Academics in search of extra cash, or just keen for a change of pace, are taking their talents to the corporate sector. The critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills they developed inside the ivory tower are highly valued elsewhere. Academics straddling both worlds say the trick is to find a way in and then tailor your skills to suit the new audience.

How to Get In

Some faculty members make cold calls to corporations, offering training sessions on everything from improved statistical analysis and conflict resolution to boosting productivity through teamwork. Others invest in a brochure and Web site, outlining their areas of expertise, and then do a direct mailing to companies in the region.

That may be an unnecessary expenditure of time and money; far better to reach out to the business sector via your own institution, says Aaron W. Hughey, a training consultant and professor at Western Kentucky University. Hughey is co-author of the study, “Out of the Ivory Tower and Into the Real World: Advice for Academics Who Want to be Corporate Trainers.”

“More and more colleges and universities do outreach with local business and industry. Just let it be known on campus that you’re available for these things. Once you do two or three training sessions, it becomes a matter of networking,” he says. Rates in his area run from $60 to $100 per hour. Urban centers on the east and west coasts fetch a larger fee.

The advantage of working through your institution is that no time is wasted on logistics. “Businesses know that we’ll bring people to their plant, factory or organization and conduct the training there,” says Hughey. “If you’re just getting into consulting, this is a wonderful way to begin.”

Know Your Audience

Topics for training sessions vary, depending upon the nature of the business organization and industrial trends. “There are always fads, but conflict resolution, improving management, and customer service are popular subjects,” says Hughey. “And the perennial favorite is how to deal with difficult people.”

Once you nab the assignment, do your homework. Research the company and the character of the target group you’ve been hired to work with. Managers are interested in boosting productivity; non-supervisory trainees are looking for ways to move up. Don’t use a lecture format or waste your breath on theory, experts say. Your audience is looking for practical applications. Prepare a lesson plan with clear objectives appropriate to the group’s needs.

Crossing Over

If you want to do more than dabble and are ready to embrace business full time, the Web is awash in helpful sites from your fellow academics. Some were forced into the commercial world during tenure wars of the past decade; others grew tired of their precarious existence as “roads scholars” and “freeway flyers,” piecing together low-paying jobs as adjunct faculty. These folks generously share their experiences in Web sites full of practical tips on alternative careers. One of the best, “The Escape Pod and PhDs Work,” was founded three years ago by a trio of English professors known as the “Girls With Glasses.”

Prognosis

Although some areas of the academic job market have picked up in recent years, long-term prognosis for the humanities sector is grim, according to Modern Language Association reports on employment and Bureau of Labor projections. Non-technical departments will rely increasingly on poorly paid, part-time, adjunct professors to plug their faculty gaps.

But as the saying goes, don’t get mad, get even: You can still make a lot more money in the business world. If you’re a humanities expert, take comfort in the fact that you and your kind are traditionally the most adaptable of all. Take those carefully honed skills in research, writing, thinking and communicating, and get thee to a headhunter.

If you are concerned that the time and money you spent pursuing a degree in “Colonialism and the 19th-Century Novel” or “Psycholinguistics” qualifies you for little beyond a teaching career, you can officially relax. Because of information technology and the tight economy, holders of marginal (some say ‘useless’) degrees now have more career options than ever. Skilled social scientists, philosophers, and mathematicians are needed in a wide range of job–and for a variety of reasons.

The Numbers Don’t Lie
The Internet has created openings and the resources to fill them, while also allowing people from far-flung nations to communicate and work together in a practical fashion. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the 10 industries with the fastest projected wage and salary employment growth from 1998-2008 include museums, botanical and zoological gardens, and research and testing services. Not surprisingly, the five fastest-growing occupations are computer-related. Yet “employment in all education and training categories that generally requires an associate’s degree or more education is projected to grow faster than the 14 percent average for all occupations.”

