Newsweek Looks At "Career 2.0"

In its June 19 issue, Newsweek's "The Boomer Files" series adds a new piece, "Second Time Around," which looks at voluntary -- and involuntary -- mid-life career changers. Interesting tidbits:

Harvard political scientist Russell Muirhead, author of "Just Work," says the notion that one's occupation should deliver something more meaningful than a paycheck began with the 19th-century Romantics, but it's boomers who've truly embraced this ideal. "They expect in some sense that their careers will help them realize their authentic self," he says. Muirhead thinks it's an attitude that's a bit overblown; while many of us whine that our jobs just don't excite us, it's worth recalling how happy our Depression-era grandparents were to have any job that delivered a reliable paycheck. But for a generation that invented the midlife crisis, career changes will no doubt continue.

and

With life expectancies rising and traditional pension plans evaporating, these folks may need to keep their new careers going for years to come. Most experts predict baby boomers will work longer than their parents, and not just for financial necessity, but also to prevent boredom. According to a report called "The Future of Retirement" by the HSBC bank, "later life is increasingly seen as a time of opportunity and reinvention, rather than of rest and relaxation."

Sidebars include a quiz on whether a second career is right for you and most popular second careers (although I doubt that the #1 'field,' consulting, is really a career change for many).