The Seniorpreneur: Working after 60

by Grace Tallar

The lead edge of the baby boom generation turns 60 this year. They've already started to retire, and over the next decade or so Canada's ten million Boomers will be leaving the workforce for an uncertain future.

There are contradictory predictions. Some experts say that Boomers have lived beyond their means and will have to continue working after retirement. Others see them as the wealthiest generation of all – when their savings are enhanced by the inheritances from their more frugal depression-era parents. Boomers are smart, affluent, curious, adventurous and energetic. We are living longer and staying much healthier.

Those who can afford not to work, with government pensions, savings, and inheritences, may choose to start another career. Being used to making a contribution, to making a difference, many find it simply too boring to sit around for 25 to 35 years. Peaceful fishing or gardening are not the only options.

John Caspar, vice president and investment advisor with CIBC Wood Gundy, writes: “Now the trend has reversed, and not only are more people looking at longer careers, many folks are working past age 65. And many of them aren’t staying in or returning to the job market because they need the cash to keep them in cat food. They’re staying on the job for lifestyle reasons.”

This is the first generation that has changed the view of elders as consumers to elders as producers. Giving up the professional world is giving up much of one’s personal power, and Boomers like to be involved. The question remains – how to plan and create a fulfilling professional life after mandatory retirement in a world of digitization, globalization, reorganization and continuous changes. And this applies equally to both the public and the private sector. The formula for getting hired has three major components:
§     understanding the new economy and the competencies-driven job market
§     understanding your value-added in the areas of knowledge, emotional intelligence and creativity
§     execution of the concept “Me, Seniorpreneur Inc.”

In the new economy the future is not a forecast – it is an exploration. Companies must quickly adapt their products and services to the existing market demands and act promptly. Peter Jasniewski, president of Comandix Technologies, states, “There is no time for lengthy training on the job. A person who is hired is expected to perform from day one and there is not much room for error. That is why upgrading sector skills and continuous learning becomes increasingly the employee’s responsibility.”

Human resources specialist Libby Sartain points out: “Today we have to get extraordinary results from ordinary people.”

The new economy certainly changes the way of hiring and managing people. Inter-, trans- and meta-disciplinary approaches to recruiting are required. Every job description becomes a unique set of competencies required to deliver specific results. Sometimes only one skill might decide if the person is hired or not.

Products and services are changing so quickly that companies must adapt their operations from project to project. Expertise, team and project management become very important. Adrian Furnham, a professor of psychology at the University College, London, talking about talent management, indicates that intelligence/knowledge is a must, but emotional stability and work ethics are powerful predictors of job success or failure. Extensive research (42 countries, 700,000 people) by Peter Salovey, who coined the term ‘emotional intelligence’, shows that EQ’s contribution to success is four times that of IQ.

Werner Lanthaler, Austrian scientist, writer and businessman, says creativity is a third key characteristic, along with knowledge and EQ. The public sector has a significant role in being innovative and in creating the climate for the private sector to innovate.

The average hire in the public service is about 35 years old. In spite of the many internship programs, the public sector is compressed at the senior management level. As a result of changes in the demographic profiles the number of young people will decrease dramatically as a percentage of the workforce, and this creates an opportunity for seasoned professionals who are able to transfer their expertise to a new generation. The good news is that age will become an asset, because levels of emotional intelligence and creativity increase with age. Whatever age we are and whatever we do, we will be judged only on our competencies.

Big business will appreciate visionaries and creative innovators. Technological development will create a big demand for IT specialists and internet marketers. Small and medium-size businesses will seek experienced consultants on a daily basis. Every business will need good project managers. There will be a lot of jobs available for Boomers in the public and private sectors globally, but to be hired we must develop special self-marketing and self-PR skills.

Henryk Stygar, owner of Stygar Enterprises, shares this: “The transition from the public sector requires tangible proof that you are adaptable, creative and flexible. My advice is to start your own business as soon as possible in the field where your passion and expertise are. This will help you in a smooth transition from one sector to another and from one contract to the next.”

‘Me, Seniorpreneur Inc.’ means that we as individuals must advertise our skills to the market. It means we must differentiate ourselves from competitors by becoming a recognized authority in the eyes of the hirer. This is even more applicable to public service employees, who must demonstrate the spirit of an entrepreneur – the perception in the private sector is still that although the vast majority of public servants are competent individuals who serve the people of Canada with dedication in an ethical manner, they are too rules-based and not proactive.

To become a recognized authority takes at least six months to a year, providing you follow these steps: define your niche and create your philosophy (trade mark) around it; develop a self-PR action plan by improving writing, public speaking and networking skills; run seminars and write a book; advertise your expertise through the internet and sell your product or service.


Grace Tallar, M.A., is founder of Creative Management Training. She consults, speaks, and trains internationally. Her latest book, Get Hired on Demand, presents new dynamics on the contemporary job market. For further information visit www.NewcomerSupplies.com.