The most important thing for non-traditional degree holders to keep in mind when considering a career is this: Job opportunities are forged by the individual, not by the program which one follows in college. Karl Monger, a successful freelance commercial writer and editor (who actually did major in Psycholinguistics) echoes this sentiment. “It’s not that I’m using my degree,” he says, “I’m using what I learned for my degree. A lot of what I learned in the classes that comprise a Psycholinguistics degree stays with me and becomes a part of my writing and makes me a better, more effective writer. Understanding the things that people respond to and how readers tend to keep certain things in mind, or approach different reading situations, provides a solid backbone for effective writing of all kinds.”

Culinary Anthropologist Ken Rubin holds an MA in Anthropology and an undergraduate Latin American Studies degree. He now serves as co-founder and program director of FoodWorks International, a non-profit food research, training, and consulting organization. He originally intended to study biology in college. “I was interested in food and wanted to do the science part of it,” Rubin explains. “I didn’t get into the first biology courses I signed up for, and got put into an anthropology class.” This fortuitous blunder enabled him to explore his interests, earn a Master’s degree, and prepare him for the working world. “People who have gone to college and who are good at things like critical thinking and problem-solving   know that they have a foundation of skills that sets them up for lifelong learning.”

Use What You Know
The American Anthropology Association (AAA) agrees. According to its studies, anthropological training provides skills that are particularly suited to the 21st century. “The economy will be increasingly international,” claims the AAA. “Workforces and markets, increasingly diverse; participatory management and decision making, increasingly important; communication skills, increasingly in demand. Anthropology is the only contemporary discipline that approaches human questions from historical, biological, linguistic, and cultural perspectives.” It goes on to make the following conclusion: “Whatever anthropologists’ titles, their research and analysis skills lead to a wide variety of career options, ranging from the oddly fascinating to the routinely bureaucratic.”

An article in Observer, the magazine of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, emphasizes the need for even stronger academic programs in the social sciences. “The discipline has not only begun to acquire academic legitimacy,” the article stated, “it has already attracted the serious attention of businesses eager for a detailed understanding of the behavior of households, investors and the like. This is particularly true of multinational enterprises dealing with cross-cultural operations.”

What about people trained in Art History? Scanning the classifieds and Internet career sites, one may notice the curious wealth of job openings for those who studied Dadaism in college–and these openings aren’t just on campuses, in museums, or at art galleries. As a professor of Art History at the University of Notre Dame, Charles M. Rose recently published a compilation of Career Alternatives for Art Historians. Among them are surprises such as Independent Producer for Film and TV, Curatorial Consultant, and Antiquarian Book Trader. He counsels, “computer skills, including familiarity with e-mail, Internet discussion groups, and the World Wide Web, are essential for almost all positions which require writing and research.” Herein lies the second-most important aspect of putting your ‘useless’ major to work: You must become familiar with the Internet. As previously mentioned, the information technology explosion not only provides job options, it allows jobseekers to exploit them as well.

Freedom to Work
Camille Luckenbaugh of JobWeb believes that the trend towards higher acceptance of graduates with eccentric degrees correlates directly with the current economy and new technology. “It’s a tight labor market, excellent economy, and one in which technology has proliferated,” Luckenbaugh asserts. “Which will naturally open opportunities to grads across the board, regardless of their major. It’s a time when new companies will start up, existing companies will expand, and businesses will need all types of skills, ranging from high-tech to good communicators to excellent interpersonal qualities.”

And just about anyone can work just about anywhere these days, it seems. There are still a few basic guidelines to adhere to; but, for the most part, seeking a degree absolutely includes the ability to dream. Whatever you want to do, whatever your interests are, you can now feel secure in pursuing a course of study that your parents probably considered a waste of time and money.

Think about all the questions you ask every day, not to mention the questions that you’re asked. Over the course of a week, they probably number in the hundreds. Questions are so much a part of our conversations, we hardly give them a thought or consider their importance. Andrew Finlayson addresses this topic in his book Questions That Work: How to Ask Questions That Will Help You Succeed in Your Business.

