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Your 5 Day Plan to Using Twitter in Unretirement

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This is the third installment in our series about using social channels to help with marketing yourself when working as an independent contractor during retirement. First, we discussed the benefits of using Facebook to expand your audience. Then we talked about LinkedIn and how you don’t have to be looking for a new job to benefit from sharing and writing articles there.

Today, I want to look into Twitter and see how it can help you in unretirement.

What is Twitter?

Twitter launched in March of 2006 so, by now, many of us probably have an account. Twitter describes itself as an online news and social networking site. It has also been called a microblogging site. Did you know: 

  • Over 330 million monthly active users worldwide share “Tweets” of 280 characters or less (that’s double the number they started with).
  • The average Twitter user has 707 followers.
  • 66% of brands with 100 or more employees have a Twitter account.

500 million Tweets are sent each day – that’s 5,787 every second! In addition, Twitter is the number one platform for government leaders. Even in unretirement, you should really appreciate that kind of activity.

How do you create a Twitter account?

If you don’t have one, perhaps the most difficult part of creating a Twitter account is getting a unique name. That’s because there can only be one of us in all of Twitter. So, if your name is John Smith, chances are pretty good that someone has already claimed that.

If the name you select is already taken, Twitter will immediately prompt you to select another. You may have to do this a few times so don’t get frustrated. Keep in mind that your ultimate goal here is to grow your followers. So, if you have to get creative with your Twitter name, think of something that is memorable and makes people want to learn more about you. For example, Unretirement Project wasn’t available when we created a Twitter account for this blog, so we chose @UnretirementPro instead. 

Once you have your name, you will be asked for a brief bio and link to your website (if you don’t have a blog, use your LinkedIn profile). Again, share information that people will want to engage with. You want the Twitterverse to follow you and click on the link you share.

Finally, you will want to upload an avatar photo so others will recognize you when you show up in their Twitter stream. If this is to promote your side hustle, you can use your business logo. Just don’t skip this step! There are many users who just ignore connection requests from people who don’t have a profile picture. 

There are a couple of good resources that can guide you in creating an impressive Twitter profile:

5 Simple Tips for a More Impressive Twitter Profile

How to Make a Perfect Twitter Profile: A Complete Guide

Your 5-day Plan Being a Twitter Pro

Now that you have an account, let’s talk about the 5-day plan to learning more about Twitter.

DAY 1 – Hashtags. These days, most social sites use hashtags. But Twitter is where it all began. Simply put the # symbol in front of key words or phrases (with no spaces) to create a searchable hashtag in a Tweet. A hashtag serves two big purposes – 1) if someone is interested in a topic, they click on a hashtag and they might find you and your Tweets and 2) if they like your Tweet and profile, they may start following you. Do a search for #retirement or #retirementplanning and see what I mean.

DAY 2 – Write a Post. In the bottom right of your phone is a circle with a quill pen. Or, on your browser, a button can be found on the top that says “Tweet”. Clicking on it will launch the composition screen asking, “What’s happening?”. Just start typing your message here and share whatever you like. You can attach a link to great content (like this article). And don’t forget to add your hashtags. Along the bottom of this screen will be buttons to add photos, videos, GIFs, or polls. 

DAY 3 – Start Connecting. Like most social sites, Twitter is happy to make recommendations on who to follow. Just click on the magnifying glass at the bottom of your phone or check out the section titled Who to Follow in the top-right of your browser. Just look for the Follow button next to their user name. And be sure to click on a hashtag you like and follow a few people who share your interests. You might even want to start with this great account – @UnretirementPro

DAY 4 – Get to Know Your Audience. Again, like other social sites, Twitter wants you to know about your audience and what they are saying to and about you. At the bottom of the home page on your phone is a bell so click on that. In your browser dashboard you can see the bell next to “Notifications” in the upper left screen. This will show new followers, post comments, and mentions about you. From here, it’s very easy to follow back those people who interact with you.

DAY 5 – Engage, Engage, Engage. As you scroll through the Tweets on your home page, you will probably find something interesting. At the bottom of each Tweet will be icons. If you like the Tweet, click on the Heart to let the person and their followers know. If you want to comment on the Tweet, click the comment balloon icon to launch the familiar composition screen. The two arrows icon is used to Retweet – that is, share someone else’s Tweet with your followers. You will find that, the more you engage, the more you grow your follower audience.

BONUS! Twitter clients. The Twitter site has improved a lot over the years, but you might be saying to yourself, “There’s got to be an easier way to view and engage with information.” And there is. Test drive a Twitter client such as HootSuite or Tweetdeck to help you organize information. 

