Advice to Older Workers, Retirees, and Pre-Retirees from “Rewiring® Guru”
Author, speaker and passionate people-person Jeri Sedlar has a lot to offer older workers facing today’s recession.
Don’t Retire, REWIRE!
Jeri, Senior Advisor to The Conference Board on Mature Workforce Issues, used her more than 20 years’ experience studying personal growth and transition to co-author the 2002 book “Don’t Retire, REWIRE!” a guide to help older workers, retirees and pre-retirees plan for and enter the next phase of their lives.
“Don’t Retire,” which Jeri co-authored with her husband and partner Rick, was re-released in 2007. The revised edition includes advice for couples when one or both of them are facing retirement.
Jeri took some time to speak with me about “rewiring” during a recession, her own career path, and tips for couples as either or both of them is facing this particular life passage — retiring or joining the ranks of older employees.
Genesis of the Rewire Book
Dawn:
What led you and your husband to write this book originally?
Jeri:
DON’T RETIRE, REWIRE! was born in 1998. Rick looked at our financial statement and said, “We can afford to retire.” (Remember, this was the famous dot.com era, and retirement and cashing out your options were a big part of the discussion!)
I looked at him and said, “Retire? To do what?” We … don’t have children, we do board and volunteer work, we travel, and overall live fulfilling lives. What did he mean, “retire?”
His comment made us realize how much discussions about the future are predicated solely on money. People are told to do financial planning, but what was missing was a discussion on life planning.
In addition, Rick and I had our own executive search firm, and in 1999 I started to hear from retired clients saying that they wanted to “work in retirement.” This triggered my interest, and the rest is history.
The Book’s Message (Not Just For Older Employees)
Dawn:
What is the book’s main message?
Jeri:
People need to know themselves and their partners better so they can plan fun, fulfilling and realistic futures, especially now that we are living longer and healthier lives. Rewiring is one of the strategies we thought would work for most people.
Five Career-Rewiring Steps
Dawn:
Would you mind sharing a brief synopsis of the five step rewiring process you describe in the book?
Jeri:
Certainly! The five step rewiring process involves:
- Seeing the opportunity that the future holds
- Identifying your drivers (why you work beyond a paycheck)
- Linking your drivers to your current activities/life and think how they would link to the future
- Creating a rewired vision
- Putting your action plan in motion
Rick was adamant that we offer people a process. I too wanted a framework or process supported by actual people’s stories. I wanted readers to be able to “eavesdrop” on other people so they could better understand how the process could and would work for them. In a way, the book is like a reality show, since we follow four people as they plan their future.
Research on Retirees and Older Employees
Dawn:
What additional research did you do for the most recent edition?
Jeri:
I have continued to track both retirees and pre-retirees since the initial research was done, and have gone well beyond the initial 300 [original people who were interviewed for the book].
I initially kept up the research because I wanted to see what did happen to the people I had interviewed … did they rewire in the way that they thought they would? Were there unexpected surprises? Good and bad? Were there “A-HA!!” moments? Was it harder than they thought?
I have also been involved in researching organizations as they experience the realities of an aging society that is healthier, more educated and more vibrant than any other generation in history.
Current Developments Affecting Older Workers
Dawn:
What has changed since the book first came out?
Jeri:
First, the economy, followed by: the first boomer not only turning 62, but receiving social security; the declining value of 401ks; and current retirees alluding to the fact that they are living longer and are often feeling bored and disengaged.
Since I have been traveling around the country speaking to individuals and organizations over the past several years, our original research has been strongly confirmed — especially the importance of rewiring yourself, professionally as well as personally, as you look ahead to the future.
A key reality that has become even more evident, especially over the last 18 months, is the tremendous need for mature workers to continue working and to postpone retirement for personal as well as financial reasons.
It is also not unusual to hear people say they have come out of retirement to go back to work because they realized that work gives them fulfillment and, with some luck, flexibility.
We knew all of this but we are continuing to hear it over and over. But let me stress — people heartily express that they want to work when they are doing work they truly enjoy.
Advice for Recession Times
Dawn:
Given today’s challenging economy, is this still a good time to concentrate on finding or creating work that people will love to do?
Jeri:
There are a few answers for this one, depending on where the employee is in the work cycle. If you are working, stick to it and find ways to shine! … With unemployment rising, work to keep your job!
If you had planned to pursue a dream job and then the market changed, start small … take a class or two to prepare for your eventual dream job pursuit. The market will change, so do some homework or due diligence now, so you’ll be ready when the time is right.
This is a postponement of your dream, not the end of your dream.
Think of doing a test pilot during this time, or even do volunteer work in your dream area if that makes sense.
If you were thrust out of your current work due to layoffs, I would say that sticking to your skills and competencies is a strong Plan A. If you want to switch careers, know what it will take to get into a new field — is it going back to school for a degree or certification? Is it networking with the right people? Who are the right people? People do change careers all the time, but they all admit it takes time and focus on their part.
Retirement’s Impacts on Couples
Dawn:
What kinds of challenges do couples specifically face when one or both people retire?
Jeri:
People often don’t know either themselves or their partners well. And they don’t begin the retirement dialogue well in advance of the actual retirement, whether it be a rewiring, a semi or phased retirement.
Unfortunately many couples never ask each other what they want from the future or what they are thinking and hoping for. Couples often assume, incorrectly, what the other is thinking. It can be a formula for disaster.
The discussion has got to be about more than just the money.
Take this couple, for example: “Frank” retired at age 62 with a nice pension. His wife, “Sally,” was 56, but she didn’t like her job so she decided to retire, too.
However, Frank had hobbies, while Sally had built her life around her work and didn’t have any. Pretty soon, Sally was tagging along everywhere with Frank — to the classes he took or when he visited with his friends. Frank was feeling guilty, and Sally frustrated.
Sally decided to go back to work, thinking she had nothing else to pursue. Rick and I advised her to think about her personal life — her interests (or lack of them) and what she needed to do to explore new and interesting ideas. Work can’t be her escape forever.
Meeting so many couples who were not on the same page about the future is what led us to write the second edition of DON’T RETIRE, REWIRE!, which has a big section for couples.
Jeri’s Own Rewiring
Dawn:
What are your and Rick’s plans for the future — how are the two of you “rewiring” yourselves?
Jeri:
We are committed to Rewiring America! Rick started a new business in 2008, and we are also working on another book. We are spending more time with friends, enjoying traveling, and are always on the lookout for new experiences. We believe life is an adventure, and we want all the gusto we can get. I want to bop till I drop!
Jeri Sedlar and her husband Rick Miners are co-authors of DON’T RETIRE, REWIRE! and “On Target: Enchance Your Life and Ensure Your Success.” They were partners in an executive search firm for ten years.
Jeri contributed to The Conference Board publication, “Managing the Mature Workforce: Implications and Best Practices.”
She has been Editor-at-Large of Working Woman magazine and has also served as Director of Corporate Affairs for the Working Woman/Working Mother Group, where she worked such key issues as work/life balance, female entrepreneurship, and flextime in conjunction with the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor.
For more information and continuing rewiring advice, visit Jerri’s blog.
