Sharlyn Lauby, Author at Unretirement Project

Phased Retirement: Be Prepared to Initiate the Conversation

April 25, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

I ran across an interesting article recently in Workforce Magazine titled, “Phased Retirement Largely Ignored Despite Flood of Retirees”. The title says it all. Organizations don’t have structured phased retirement programs in place. Frankly, a lot of organizations don’t have structured retirement programs.

But I don’t believe this trend of not having phased retirement programs is going to continue. And I don’t feel that employees have to wait around for such retirement programs to get created. Some of the work may actually happen organically.

Organizations continue to struggle finding qualified talent. The job market has shifted in the candidate’s favor. For individuals looking to stay in the workforce longer, those opportunities exist. According to an article from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the number of employed older Americans has increased by 35 percent over the past decade. This is due in part to increased longevity, which means that people need to finance a longer retirement.

So individuals and organizations have the opportunity to create a win-win where work, phased retirement, and retirement are concerned. Older employees can stay in the workforce longer to build up additional resources for their retirement.

Then, organizations and employees can work together to create an interim step (aka phased retirement). But here’s where I think the challenge lies. I’m not sure phased retirement programs have a lot of history or established best practices. As we learned from my interview with Joyce Maroney from The Workforce Institute at Kronos, phased retirement isn’t simply “going part-time”. It involves communication, planning, and training.

Both employees and organizations need to be willing to initiate the conversation about phased retirement. They need to be open to the notion of doing a trial run or beta arrangement. And then, they have to debrief their experiences to make the next time better.

Yes, phased retirement is exciting and fun. It’s also a business decision. And as employees, we should be prepared to wear both hats. There must be a balance between “I’m looking forward to working less and relaxing more.” AND “I need to have a role that brings value, even if it is part-time.” I absolutely believe it can be done. And we have the skills to make it happen. We just have to be prepared to start the unretirement talk.

Speaking of skills, if you happen to work for one of those companies that might be looking to create a few phased retirement test cases, please note a couple of paragraphs earlier when I talked about what individuals and organizations need to do: initiate conversations, openness to a trial, and debrief experience. What I’m getting at is that being a part of a phased retirement program involves good communication and feedback. Don’t expect the other person or someone else to do all the talking.

Phased retirement programs benefit both employees and employers. IMHO, organizations would be well-served to implement a few test cases before adopting a formal phased retirement program. But that means managers and employees need to be willing to communicate their plans and goals, share positive and negative feedback, and remain committed to doing what’s right for everyone involved.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby somewhere off the coast of Miami, FL

What We Are UP To in April 2018

April 18, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

Disclosure: Occasionally we receive free products for review or include advertising links in posts, but no one impacts the honesty of our opinions.

Watching| The Perfect Scam

> Remember the movie “Catch Me If You Can”? Well, fraud expert Frank Abagnale is collaborating with AARP on a podcast series about America’s biggest scams. The series is designed to educate listeners on how scammers operate. I’m looking forward to listening in April…

Reading| About GDPR

> Just in case you missed it, back in 2016, the European Union passed the General Data Protection Regulation (aka GDPR). It’s scheduled to go into effect next month. Whether you live in the U.S, Europe, or another country, this law will have an impact on our data, privacy, and security. It’s worth paying attention to.

Remembering | Las Vegas

>I love visiting Las Vegas. It’s such a vibrant city. Lots of great food, dynamic shows and entertainment, and great people watching. But Las Vegas today is so different than Vegas decades ago. It’s fun to see the history of the city and tour places like the Neon Museum to remember the past.

Working On| Book Marketing

> My third book, “The Recruiter’s Handbook: A Complete Guide for Sourcing, Selecting, and Engaging the Best Talent” was just released earlier in April at the Society for Human Management (SHRM) Talent Conference. So, we’re in full book marketing mode – writing articles and doing interviews. It’s very exciting.

Feeling| Ready

> We’ve been planning this move to Gainesville, Florida for well over a year. It’s nice to see positive movement toward our goal. I’m looking forward to doing some exploring in Gainesville and getting to know the city. And as much as I’ve liked living in Fort Lauderdale, it’s time.

Planning| Self-Care

> With several weeks of travel ahead (along with our move), Keith and I realize that taking care of ourselves is important. It could be a small as taking a few moments to play a favorite tablet game (We both like Bejeweled Blitz.) Or planning a trip to get in some serious rest and relaxation once this April move is behind us.

Loving| Cold Brew

> You guys know I’m a huge tea fan. But when it comes to a cold caffeinated beverage, my favorite is cold brew. I was recently in Portland, Oregon and got my fill of Stumptown Roasters. Luckily, I don’t have to wait for trips to Portland to get Stumptown – it can be found at the grocery store.

