________Still Truckin' ________ Second Careers

We may be nearing retirement but we are not about to retire. Many of us seek second careers, wishing to continue to work but in different ways.

We may choose to step down to lower paying but less stressful positions or take the opportunity to strike out in new directions.

We may start our own business, turn a hobby into a second career, finally do what we always wanted, what we believe in and enjoy.

Many of us will to continue to work beyond retirement age because we must. We may need to supplement inadequate pensions and shrinking IRAs or pay for medical coverage. Others will work because we want to. But whether our motivation is out of necessity or personal satisfaction, our relationship to work can be different in a second career. Second careers can provide an element of choice and flexibility absent from our first. No longer compelled to climb corporate ladders or make a killing, we can work for whatever benefits we deem important.

Alternatives to the traditional nine-to-five offer ways to enjoy the profits of work at a more relaxed pace. Phased retirement, flex time, job sharing, part-time, temporary, seasonal and consulting work all provide ways to continue working while having more free time. Telecommuting and home businesses let us work from home or satellite offices.

A second Career gives us the opportunity to focus our energies on what interests us the most and what we truly care about. Was there a childhood dream abandoned for a sensible reality? Does the desire to make a difference still lurk? Do you want to make money but have time for other things as well?

Before plunging into a job search, take some time to step back and analyze your motivations. What do you want to get out of work besides a pay check? In Don't Retire, REWIRE! Jeri Sedler and Rick Miners suggest ways to identify your “drivers” or personal motivators, in order to reroute energy into personally satisfying efforts. When you pursue your real passion everyone wins.

But is your dream job really everything you imagine? Maybe it is what you truly want to do or maybe not. One way to test it out is to take an internship in your field of interest. Internships are not just for college students or new grads. They are a great way for career changers to get necessary experience, inside information and contacts in a new field.

Another way is to actually live out your dream job for a week. Vocation Vacations lets you try out your passion under the guidance of a mentor in actual working conditions. Perhaps you always wanted to be a music producer and songwriter. Try it. Head to Austin Texas where Dave Murry of Murry Music will put you to work composing, recording and producing music. Maybe your passion is Beer. Become a brew master for a week. Load, mix, pitch, mash, bottle and taste under the tutelage of a master. Maybe hot rods are your thing. Test drive hot rod manufacturing at Hot Rods and Horsepower in beautiful Connecticut. The list of exciting possibilities is long. If it turns out your choice really isn’t for you, you’ll still have a great time.

Training can make your career dreams a reality. Even if you choose to remain in the field you’ve been in all your life, sharpening and updating your skills will make you more marketable. You can turn a hobby into a career with courses in photography, fashion design, motorcycle repair or landscaping to mention a few suggestions.

Training ranges from weekend seminars to four-year College programs and has never been more accessible. Accelerated programs in such fields as nursing, help you reach your goals quickly and easily. Career Colleges, Technical and Vocational Schools can teach you the skills applicable to a specific field such as the culinary industry. On-line, distance learning and correspondence courses let you work independently and schedule your own time. The Internet abounds with websites to help find the training and education suited to your needs such as search4careercollege.com. Search by location, field of interest or school.

The first step finding successful second careers is to analyze your goals, needs, assets and limitations. Take an honest assessment of what you have to offer. What are your skills? What experience do you have? Next consider your limitations. Must you work close to home? Are you only available certain hours of the day? Now consider the types of jobs you can do. Look at as broad a range of occupations as you can. You may not find the exact kind of position you are looking for or had before. Be open to new possibilities Look on!

If you have always dreamed of being self employed now is a perfect time. With a pension and Social Security as a base of support, you won’t starve through the initial start-up, which could take two years or more and you’ll be better able to weather the inevitable ups and downs of establishing a business. Personal computers, cell phones and Blackberries make running a business easier and more efficient than ever before and open up a world of home business possibilities, saving the expense of the commute and an outside office or store.

Though we bring with us experience, skills, a strong work ethic and knowledge honed over a lifetime, finding suitable work presents challenges for everyone. Difficult and changing economic times, as well as prejudice against older workers, impart further barriers. Those of us who wish to seek a second career will need to be creative, flexible and persistent.