The Second-Career Society
Pension plans across America are in trouble, and the pain is only just beginning. The problem is simple: too many promises have been made to too many people, and the money is running out. Europe got to this point ahead of us, so we can to some extent see the options laid out for us. The short lesson is that it’s better to be Germany than most of the others. To some extent Germany’s (comparatively) strong economic situation stems from its success in tackling the pension problem head-on. Reforms are hard, but lying about the situation ultimately benefits no one. People need to accept that as life expectancies increase, working lives will also need to be extended. It isn’t realistic to expect that everyone can have twenty or thirty years of comfortable retirement at the end of their lives.
There is a glass-half-full way to see this. More life, more work and more health should be a good thing! Why should we be bemoaning the opportunity to do more things before we die? Now, it’s true that people tend to get tired of their jobs after two or three decades, which is presumably one reason why they fight so hard to keep the retirement age low. The call of shuffleboard may be less powerful than the desire simply to move on to something new. Perhaps what we need, then, is a second-career society, in which it is common for people to move on to a new career at some point in their fifties or early sixties.
There would be some obstacles, of course. New careers will mean retraining and lost experience. There will also be some awkward etiquette issues to resolve, since most jobs tend to move employees from more junior status towards greater seniority (and along with that, greater salary and benefits). People won’t want to start at the very bottom of the ladder when they start their second careers, although, I do have to note that it actually makes sense for older people to accept a cut in salary in exchange for pleasanter, less onerous duties. People need money the most when their children are growing up, so it isn’t really optimal for us to achieve our greatest earning power at 60.
In any event, I think all these problems are soluble. A 2-career working life is already common in some parts of society (e.g. the military) and I think expanding the practice could be enormously beneficial. It would help people to see longer working lives as an opportunity instead of a curse. It would make workplaces diverse in a way that’s actually useful, as people bring skills and expertise from their previous jobs. And, it could be part of a larger movement towards a different kind of workplace, in which less energy is invested in piling up useless educational credentials, and more in showing what you can do.
- Comment (29)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (3)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments:
Dec '10
Re: The Second-Career Society
Some good ideas here, but I still think you're preaching to the choir.
Meanwhile, the percentage of workers who've been at the same job for 20+ years has stayed pretty stable, at about 10%, from 1996 to 1998. And although there's a lot of buzz about how it can't possibly be right that the majority of workers change careers (not jobs, careers) about 7 times during the course of their working lives (I'm at 3), disproving that statistic seems more difficult than you might think, and even commited sceptics suggest that it's pretty normal for people to change careers 2-3 times over their lifetimes.
I think that a lot of the people who agree with what you say are already doing what you suggest.
I just don't think the people who disagree with you will be much interested in your proposition. Selling to these folks will be hard. They won't fall for the 'We're living longer!' 'We're healthier!' schtick.
How do you get their buy in?
Jan '11
Re: The Second-Career Society
Well, if it's any consolation, Michael, I started as a teacher. Teaching is a standard part of the Jesuit training, and I taught in a high school for three years, and I taught in a couple of other places during my time. I've stood where you're standing now.
I won't back off what I said, but then again, I didn't say what you suggested I said. (MFR hit the mark.) I never said "young people can't possibly know what they're talking about." I said I'd like to see us "replace the corps of mushy-headed teachers that we have now." I didn't say that "age=wisdom." I said that "experienced people on their second career won't want to pass on any vapid nonsense." Nor did I suggest that "someone could just walk into teaching and be successful and relate to young people better than someone younger." Rachel called it a second career, and a career doesn't imply that you could "just walk" into it.
But on the other hand, experience is a terrible thing to waste, don't you think?
Apr '11
Re: The Second-Career Society
KC Perhaps I was a bit mistaken and the more I think of it the more my post was a reaction to the situation I find myself in, working in an environment where just because I am young my thoughts are discounted. Though in my own defense, when you refer to mushy headed teachers and use quotes around education specialists, it does give off an air of I know best which was not your intent. Also, to your point of it as a career, I agree but with the way those in edu are now referring to student being "career and college ready" I was thinking of it in those terms rather than real world ones. (edu jargon is often silly and means the opposite of what it says) I would say now that what I said is less directed at you than it is just a feeling of general frustration I have withe the current model and the drumbeat against teachers in some parts. As a side note, I had an incredibly liberal college prof (still a good man though) who referred to the Jesuits as "Papal storm troopers" so I knew then they were the good guys
Apr '11
Re: The Second-Career Society
Oh and experience is most certainly a terrible thing to waste
Apr '12
Re: The Second-Career Society
It's no insult to teachers to say that somebody with years of experience in what they're teaching is going to know more than somebody who was taught to teach; different focuses.
Jan '11
Re: The Second-Career Society
Two responses:
Although Rachel's original post was much more general than just a second career in education, it sort of hit a nerve with me!
Nov '11
Re: The Second-Career Society
There are many opportunities now for entrepreneurs in education. Start your own charter or private school and try out some new ideas: combine trad. teaching with computers/internet, 3 year high schools, teachers that stick with their students the whole 3 years (I have read that this seems to be one of things that makes our HS students lag behind-study successful models), courses in logic, and of course discipline that is enforced on students, teachers and parents. You will have to start small and keep at it, be willing to change, until your successful results are known (reputation). Try to make a model where good teachers are paid what they are worth (and get rid of the others), and the school actually makes money! You would necessarily be an administrator rather than teacher, but start it then go back to teaching as a second career. I've actually been pondering this for several years and spent a rainy Sunday thinking of ways to provide excellent edu. while making money.
A revolution is coming in esp. high school education and the pioneers will go down in history. Does this seem impossible and/or shocking to you?
Apr '12
Re: The Second-Career Society
Michael Kelly: As someone who is under 30 and works in education, KC's comment is exactly the problem I have with older people in education. The constant assumption that age=wisdom and that young people cannot possibly know what they are talking about so they have nothing to offer because they haven't had "experience". Well I've worked since I was twelve so I've got some experiences there. Also, I would love to see all these second career seniors work with the technology we are required to use along with being able to work with kids who have never known a world without it. I know KC means well but it's a little condescending towards younger people. · 18 hours ago
Edited 18 hours ago
In comment number 21 of the "Immigration - Legal and Illegal" thread, Mr. Kelley states:
"Must be the result of really superior minds trying to deal with us coal miners."
Teacher, coal miner, or both?
Dec '10
Re: The Second-Career Society
I don't know that many 60 year olds in today's economy who have reached the point where they can afford to cut back to a lesser paying second career. Most are just beginning to be able to start saving a decent amount for retirement, after raising kids and finally putting the last through college. Most are seeing retirement accounts reduced from what they were four years ago, and NOT GROWING, and it scares the heck out of them. They won't be leaving their decent paying jobs anytime soon. In fact, most are gritting their teeth hoping they can hang on to them and not face age discrimination type layoffs.