Geeking| Jigsaw Puzzle

> Growing up, I enjoyed jigsaw puzzles. For birthdays and Christmas, my father would give me jigsaw puzzles. We would always have a table in the family room with a big jigsaw puzzle on it. Now that I’m grown, I’m less inclined to do physical puzzles, but I have a jigsaw puzzle app. I can pick the puzzles I want, the number of pieces, etc.

What’s UP with you?

5 Tips for Age Proofing Your Resume

April 4, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

I recently attended a webinar from AARP on how to “Age-Proof Your Career”. The webinar was a Q&A format where participants were able to simply ask questions and get answers. As someone who listens to a lot of webinars, I thought it was a refreshing format.

Many of the questions that were asked had to do with resumes. I’ve written quite a bit about resumes over on HR Bartender. I won’t duplicate them over here. But in case you’d like to check them out, here are a few of the most popular ones:

12 Things that Recruiters are Looking for Right Now

What Job Title Should I Use On My Resume

Should You Include Your Photo on Your Resume

But the focus of this webinar was specifically about “age-proofing”. Let me start out by pointing out the elephant in the room. The last thing you want to do is lie on your application or resume. So, don’t even consider it. Not even stretching the truth a little. Your resume is a reflection of you. Don’t put anything on it that you can’t back up. Your credibility is much too important.

Now, down to the business of age-proofing, I did hear some interesting tips to consider. These things don’t compromise the integrity of your resume and could help you stand out in a stack of paper.

Figure out your “objective”.The panelists in this AARP seminar made it a point to say resume objectives are very “old school”. From a HR perspective, we’ve been debating the value of a resume objective for years. So, I’m not sure that it’s old school as much as it needs to be valuable. Badly worded objectives stand out for all of the wrong reasons. The decision is yours. But one thing to consider, whether you have an objective on your resume or not, you will be asked during an interview what your career objective is…so have a good one.

Consider how much work history to include. I think this is an excellent tip to remember as we gain more work experience. While AARP suggests only including the last 15-years on your resume, I’d suggest taking a look at your career history and decide what’s most relevant for the position you want. If something you accomplished 20-years ago can help you get a job today, then consider including it. But do remember that being succinct is important. Resumes that are more than 2-pages long can be pushed to the side.

Only include relevant dates. As you gain more work experience, there are dates that don’t matter as much. Like the year you graduated from high school or college. Or the date you won some company award. It might not be possible to eliminate dates completely. That’s where #2 above comes in. It’s also possible that you will need to enter dates if applying online via the company’s website.

Embrace your profile image. It might be tempting as we age to remove all signs of our face. Keep in mind that at some point, a potential employer is going to meet you. So, in those places where it’s expected to have an avatar, think about what you want yours to look like. As long as you’re working, having a professional photo can be a huge plus.

Build a presence on social media. Speaking of avatars, ninety-two percent (92%) of companies use social media to hire. Job seekers cannot ignore social media if they’re looking for a job. This doesn’t mean that someone needs to be on every social media platform out there. But do consider the top three: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. (Check out our 5-Step Plan for Learning Facebook.)

Use a modern email address. Last but certainly not least, it’s time to ditch the AOL, HotMail, and Yahoo email addresses. If you want to use them for other things, fine. But not for today’s job search. AARP suggests (and I agree with them), get a Gmail or Apple mail address. Use some variation of your name.

While doing these things can’t guarantee anyone a job, they are in line with today’s modern resume. And that’s what you’re looking for – a way to compete for a job. Your goal as a job seeker hasn’t changed. Just the tactics.

Image captured from Sharlyn Lauby’s first book – Essential Meeting Blueprints for Managers

What We Are UP To – March 2018

March 28, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

Watching | Learn@50+

> Did you know that AARP members have access to an online learning library? Their course catalog covers everything from how to back up your iPhone or iPad to an interactive video focused on the age you should consider drawing Social Security. I’ve signed up for a couple of career related webinar sessions to see what they’re all about. Stay tuned…

Reading | Online Comics

> Keith and I stopped subscribing to the newspaper years ago, but one of the things we miss is the comics. It always feels nice to start off the day with a laugh. Well, did you know that you can get your comics online? We’ve found two sources: GoComics and Comics Kingdom. They’re cheaper than a newspaper subscription and you can even get some classic comics like Funky Winkerbean and Beetle Bailey.

Remembering | All the Houses

> We recently organized our photo collection as part of our upcoming move. It was very cool to see pictures of all of our homes together. And even though they were in different cities, how similar they were in terms of style and color. As much as we might change as individuals and even as a couple, some things stay the same.

