Think about the kind of late career you want
The time when people start thinking about the end of their working life varies. For some, these thoughts arise as early as their early fifties, even though they have up to 20 years left in the labour market. Others continue to work undisturbed into their late sixties without giving retirement a second thought.
When should I start thinking about my final years in the labour market?
40, 50 or 60 is a good starting point for thinking about the end of your working life. But in reality, age is not important. No matter where you are in your working life, you should reflect on your situation and your wishes – and these questions become no less important in your later career.
Unfortunately, IDA occasionally meets members who have switched to autopilot in their late career and think: I just hope my job will still exist in ten years' time when I retire. This can end up being a very long time, because they are not actively choosing the elements that can enrich their working life.
A good starting point is to ask yourself what is most important for your well-being and motivation. It is perfectly legitimate if the answer is security or the opportunity to work fewer hours. But it is a shame if you only look at the benefits of your employer's senior policy and completely fail to ask yourself whether three senior days a year and flexitime are the most important things for you, or whether you would actually prefer to develop professionally.
Five good tips to get you started
- What is important to you?
Find out what is most important for you to thrive and be motivated at your job. Write it down.
Start simply with two columns: What motivates me - what drains me? - Perhaps there are already options.
Do you want to adjust your priorities, e.g. seek out other professional challenges, more flexibility or shorter working hours?
There may already be opportunities at your workplace - check the staff handbook or ask your trade union representative. - What you can do
Consider how you can get more of what you enjoy. Do you just want to talk to your manager, do you need to develop your skills, or do you need to change jobs? - Tell others about your thoughts
It forces you to articulate them. It can be a friend, a trusted colleague or an experienced adviser from IDA. - Check your plan every two years
Your wishes, your capacity and the conditions at your workplace can change - so check the plan every two years.
IDA's toolbox for your later career
Planning your later career is not easy, which is why we have put together a range of tools for career planning, skills development, job hunting, salary negotiation and stress management to help you consider your next steps.
View IDA's career planning tools
Be careful not to phase yourself out
Many people want to wind down in the final years of their working life, and this can be a good idea instead of working flat out and then stopping abruptly from one day to the next.
However, it is important that you plan your transition out of the labour market so that you do not phase yourself out at work. Often, when an employee approaches retirement age, they are perceived as someone who already has one foot out the door.
This is not a question of ill will. On the contrary, it is often a result of misguided consideration, where a manager thinks: it is going to be difficult and time-consuming, Hansen would probably prefer to be free of it for the last few years before retirement.
If you want to avoid being left with all the operational tasks, it is therefore a good idea to talk to your manager and tell them exactly which tasks you want to keep and which you want to let go of.
Remember to develop your skills – even in your later career
Companies should not be afraid to invest in skills development for senior employees. This is because a 60-year-old is much more likely to still be with the company in a year's time than a 30-year-old. After one year, 23% of 35-year-olds have left their jobs. This applies to only 13% of 60-year-olds.
The opportunity for development may also be one of the reasons why more people choose to continue working even though they could actually retire. And who knows; if you continue to develop and enjoy your working life, you may also want to stay a little longer?
Should you change jobs late in your career?
There is no doubt that you run a risk by changing jobs. You don't know whether you will fit into the new position or whether you will have to look for another job after a short time. It is also true that it is a little more difficult to find work if you are over 55 or 60 – depending on the industry – but this mainly applies to those who have been made redundant.
On the other hand, there is no indication that it is more difficult to get hired if you have kept your knowledge up to date and are actively looking for a new job. Therefore, you should not let uncertainty get the better of you if you need to change jobs in order to maintain your job satisfaction. If you would like some guidance on the difficult task of changing jobs, you are always welcome to contact IDA's career counselling service, where you can have a personal consultation about your situation.