Finlayson discovered precisely how important questions are in his present job as news director for KTVU Channel Two in San Francisco. “Few of us know how to ask questions well,” he says. “We’re taught to read and write, but no one teaches us how to ask questions. At home, parents often consider the constant barrage of questions as a tiring annoyance and discourage their children from asking questions (‘Stop asking so many questions!’). In school, teachers are more focused on the right answers rather than asking great questions.”

Yet, most successful people realize the importance of having a questioning attitude, Finlayson insists. “It’s especially important for professionals who are building technical careers,” he says. “They’re overwhelmed with so much information, they don’t need another challenge. What they need is a way to winnow down the information. The typical thinking is ‘I don’t need more information on this project. I have to get it done today.’ But, if they asked more questions, they would stand a better chance of getting it done faster with less angst.”

Many people approach problems as purely mechanical issues and fail to see the human aspects, according to Finlayson. Take the technician who is called in to fix a computer that suddenly froze. The customer is bouncing off walls because he (or she) is facing a deadline when work must be completed. “Often, you can’t get to the technical problem until you resolve the emotional one,” Finlayson explains. That means calming down the panic-stricken customer so you can get accurate information in order to fix the problem. It might mean saying, “Can we work together to solve the problem?” One question leads to the next until the technician has a clear idea of how to proceed.

Most of us are uptight about asking questions because we don’t want to appear stupid or ill-prepared. Take meetings–the corporate plague–that can eat up entire days. “Whole meetings can go by in which not a single question is asked,” says Finlayson. “How can there not be information people didn’t get?” Yet, most of us are reluctant to reveal what we don’t know. We have to get beyond that and admit it’s impossible to digest everything being said. That’s a crucial step in asking questions. During job interviews, asking good questions is even more crucial. “A job interview is a clear demonstration of your ability,” stresses Finlayson. “It’s a mistake to just accept the information given to you. Interviewers should never be asking all the questions,” he says. For every question an interviewer asks, you should ask one. It demonstrates you’re not only a good listener, but you also want information.

Don’t assume job descriptions are correct. Finlayson advises coming to the interview with 20 questions you want answered. “It’s worth the effort,” he says. “The wrong job can divert you off of your career path,” he says.

Important Questions To Ask

• Why is this position important? (Employees holding unimportant jobs are the first to be let go during hard times.)
• What was the last major project handled by the person who previously held this job? (It’s important to know how this person succeeded or failed so you can follow in his or her footsteps.)
• What challenges is the company facing? (It shows you’re going to try and help them address those challenges.)
• How would you advise someone new to start off on the right foot in this organization? (Companies want quick studies.)
• How will my performance be judged? (How the company benchmarks success tells you how fast you’ll move up the ladder.)

Inappropriate Questions

• What does the company do? (It shows you’re unprepared for the interview and do not care about whether or not you get the job.)
• What kind of reputation does the company have within its industry? (All it takes is research.)
• What kind of compensation package can I expect? (The time to ask this question is when a job offer is made.)

Whatever the situation, there is a method to asking better questions. Finlayson breaks down the process into eight steps:

• Assessment. All questioning involves self-assessment as well as an assessment of the questioning situation. What do I know? What do I want to do?
• Awareness. What do you really want to know?
• Ability. Who has the expertise and the ability to answer your questions?
• Atmosphere. When and where should you ask your questions?
• Attitude. How should your phrase and present your questions?
• Answer. Did you get what you needed? “You’ll know if you walk away with the information you need and the other person will be happy to have helped you,” Finlayson adds.
• Appreciation. “Listening with empathy when asking questions is one of the most profound social graces,” says Finlayson.
• Action. What are you going to do with the answer? Asking questions is a pointless and frustrating experience if nothing is done with the information gathered.