Working On | A New Look for Unretirement Project

> Now that the blog is a year old this March, we’ve been working on refining our brand a little. Over the next few weeks, you’ll see some subtle changes. One thing I’m very excited about this the new banner and avatar on our Twitter account. If you’re on Twitter, I hope you’ll follow us at @UnretirementPro.

Feeling | Exhausted

> Thank goodness we’re done with all of the decluttering around the house! Now it’s all about getting the house ready to put on the market. Rearranging furniture, taking down personal stuff, and staging the house. It is kinda weird seeing your home without any mementos, pictures, etc. But March is the time for us to focus on our next adventure.

Planning | Taxes!

> It’s that time of year – March quickly brings April taxes! Getting our files together, meeting with our accountant, filling out forms. When we started consulting, Keith and I made the investment into getting an accountant. And I mean it when I say it’s an investment. If you really want your accountant to help you, they have to get to know you. It’s an investment of time (and money) so they can help you plan and file your taxes.

Loving | Speidel Twist-O-Flex

> My dad had a Speidel Twist-O-Flex band for his watch. I might have even had a Twist-O-Flex band for one of my first watches. Well, now I have a Twist-O-Flex for my Apple Watch. Yep, Speidel is making their famous Twist-O-Flex bands for Apple Watches. I love the juxtaposition of a high-tech watch with a retro band.

Geeking | Amazon Services

> I’d like to think that everyone has ordered something on Amazon at some point. But did you know that you can now order services (like house cleaning) via Amazon?! We saw a deal for a full-day (6+ hours) of house cleaning and decided to give it a try. Keith is an excellent cleaner, but he wanted a little something extra before we put the house on the market. If they do a good job, we’ll try them again when we move into our rental in Gainesville.

What’s UP with you?

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the Wynwood Art District in Miami, FL

6 Lessons Learned from Decluttering

March 14, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

As you may know by now, we’re moving in a few months to Gainesville, Florida. To get ready for the move, Keith and I have decided to declutter our home. Whether you’re a fan of Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” or Margareta Magnusson’s “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning”, decluttering is the process of removing unnecessary (and unwanted) items from your home.

Because we want to move as little as possible, this decluttering project was more than Spring cleaning. We opened every cabinet and drawer, pulled everything out, and consciously made the decision whether it stays or goes. Along the way, we learned a few things about how to approach the process.

Make a pact that it’s okay to part with sentimental items. I am so glad that before we started we had a discussion about sentimental items like photos, wedding stuff, gifts from family members, etc. We agreed that getting rid of this stuff wasn’t a reflection of our relationship. We certainly didn’t get rid of everything but, our 30+ year old wedding cake top that’s been collecting dust…gone.

Enjoy the memories, even if you choose to part with the item. Every time we started cleaning out a room, we found ourselves going down memory lane. And that’s fine. Just because something has a memory attached to it, doesn’t mean you have to keep it. Keith and I enjoyed the memories, had some laughs, and then decided it was okay to part with the item.

It’s exhausting, so take your time. Because we went through every square inch of every room, it took time. And because we would get distracted by the memories, it took even longer. Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the process. We did one room a week, so it took us almost three months to declutter our home. I’m really glad we spaced the process out because we weren’t rushed and didn’t end up tossing too much or too little.

Sometimes the decision is to move it, not get rid of it. One other thing we noticed about our stuff is that sometimes the answer wasn’t to get rid of it, but to move it to another room. Pictures, bric-a-brac, pillows, etc. are great examples. We loved the item but wanted to see it in a different place. So, experiment a little. Especially if one person in the family really likes something and the other persons are kinda “meh” about it.

Decide the best way to dispose of the item. I told someone recently that the hardest part of decluttering wasn’t making the decision about what stays or goes, but how to get rid of it – trash, destroy, recycle, donate, junk, etc. That’s another reason to space out your decluttering project. There’s only so much you can set aside for disposal at one time.

Remember to dispose of confidential information properly. When you start gaining some momentum in your decluttering efforts (and you will), it might be tempting to toss big boxes of paper away. Be cognizant of what’s on that paper and find a secure way to dispose of tax records, personal papers, etc. Also, don’t forget to dispose of old prescriptions in a responsible way as well.

While on the surface, decluttering might seem like a chore (and it is), we had some good moments going through all of our stuff. It’s also incredibly satisfying to get rid of old things we don’t need or want anymore and find them a new home. So, whether or not you’re planning a move, decluttering could be a way to clean up and bring new life to your home.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby at Le Tub, the best burger joint in South Florida

What We Are UP To – February 2018

February 28, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby 4 Comments

Disclosure: Occasionally we receive free products for review or include advertising links in posts, but no one impacts the honesty of our opinions.