Twitter remains a very popular social channel – one that just can’t be ignored. The large number of active users can help you quickly grow an audience. And be sure to share all of your other social accounts with your Twitter followers. They just might want to connect with you everywhere!

Encore Careers – Part Two: Figuring Out What to Pursue

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In the first post in this series about encore careers, we talked about what an encore career is and why you might want to start thinking about one as part of your unretirement journey. As a quick refresher, encore careers are jobs or careers that happen later in life. They often fulfill different needs than the jobs we have early in our career. So, an encore career might be something that aligns with a passion you’ve had over the years or possibly just something to get out of the house and make a few bucks. 

Once you decide that you want to pursue an encore career, the next logical step in the process is to figure out what you want to do. Remember when you were in high school and everyone started asking, “What are you going to do when you graduate?” Well, think of this similarly but the question becomes, “What are you going to do when you retire?”

I would suggest that the first step toward figuring out your encore career is to take inventory of your knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs). Even if you change jobs and industries in your encore career, you’re going to want to choose something that you’re good at. So, think about the skills you’ve collected. 

It might even make some sense to prepare an “unretirement” resume. Instead of saying to yourself, “I don’t need to maintain a resume anymore. I’m going to retire in a few years.” Maybe it’s even more important now. Use your resume as a way to discover and showcase your encore career skills. In addition, take a moment to ask yourself, “Of all my skills, which ones have a mastered as a result of being older.” There a reason you should do this that will become more apparent as you read on.

Now, some career coaches might tell you that ideal encore careers for older people are in the areas of people management and coaching. Let me dish out some tough love here. Your age, your desire to become a coach, and your skills in communication, empathy, and listening are three different things. I’m not saying that older people can’t become coaches – they certainly can. And I’m not saying that older people don’t have the skills to become coaches – they might. But making the assumption that because you’re 50 or 60 automatically makes you a people person…sorry, no. 

Your encore career should be something that you’re interested in, that fulfills a need for you, and that you’re good at. You might say, “I’ve spent my entire career coaching employees and the last thing I want to do in my retirement is coach employees. I want to take care of animals because they don’t talk back.” And to that I say, good for you. 

Another option might be simply tweaking the job you have right now. Maybe you’d like to do the same thing you’re doing right now just less. Or maybe your current job has two primary functions and you’d like to focus on one of them. It makes me think of a marketing manager who is responsible for marketing, public relations, and social media. Maybe for an encore career they want to focus solely on social media.  

After you conduct your skills assessment, hopefully, this will point you in a direction. It might shed some light on skills you want to acquire before you retire. This allows you to put a plan in place to gain experience and knowledge over time. You can do things at your pace and within your budget. It also gives you time to think about how you’re going to transition into your encore career. Will you be able to just change jobs? Or is there an interim job that will make the transition easier? 

There’s one other thing to consider. As you think about your work experience and skills, along with where you want to go with an encore career, consider how you would answer the question, “Why do you want to take a job where you’re overqualified?” While companies might not come right out and say it, you know that there will be recruiters and hiring managers thinking this. As you’re planning your encore career, plan an explanation for your encore career.  This will demonstrate to prospective employers (including your current one) that you’re focused, planful, and detail-oriented. 

Encore careers can be a wonderful, fulfilling part of your unretirement journey. Start thinking about it early and put a plan in place to get there. 

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the island of Maui, HI

Encore Careers – Part One: What They Are and Why You Might Want One

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One of the most common questions people ask themselves when they’re thinking about retirement is “What am I going to do?” We spend the majority of our lives identifying with a job, whether that’s one that happens in Corporate America or at home (as in being a stay at home parent). When those things stop, we have to figure out how to answer the question “So, what do you do?” Even when we hear people say, “I’m retired.” it seems like the next question is “Well, what did you do?”

Figuring out how to answer the question about what you do isn’t simply to satisfy others. It’s also for ourselves. Every time someone asks, “What do you do?” does it cause you to pause? I know lots of people who are saying they’re not ready to retire. They say that they want to still contribute but maybe not 40+ hours a week. 

One option available to us as we’re thinking about our retirement (and unretirement) is an encore career. It’s defined as a job or career that happens later in life to provide both purpose and money. According to Encore.org, some of the most promising fields for encore careers are in the non-profit sector, management services, and services for aging persons. The older generation is also currently the largest freelancing group. 