Excluding inappropriate questions, Finlayson says you can ask practically anything if it is phrased diplomatically and tactfully. It’s a skill worth polishing.

• Pension plans
• Social Security
• Tax-deferred savings
• Basic (taxable) savings

This is a good time to evaluate your situation and come up with a workable retirement plan of action.

Do You Qualify?

Retirement before age 65 is for a select few. For those who sold a dot-com for millions of dollars, won the lottery, inherited oceanfront property on Martha’s Vineyard or sold Cisco stock at 86, retire now if you feel you’ve worked enough. It might even be time to “give back,” like executives who made their fortunes many times over. For example, John Sculley, former CEO of Apple and Pepsi, runs an incubator for startups and bankrolls a children’s show for public television.

Even for the fabulously wealthy, retirement is expensive. For example, if you’re under 40 and have recently sold a dot-com, life would seem to be good. But to retire, your income from that transaction would have to be at least $4,000,000 to accommodate a yearly budget of $100,000, if you plan to live until you’re 80. In addition, that money must be invested wisely so capital gains tax and other income expenses can be absorbed.

The Big Picture

For the most part, retirement is a choice based on numbers. If you’re an average Joe with above-average intelligence, take a look at the following numbers:

• This year, 200,000 Americans will turn 65, according to the National Commission on Retirement Policy. In 15 years, 1.6 million will do so.
• Fifty years ago, an American’s life expectancy was under 65 years of age. Today, it is over 75.

These facts are offered to illustrate a point. In the next 15 years, Social Security will be insufficient even for the most frugal-minded retiree.

Look at this ratio difference. The commission reports that 50 years ago, that more than 40 workers would paid into Social Security for every one beneficiary. In 14 years, when baby boomers begin to retire, there will be fewer than three workers per beneficiary. That means the social security benefits pool from is being drained and current spending levels on entitlement programs are not sustainable.

The commission says we’re not saving enough. We consume too much and save too little. For example, “In 1996, Americans between the ages 30 and 49 had only accumulated one-third of what they will need to retire [and] one economic study indicates that half of American families have below $1,000 in net financial assets.”

The numbers show that Americans must take more responsibility and be more aggressive about saving if they want to maintain their current lifestyle in retirement.

Retirement Exit Strategies

So for those who did not sell a dot-com for millions of dollars, win the lottery, inherit ocean front property on Martha’s Vineyard or sell their Cisco stock when it was at 86, it’s time to execute an exit strategy.

• Use one of many retirement planners proffered on the Internet, by investment banks and by financial programs such as Quicken. But keep in mind that these plans are not for the faint of heart. They do the numbers right in front of you and estimate to the penny how much you must save and invest to live a decent life as a retiree.
• Begin or continue to invest in a 401(k) plan, either at your job or independently through Fidelity Investments or another well-known plan.
• Begin saving. A number of financial consultants agree that the best way to ensure that money will be put aside is to have a budget with yearly benchmarks of targeted savings. If you can devise an automatic savings plan through your bank or employer, all the better.

Unless you want to face your golden years at a fast-food restaurant, either as an employee or patron, run–don’t walk–to your local investment counselor or Internet-based retirement site to devise a plan. It won’t be easy in the current economy, but by the same token, this could be an indicator of things to come. Start saving!

Finding extra investment money in college is not like struggling through advanced calculus or organic chemistry. It is nowhere near as difficult as perfecting your Spanish, nor is it as painful as studying for finals. An investing-friendly lifestyle could be compared to a class like Popular Music 101–not all that difficult, but you still have to show up. If you can master the art of deciphering Phish lyrics, then investing shouldn’t pose much of a challenge.

Learning to invest, and saving the money to do so, is simple when you follow a few basic guidelines and alter the way you think about money. Many college students have empty pockets because they spend their money too easily. It’s convenient to drop change into the snack vending machines and order pizza three times a week when you are busy. Awareness of one’s spending habits and the desire to build personal wealth are good virtues to develop. Compared with the daunting task of exercising away all of those extra pounds, it’s downright simple.

