  Experienced workers who opted out of the paid workforce for a variety of reasons (raising children, caring for relatives) may find companies more interested in their experience and less worried about a gap in continuous paid work.

AARP lists companies that value the mature worker.  If you are a job seeker who might benefit from an organization that values experience and may offer flexibility, this could be a valuable resource.

It will be interesting to track how companies react to predicted trends.   Informed job seekers will be prepared to take advantage of developments as they come!

keppiecareers.com…We advise, encourage, enlighten!

Are you a workaholic?

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In Five Signals that You May Be a Workaholic, an article by Dana Mattioli for Career Journal.com,, she outlines several criteria to help determine if you are, indeed, a workaholic, or if you are just doing your job.  The criteria:

  1. You are preoccupied with work.  You are always dwelling on your job and can’t “turn it off” in social situations.
  2. You don’t like to delegate.  This is a control issue.  You’re afraid that letting someone else take responsibility would indicate that other people can actually get the job done.
  3. You neglect other parts of your life.  Family and social relationships suffer because you are so immersed with work.
  4. You try to combine work into other parts of your life.  For example, you hire friends or relatives to work for you or use vacations as opportunities to pursue work activities.
  5. You sneak work! (Like one might sneak chocolate to avoid sharing it with one’s children…Not that I would know anything about that personally.)

The New York Times weighs in as well.  Their column, When Hard Work Becomes Overwork,by Phyllis Korkki, touches on the similarities between workaholics and alcoholics.  She describes stress and mental and physical damage (to workaholics and their employees).  Workaholics aren’t even necessarily more productive than other workers.  In fact, they may inadvertently be creating the problems they thought they were solving “to provide the endless thrill of more work.”

So,  here you are, giving your lifeblood to your career, sacrificing everything – relationships, hobbies, free time – and your organization may actually think that you are the problem!  Sad, but true.

It may be time to reevaluate.  Look at yourself and your work objectively.  If you are a workaholic, it may be time to step back and make some changes  You may need some professional help to overcome a work addiction..  Is a new career in order?  Maybe.  Evaluating your options and reviewing your resume can’t hurt. A transfer or new assignment may be in order. If this sounds like you, the new year is a perfect time to think about making a change.