Encore careers can be related to your existing career or they can be something completely different. Either way, if you’re considering an encore career, you will want to plan a transition to the new role. Keith’s career path is a perfect example. While it happened when he was younger, it demonstrates how you can transition from the role you have today to a new (and different role). Here’s a summary of his experience:

  1. College degree in Wildlife Biology
  2. Animal care specialist for a zoo
  3. Duckmaster for a hotel chain (position was 50% animal care and 50% public relations)
  4. Marketing coordinator for hotel chain
  5. Marketing manager for safety products company
  6. Marketing manager for HR company
  7. And now he works with me.

You can see how he transitioned from working with animals to working in marketing. You can also see how he accepted positions of greater responsibility along the way. And you can see how he transitioned to HR-related companies. Now this took several years. Which is why if you’re considering an encore career, you don’t want to wait until you’re a couple of days years from retirement. 

The second part of this transition to think about is salary and benefits. Again, I mentioned that Keith’s path happened when he was younger, so he was able to earn more money and benefits. But as we’re transitioning to an encore career, we might have to adjust our expectations. It’s possible the encore career we’re considering doesn’t pay as much as we made during our peak earning years. It might not be full-time, so we won’t get benefits like health insurance. But our encore careers might serve a different purpose. 

Encore careers might help us keep our minds fresh. They could allow us to work for an organization we’re passionate about. Oh, and yeah, maybe we can make a few dollars too. Before you start looking, ask yourself, “Do I want an encore career? Why or why not?” You can also check out Encore.org or the Encore.org LinkedIn group for some additional information. 

We all know that our work lives can bring tremendous satisfaction or incredible heartburn (or even just plain boredom). It’s important that we have the right job with the right company. The same holds true when we’re considering an encore career. You didn’t make the decision about where you’re working right now in a silo. Don’t make that mistake with this one. In part two of this series, we’ll talk about how to find your encore career. 

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the island of Maui, HI

6 Ways to Get Better with Technology and Cybersecurity

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I met someone the other day who said they didn’t have time for technology. Whether we like it or not, technology is a big part of our personal and professional lives. We can buy things, make appointments, and manage information using technology. And I don’t anticipate that changing anytime in the near future. 

But with technology comes risk. I’m sure that’s one of the reasons that people say they don’t want to use technology. They figure if they don’t use it, then no one can hack their accounts or get their private information. Unfortunately, just because we don’t use technology doesn’t mean that everyone arounds us doesn’t put our names in a computer database that can be hacked. The answer is to be responsible technology users. 

TechCrunch recently published five “how-to” guides focused on covering cybersecurity basics. If you’re not familiar with TechCrunch, they are a U.S. based publisher of technology industry news, owned by Verizon Media. The site has about 17M monthly readers worldwide. While I wouldn’t say this is everything that you need to know about cybersecurity, it’s an excellent start.

  1. Why you need to use a password manager – Are you looking for a way to keep track of all your passwords? Or do you use the same password for everything because you don’t want to remember multiple passwords? It might be time to consider a password manager.
  2. Two-factor authentication can save you from hackers– Many sites already use two-step authentication or verification. And while we know it’s to help us be safe on the web, it’s still a major pain in the you know what. Maybe if we learn more about how two-step authentication works, we won’t get quite as frustrated. And we’ll opt-in to use it.
  3. How to protect your cell phone number and why you should care– According to Pew Research, ninety-five percent (95%) of Americans own a cell phone of some kind. This places a huge importance on a single device and protecting it from hackers is important.
  4. How to browse the web securely and privately– Personally, I’ve become much more interested in learning about virtual private networks (VPNs) and HTTPS lately. Specifically, what they can and cannot do. Not because I’ve got some big, dark secret to hide. But if I’m traveling then I want to know I’m using the right technology the right way.
  5. How to get started with encrypted messaging apps– Finally, short messaging service (aka SMS) has become a primary means of communication for some. I receive SMS messages to confirm appointments and get messages from family and friends. I want to know those messages are secure. 

Number six on this list comes from Google. It’s about phishing, which is defined as an attempt (usually via email) to trick you into giving away personal information. Google has published a “phishing quiz” which allows you to guess which emails are legit and which are fake. It’s not as easy as you might think. If you decide to take the quiz, one quick heads up – the quiz asks you to provide a name and email address at the beginning. You can totally make one up. They’re not collecting information. But as you know, some phishing scams look pretty legit because they include your name. 

I thought these articles were a great primer about cybersecurity regardless of where you are in your unretirement journey. They could benefit you at work or at home. They might also be something you’d like to share with friends and family. 

Helping people become better with technology benefits everyone. I hope you’ll take a moment to check out these TechCrunch and Google resources. And a huge thanks to TechCrunch and Google for publishing them. 