Just remember: The future is as important as the present. It never hurts to change the way you spend, to make your money work for you. Seriously, once you clear the difficult hurdles of deciding to invest and changing bad habits, making future money is easy.

Why Start Investing?

For one thing, it’s about time. Think of time as your best friend when it comes to investing. Relatively small investments begun at a young age can grow to sizable amounts over the years. Do not make the mistake of assuming that, because you are in college, you lack the capital to invest. You can spend that extra twenty bucks on your future–or contribute to the ever-popular student charity, CHUMP (Collegians Help Undeserving Malls Profit). The new Pearl Jam Live DVD may mean the world to you now, but investments will mean the moon and stars 40 years from now.

Material items may come and go, but you will never again have the advantage of investing in your early twenties. What are you waiting for?

You’re Never Too Broke

First of all, if you think you’re broke, find out why. Where are you spending your money? Nobody wants to make a budget (I can hear you groaning), but it may be the best way to figure out where your money is going. Living on an investment-friendly track does not have to mean you eat macaroni and cheese or ramen noodles for the next four years. Just choose what you spend your money on wisely, buy quality over quantity, and pay attention to how much.

Since many of you consider ‘budget’ to be a four-letter word, there is an alternative: frugal indulgence. This is the philosophical antidote to budget woes, a bit of well-deserved respite for the financially challenged.

The ‘frugal indulgent’ is a creature of both poverty and taste. Frugal indulgents embrace and adopt the concept of shabby chic living. The frugal indulgent knows where the money goes, spends it wisely, and yet still seems to live the high life. Non-frugal indulgents are none the wiser, because frugals exude an aura of class and cash. Adopting the FI lifestyle is the best way to invest while getting that ever-so-important education.

The Frugal Indulgence Credo

• We use the money we save by steering clear of vending machines and snack counters, only to treat ourselves to a fabulous dinner out once a week.
• We quietly nurse one or two top-shelf drinks while our friends drop dollar after dollar on cheap hooch.
• We own four good, dry-clean-only sweaters, but our friends own twice as many with pulls, stains, and tears.
• We buy fresh ingredients and have learned how to cook. We wouldn’t be caught dead with high-priced, pre-packaged grub.
• We hang out in bookstores and spend a dollar on coffee, rather than spend all day at the mall. Our extra knowledge and intellectual savvy helps out on dates.
• We invest $20 to $50 every week, just for the thrill of watching our fortune grow.

Quite simply, frugal indulgents save their money by resisting smaller temptations (snack machines, pizza, CDs) and instead treat themselves to bigger and better things on occasion. Frugal indulgents sacrifice now to live large later. While other students complain about being broke as they munch on a family-size bag of Doritos and swig a six-pack of Schlitz, you’ll be smiling as you fondle your financial statement. You seem to have more moolah, you’ve improved the quality of your life, and you’re actively building your future.

Getting Started

Get good advice. Now that you decided you want to invest, and you have a handle on living as a frugal indulgent, you should elicit as much advice as you can from those who are qualified to give it. Ask good questions, bad questions, and dumb questions; then ask even more. A financially astute relative or trusted teacher may be a good contact for your investing queries. They can assist you as you sort out the differences between mutual funds, stocks, bonds, CDs (the other kind, of course), futures, IRAs, etc. You can also contact your college business or economics department. The faculty should be able to point you in the right direction and get you started. Still looking for ways to fulfill those pesky elective requirements? Take an economics or personal finance class.

What about the Web? Keep in mind: For every online financial site that offers great advice for the beginning investor, there is one that is laden with myths and scams. It certainly doesn’t hurt to surf the Net for information and fun, just be cautious of any advice you pick up. Discuss what you find with a trusted investing mentor.

Finally, remember to have fun. You’ll be surprised how much fun investing can be if you just give it a try. You’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner!