Watching | Black Panther

> We’re big fans of the Marvel Universe, so we’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of Black Panther. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, so all I’m going to say is … it lives up to all the February hype. Try to find time to see it on the big screen.

Reading | Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife

> Mary Roach is without a doubt one of my favorite authors. I really appreciate the way she explains science in a casual, conversational tone, with just the right amount of dry wit. In this book, Roach dives into the subject of the ghosts, spooks, and the afterlife. What I like most about this book is that she gives the topic the respect it deserves, regardless of your beliefs.

Remembering |Our 1-Year Anniversary

> We started Unretirement Project one year ago in February and we’re so glad we did it. Thank you for reading our articles and sharing your thoughts with us. We’re looking forward to more good times as we continue on our unretirement journey together. ICYMI – This was the first post that launched this blog.

Working On | Growth Matters Network

> I have a new project that I’m working on with SAP Small Business. I’m part of a small group of business professionals who will be having regular conversations about business, marketing, talent, etc. on the Growth Matters Network. The discussions are open to everyone, so if you’re interested join the network and be a part of the conversation.

Feeling | Accomplished

> Keith and I have been downsizing and decluttering little by little over the past few weeks. It’s amazing how one minute we feel like we haven’t made a dent in the project and the next we look around and say “Wow! Look at how much we’ve done!” There’s still a lot to do after February, but we’re getting there. And it feels great to be accomplishing things.

Planning | Lifestyle Journals

> Plum Paper has a new offering that’s caught my attention – lifestyle journals. They focus on meetings, travel, meal planning, budget, and gratitude. All with the beautiful style we’ve come to expect from Plum Paper. I’m very tempted to give one a try.

Loving | Stainless Steel Straws

> A few years ago, I read about using stainless steel straws for beverages. I was a little concerned about whether I would like them in general. And Keith was concerned about cleaning them. But our concerns were unfounded on both fronts. Great for smoothies, easy to clean, and good for the environment!

Geeking |Apple HomePod

> Yep, we did it. Broke down and got ourselves a HomePod. We still have our Amazon Alexa but wanted to give this one a test drive as well. We’re still trying to figure out HomePod’s full capabilities, but I will say that the speakers are noticeably better than Amazon.

What’s UP with you?

8 Things I’ve Learned Writing a Book

February 21, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

I know a lot of people who have writing a book on their bucket list. I was one of those people. I wrote my first book, Essential Meeting Blueprints for Managers, in 2015 and my second, Manager Onboarding: 5 Steps for Setting New Leaders Up for Success, came out in 2016. My third book, The Recruiters Handbook: How to Source, Select, and Engage the Best Talent, is scheduled to be out over the next couple of months.

The reason I’m mentioning this is because writing books is a very interesting experience. After each one, I take some time to think about the writing process. Think of it as a personal debrief. For those of you who have also been thinking about writing a book, here are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way.

Know why you’re doing it. There are many reasons to write books: money, experience, etc. Your reason will help you make decisions about the process – especially when it comes to publishing (i.e. self-publishing versus niche publisher versus big name publishing house). Believe me, there’s a huge learning curve here.

Be open to inquiries. You don’t need a literary agent – unless, of course, you want one. You can get a book deal from an email. If you’re a blogger, keep in mind that publishers might be reading your blog to see if you have book potential. And if you’re not a blogger, but you want to eventually write a book, maybe starting a blog is a good first step.

The process takes longer than you think. There are proposals, research, outlines, writing, revisions, etc. I would say that every book I’ve written takes well over a year from idea to publish. When you commit to a book, it’s a long-term project. You have deadlines. Be prepared for the writing process to be a very big priority in your life.

Find a routine that works for you. And your friends and family. Speaking of long-term projects, one of the best things I do is establish a writing schedule. Keith and I agreed that Saturdays would be “writing day”. This kept me on track and I didn’t feel guilty about locking myself away. Figure out what works best for you so you can meet both your writing and family obligations.

Always ask yourself, “Would I buy this?” It’s great to write a book because you have something to say. It’s another thing all together to get people to buy it. One of the things I really enjoy in my book writing process is the part when reviewers are given my draft for comments. They were asked, “Would you buy this?” I got some terrific feedback which only made the final version stronger.

Editors exist to make the outcome better. If you plan to write a book, get ready for people to critique and edit your work. Looking back, I’m grateful for the writing opportunities I’ve had with publications like Mashable because it allowed me to get used to people editing my work.

While writing a book is a long process and a lot of work, I really do enjoy it. And if presented with the right set of circumstances, I’d probably definitely do it again.

Is writing a book on your unretirement list?

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby at the 34th Street Graffiti Wall in Gainesville, FL