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Reykjavik, Iceland

3 Ways You May Contribute to Your Own Ageism

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I mentioned a few weeks ago that I listened to a LinkedIn Learning program on encore careers. One of the topics discussed during the program was ageism. It totally makes sense. Age does play a factor into our career decisions. 

I’m starting to see an interesting trend where the discussion about ageism is concerned. And that’s ageism might not be totally “somebody else’s fault”. Yes, I will admit that ageism does exist. It’s sad to say but it’s true. However, are all instances of ageism somebody else’s fault or is it possible that we are creating our own self-fulfilling prophecy?

Shortly after completing the LinkedIn Learning program, I ran across an article from a colleague of mine on the site Fistful of Talent titled, “Ageism is Real – And It’s Your Fault”. The article talks about the things that we do as individuals that contribute to the “old person” perception. You know, like “I don’t have time for that technology stuff.” Or “Oh, those Millennials….” My takeaway from this article was regardless of your physical age, if you act like the stereotype then people will assume you are one. 

Then, Next Avenue published an interview titled, “Are Concerns About Age Discrimination by Employers Overblown?”where the conversation focused around whether ageism is real. The idea being with an employment market where there are more openings than candidates, at some point, organizations have to realize that older workers are valuable. Again, my takeaway from the article was it’s important to keep current.

Seeing these conversations so close in time took me back to the discussion in the LinkedIn Learning program about ageism. As we age, there are three things about aging we need to consider to ensure we’re not contributing to our own ageism. 

Believing your own negative self-talk. Self-talk is those messages we tell ourselves. Think of them as those little voices inside our head. Sometimes we say them out loud, but often not. Bottom-line: Our self-talk is incredibly powerful. Especially when we say things like, “I can’t do this because I’m old.” Granted there might be things that we can’t do anymore, but that’s not the case for everything. 

And let me add one more thought. There’s a big difference in deciding you don’t want to do something because you’re older and you can’t do it. Keith and I have said to ourselves plenty of times, “been there, done that, and we don’t need to do it anymore”. 

Stopping your own learning. This is a big one. You don’t have to earn a college degree to learn. Just because you turn 40, 50, 60, or 70 doesn’t mean you can’t take a class, listen to a podcast, watch a TED Talk, or read a book. If there’s something you want to learn, do it. Especially, if you’re thinking about switching careers as you get older. 

If you haven’t checked it out, sites like Coursera and edX offer massive open online courses (MOOCs). Most of them are free and have a wide variety of topics. If you have a budget, MasterClass offers programs from some very famous people. Whatever you decide is fine. Just keep learning.

Not networking across generations. I believe this last one is harder than it looks. If you have younger family members, then you might be able to chat with them. But if you don’t (or you would prefer not to network with family), think about how you can gain exposure to different points of view. Regardless of who you speak with, it’s important to interact with a diverse group of people. 

Maybe think about mentoring as a way to share your expertise and learn at the same time. There are lots of organizations that are regularly looking for mentors. It’s also possible that your current employer might have a mentoring program that you can sign up for. 

We have some decisions to make as we age. And one of the biggest is deciding how we will accept aging. If we want others to see us as contributors, then we need to act like it. Please notice I didn’t say we need to act “young”. People need to accept our age for what it is. But that doesn’t mean we’re not able to bring value. We need to send the message and demonstrate that we can.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Las Vegas, NV

8 Reasons to Learn About Social Security Early in Your Career

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I used to think the right time to learn about Social Security was right before I need it. No sense in learning about something and then having to learn about changes. Well, I’ve changed my mind on this. I received a copy of the book, Social Security Strategies: How to Optimize Retirement Benefits [3rd Edition]. Sad to say, I received this book over a year ago. And it’s been sitting on the corner of my desk for quite some time.

I finally started digging into the book and realized that understanding Social Security is going to take some time. And it’s possible that one book isn’t going to answer all of my questions. So instead of rushing to learn Social Security when I’m in my 60’s, maybe it makes sense to start learning about it when I’m younger. 