Physical Evidence
As we trek from one job to the next, we carry with us the baggage of past experience. Sometimes these experiences–and even the fear of re-experiencing them–can actually make us physically ill. In Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Invisible Injury, author David Kinchin defines this disorder as “a natural emotional reaction to a deeply shocking and disturbing experience.” Whether it’s a one-time major event (e.g., war) or a continued series of events (e.g., harassment), all can cause PTSD. Symptoms include forgetfulness, physical numbness, and depression. Most workers don’t know that “their ill health symptoms collectively” comprise PTSD.

“Prospects for recovery are good, especially when you are in the company of fellow survivors or those with genuine insight, empathy and experience,” he concludes.

In his study Neutralizing Workplace Stress: The Physiology of Human Performance and Organizational Effectiveness, Bruce Cryer, the president and chief and executive officer of HeartMath LLC, cites his institute’s tell-tale research. The study says anger, frustration and irritation weaken the human body’s immune system and drain its energy, leaving it “more susceptible to colds, flu, and more serious illnesses.” Cryer also notes that the converse is true: positive attitudes give the body ammunition to fight illness better.

“The more our system is balanced, the more intuitive insight we are capable of–intuition that can anticipate problems before they turn ugly,” he says.

The Power of Intuition
According to Nancy Rosanoff, an intuition consultant, trainer and author, “Analytic data is based on the past and gives an overview of similar circumstances. Intuition enhances analytic thinking and focuses on the present situation, providing insights as to timing, specific strategy and innovation.”

She suggests keeping a journal to track your intuitive impressions and results because “once you experience how accurate your intuitions are, you will pay more attention, and so will others.”

For example, if your intuition tells you that your potential new boss is like a former nightmarish boss, “run for the hills,” says Roberta Chinsky Matuson, the principal of Massachusetts-based Human Resource Solutions. The signs and the experiences are there and they’re real, she says. “Use information from the past. Learn from your mistakes and from what you did right” so next time “you’ll do the right thing for you.”

Sometimes “who you work for is the most important element of a job,” says Helene Lauer, a private career consultant in Wellesley, MA. She recommends checking references on the boss, once he makes the offer. Probe the industry and discover what knowledgeable people are saying about him.

Investigate his career history and management style. If the style is a stumbling block, take a positive approach and acknowledge it. Say “I don’t do well with those whose management style is X,” says Matuson.

Taking Charge
If your work situation worsens, your next question is: will you leave or stay and try to resolve it? Sometimes it’s as easy as going to a new department or reporting to a new supervisor. “You are more likely to find a good match with your new boss if you have common backgrounds and interests,” Lauer continues.

But, whether your ghosts are people, places, or things, you can exorcise them from your workplace if you “always pay attention to any strong emotional reaction you may have,” pick up on the cues, and analyze what happened in your past that prompts this reaction, advises Susan Gottlieb, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist in Arlington, MA. That, she says, is the best way to avoid having the ghosts of workplace past re-visit you.

Be Your Own Ghostbuster
If you see an unsatisfactory pattern in your work life, ask yourself why this keeps happening. Do you keep selecting a bad situation or is it bad luck? Is it a lack of knowledge?

Sometimes outside help is the answer. Boston-based e-commerce consultant Patricia O’Hern found herself in a familiar, negative situation with a new client. She realized she needed help to be successful and hired a career coach. “We discussed the situations and alternatives,” O’Hern says. “He taught me how to develop the tools and skills to deal with a variety of challenges so I can serve my clients better.”

As the U.S. population grays, more Americans in their 50s are changing careers. After spending a decade or two working in the same field, many people are retiring early from one career–only to embark on another.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), a non-profit dedicated to the welfare of older Americans, recently asked members to provide information on midlife job and career changes. The results revealed that many, especially those aged 55 to 65, plan on working well into their golden years. A full 80 percent of baby boomers expect to work at least part-time in retirement, many as self-employed.

