Master Mind groups are formal groups (I recommend no more than 4) that come together in person or by phone to support each other in whatever the individuals want help on. It harnesses the synergy of a team that you normally find in an organizational environment. »more»

In my last article, "How to start figuring out what you want to do next", I laid out a way to start identifying the kind of life you want. »more»

“But I don’t know what I want to do?” This frustrated exclamation wasn’t coming from a twenty-something. This was my 52 year old coaching client. He had a 26 year career under his belt and wanted a change. He knew he wanted to take the early-out retirement being offered and start a new life. But doing what? »more»

Unemployment peaked in mid-2003, but remains stubbornly high among the oldest workers. Why?

There does not seem to be any one answer. But exploring the reasons provides insight into the difficulty middle-aged and older workers face when hunting for a new job, or even a new career. »more»

Your career choice impacts your quality of life, standard of living, personal identity, and much more. By the time you hit middle age, career changes are far from easy, but many people feel a mismatch with the career that they had selected earlier in life and want to at least explore the possibility of pursuing a new career. Are you one of these people? »more»

As many of us baby boomers are settling into the middle part of our lives, we are not thinking about retirement or stopping work. Whether for financial reasons or wanting to do something different than the traditional modes of retirement, most of us are not planning on stopping work anytime soon. »more»

Looking to learn more about a midlife career change? We've pulled together book recommendations from outplacement firms, career development professionals, and twenty-plus years of our own reading. The links for each title take you to the book's Amazon.com page. »more»

If you are in middle age and it has been awhile since you changed careers, buckle up for an experience quite unlike the last time around. Your situation is different, you are different, and the world is different. »more»

What Friedman means by "flat" is "connected". This book is about globalization and is a must-read for anyone considering changing careers. Why? Because changing careers is typically a multi-year process and the a worst-case scenario would be to find out too late in the process that the industry you are going into is about to be significantly and severely adversely affected. For example, right now is a very bad time for the record industry as it has been shrinking for several years and will probably continue to do so for the next several years. What are the next industries to be avoided and conversely what are the next big growth industries? "The World is Flat" is a good place to start your investigation. »more»

Career-counseling (and career coaching) is a relatively new field but has grown rapidly since it's emergence in the 1980s. It is now a $1.5 billion business but is not regulated by federal or state authorities so a little investigation is required before hiring one. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal the best way for a job hunter engage an executive coach is to do the following: »more»