While I’m sure that I don’t know everything that I need to know about Social Security, I did learn a few things from reading about it. The book authors also have a website with additional information. Here are my takeaways:

  1. Social Security benefits are driven by age. I’m sure most of you already knew that. But it appears that for some individuals, the date when you can collect benefits is changing. For example, if you’re turning 62 in 2019, your full retirement age is 66 years, 6 months (that’s a two-month increase from last year).
  2. You will want to discuss Social Security strategies with your spouse or significant other. While many benefits are focused on the individual, the amount of your Social Security benefit can change depending on your marital status. You’ll want to decide as a family when each person might want to consider taking their benefit.
  3. You will want to plan your filing strategy years in advance. There’s a lot of writing about getting the greatest monthly benefit when you wait until you’re 70 to file for Social Security. But if your goal with Social Security is to draw as much money as possible, then it could make more financial sense to draw early and collect longer.
  4. If you don’t know how to manage cash flow, you’ll want to learn. Collecting Social Security means living on a budget. And budgets mean understanding cash flow. It’s about having money when you need it, and that includes for emergencies.
  5. You’ll want to monitor your estimated benefits. And start thinking about living within that budget. Speaking of budgets, another aspect of finances to think about is changing your lifestyle to live within your means. It’s possible that all of the things that are necessary right now, we won’t need to purchase in the future.
  6. If you’re planning to work while drawing benefits, you’ll want to understand the impact. If you’re planning to freelance or consult during retirement, you’ll want to think about how much money you’re trying to make while collecting Social Security. Because…see #7.
  7. Social Security doesn’t mean you’re no longer paying any taxes. There are limits on how much money you can make without incurring tax penalties. You’ll want to know what those numbers are because it will drive your unretirement strategy.
  8. Finally, you’ll want to know how to apply. And the necessary paperwork to bring. Don’t wait until the last minute to figure out how to apply. Can you apply online? Is it better to apply in person? What paperwork do you need to bring with you? 

Regardless of your financial position, chances are Social Security is a part of your retirement plan. Don’t wait until the last minute to start learning about it. And one other thing…if you’re thinking that you will need Social Security someday, then don’t ignore the conversations happening within government. I’m not here to tell you what to think. But if you don’t want someone to mess with your retirement without you getting a say…then learning about Social Security sooner (versus later) makes sense.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby at Lucky’s Lunch Counter in San Diego, CA

5 Steps for Finding Your Encore Career – #Unretirement Answers

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We recently received a question from a reader about encore (or second) careers. Regardless of your age, it’s good to start thinking about what a career change might look like.

My husband is over 50 and looking to change careers and industries from entertainment publicity to something totally different. Do you have any recommendations? We recently relocated to Colorado, but I don’t think location matters.

First of all, thank you so much for this note. I must admit, this is the first reader note we’ve received. I love answering reader questions, so I hope I’ll get some more. 

I’ve written about changing careers a couple of times over on HR Bartender. I don’t want to republish those posts here, so I hope you’ll check these out.

Are you too old for a second career?

Dual careers on your resume and LinkedIn profile

Regarding the reader note, I recently listened to a LinkedIn Learning session from Marci Alboher, vice president of Encore.org and author of “The Encore Career Handbook” about (you guessed it) encore careers. The session is less than an hour long and provides a high-level overview of considerations for finding encore careers. If someone is looking for a place to start, Alboher’s session might be the way to go. In addition to her session, here are five other steps to consider:

  1. Check out Encore.org and join their LinkedIn group. This was one of my big takeaways from Alboher’s session – that there’s an organization and group we can explore and learn from. I didn’t know they existed. But I’m paying attention to them now. 
  2. Get your resume and LinkedIn profile in order. Whether you decide to change professions, industries, or go out on your own, you’ll want to do this. And the process takes time. I recently wrote a post on “5 Tips for Age Proofing Your Resume”. Check it out when you have a moment. Use the same philosophy for your LinkedIn profile. 
  3. Start developing your social media platforms. Speaking of LinkedIn, we’ve published a couple of posts about working your LinkedIn and Facebook networks. Many organizations post openings online, so you’ll want to know these platforms. 
  4. Think about what you want to do. And where you want to do it. I can’t tell anyone what job to take. You have to figure that out on your own. Which means spending some time thinking about what interests you, how much money to you need to make, etc. 

There’s one other thing (#5) that I want to address when it comes to second careers. Or first careers for that matter. I’ve always felt that the person getting the job needs to want the job. And part of wanting the job is showing interest. Now it’s possible that the “my husband” reference in this note is because the reader was legitimately asked to write the note. But at some point, “my husband” has to take over this research. Otherwise, this situation will probably not turn out well. I’m dishing out this tough love from the standpoint of a recruiter who has seen moms, dads, husbands, wives, and partners get involved in their loved one’s job search.

An encore career is definitely something to consider when it comes to your retirement strategy. And this person is doing the right thing by starting the conversation early. 

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby after speaking at the MBTI Users Conference in San Francisco, CA