Sara Rix is a senior policy advisor specializing in labor force and work issues in the Public Policy Institute at AARP. “Successful changers gave a lot of thought to what they would like to do,” Rix says. “They researched the labor market and made sure they had the training needed to make themselves competitive. You have to not only be able to do the job, but you’ve got to sell yourself constantly and fight against the inevitable discrimination that an older person meets.”

Taking the Plunge
Alden Lockley turns 62 this November. Born and raised on a fruit and poultry farm, he spent 25 years with Xerox working as a final run and test operator for new machinery. He retired at 55 and started NuWay Farms, growers of hydroponic tomatoes, in Williamson, NY. But the market didn’t go exactly as planned: “NAFTA put a kibosh on my hydroponic tomatoes,” says Lockley.

Then a greenhouse in neighboring Ontario, NY, came up for sale. Not willing to give up on his agricultural ambitions, Lockley purchased DeLass Greenhouse and Market just a year ago.

The biggest challenge in starting a new business at Lockley’s age is money. “No one wants to hire anyone who’s 60 years old, I’m too young to draw social security, and people don’t want to let you borrow money,” he says. He was finally able to get a small loan, and the former owner of the greenhouse held the mortgage. Despite working 12 to 14 hour days in the spring at the greenhouse, Lockley says his job at Xerox paid more. But he remains optimistic. “Hopefully, in two or three years, this will pay up there,” he says, “I enjoy what I do.”

Gene Smith, 59, and wife Diana started a Victorian bed and breakfast seven years ago. Smith spent 20 years as an assistant archaeologist for the Texas Department of Transportation, which actually prepared him for the switch to bed and breakfast proprietor. “Being an assistant archaeologist, particularly interested in historic archaeology, I knew a lot about historic houses and their furnishings,” he says.

Located in Gonzales, TX, the Houston House Bed & Breakfast has grown by 12 percent each year since opening its doors. But success hasn’t come easy, says Smith: “We had been to workshops, but they never prepare someone for the actual event.” There was more work and time involved than Smith expected, and his start-up costs skyrocketed. Fortunately, two local banks were willing to give them loans and keep the business going.

Another Path
There are those whose midlife career changes are more community-centered. At age 62, Heidi Kost-Gross is in the midst of her first term as commissioner of natural resources for the town of Wellesley, MA. Kost-Gross’ manages conservation efforts, city parks, and all town-owned, undeveloped lands.

Before running for office, Kost-Gross had a great deal of practical experience in her field. A landscape architect for 15 years, she still runs her own local firm, G/S Associates. Her elected position pays no salary.

Unlike those over 50 who experience age-based discrimination when starting a new business, Kost-Gross found her age to be an asset. In fact, she says, aging is a joy: “You have the wisdom to worry less and you accomplish more because of experience.” Kost-Gross has not ruled out running for political office beyond the local level. “I could possibly run statewide,” she says.

Older, Wiser, and Marketable
As people approach retirement age, Rix encourages them to continue thinking about the skills, training, and re-training necessary to stay marketable–no matter what kind of career change one is planning.

“Older workers tend to be discriminated against in continuing education,” says Rix. If an employer offers tuition reimbursement or on-the-job training in new software, take advantage of it. New skills and core knowledge make a person marketable. “Older workers have to show that they’re technologically adept and that they can learn,” she says. Plus, it keeps your learning skills in check.

It’s a notion that’s catching on with an estimated 40 million of us who have started home-based businesses. While the old image of the entrepreneur was often of someone who rented a space, put in an inventory and stood behind a counter selling things, the emerging entrepreneur today is far more unique and creative than in the past. Very often, the new version of self-employment is based on personal passion and a commitment to create work that is both satisfying to the business owner and makes a contribution to the world. The joyfully jobless, as I’ve dubbed them, really see themselves in the business of spreading joy through their work.

This growing attitude about self-employment is the result of a new thoughtfulness about what work means in the first place. Some of us have grown up watching our parents drag themselves off to jobs that they hate and have vowed that won’t happen to us. Others of us, fascinated by new technologies, are creating businesses that allow us to experiment and invent. Still others are dusting off dreams that were put on the shelf – often at the urging of elders who cautioned us about taking risks. Whatever the motivation, millions of us are quietly making the decision to create something on our own.

What’s happening here is closely aligned with what is really an old teaching in Eastern philosophies. The Buddhists call it Right Livelihood, while the Hindus talk about Dharma. Until recently, we in the West have
barely acknowledged its importance. Our conventional idea that work means getting a job and paying our bills has none of the noble intention that our Eastern counterparts talk about when they teach that each of us has the obligation to find for ourselves the work we were destined to do and to commit ourselves to doing it as well as possible.

An old Tuscan proverb warns, “Whoever does somebody else’s trade makes soup in a basket.” Practicing Right Livelihood demands that we operate on the assumption that we have a duty to discover our own trade and avoid those occupations which are better suited to someone else. “Your work,” Buddha told his followers, “is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” Each and every one of us deserves to find that work that love.

For more and more of us, that means leaving behind the old notions about working for someone else and striking out on our own. Trendspotter Faith Popcorn believes that a revolution is going on in the world of work because of an entirely different notion about why we work in the first place. Popcorn points out that in the new world of work satisfaction is going to be a higher priority than salary. Ironically, when doing work that we’re passionate about becomes important, we end up making more money.

Psychologist Srully Blotnick, who followed the lives of 1,057 men and women for over twenty years, writes extensively about the importance of doing work that you love in his book, Getting Rich Your Own Way. “The most widely shared impression we found was that great wealth can come to you only as a result of doing things you don’t want to do,” Blotnick writes. “Like so many other thoughts about how to get rich, it sounds reasonable and is flatly contradicted by the evidence. In fact, if you don’t like your work, you are losing money. Lots of it. Because, as it turns out, your work is more likely to make you wealthy than any bet or investment you will ever make.” In fact, the 83 subjects in Blotnick’s study who became millionaires were unanimously engaged in doing work that they were passionate about.

How can you be part of this revolution? By following this advice by Harold Thurman Whitman. “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs,” he advises. “Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

After finding a garage space near his home that he could rent cheaply, he set out to find a classic car he dreamed of — a Rolls Royce from the Fifties. He knew that once the car was returned to its original glory, he could earn at least $15,000 profit. In the meantime however, he needed another profit center to provide cash flow.

He stumbled on the perfect solution when an elderly neighbor asked him if he would help her sell a car she could no longer drive. He placed an ad, showed the car to prospective buyers, and pocketed a $500 commission once it was sold. Since he was confident in his knowledge of automobiles of all vintages, Jim decided to buy and resell used cars. Knowing that many sellers were happy to be rid of an old auto, Jim started with the classified ads in his local paper. He now averages one car purchase every week. After doing some minor repairs and a bit of detail work, he runs his own ads. “My initial goal was to earn $500-1,000 every week from used car sales. “I’ve never earned less than $500, and often go over $1,000. It’s been a terrific money maker — and I love putting my knowledge about cars to work.”

In the recycling conscious Nineties, we’re going to see more ventures that are started to refurbish, resell and recycle previously owned goods. No longer are the only stores selling used goods just “thrift stores” — although many bargain shops are doing very well, too. Today, retail stores are popping up all over the country to sell used clothing, sports equipment, and children’s clothes and toys. Secondhand computers, books, and records are also finding new homes thanks to small business-owners. Selling used goods is especially appealing to would-be entrepreneurs who want to do good for the planet by rescuing serviceable items from the trash collector.

Sometimes used items are refurbished, like Jim’s classic automobiles and resold once they’ve been repaired and/or cleaned. Other entrepreneurs give new life to old things by creating something new. Pamela, who loves handmade quilts, scouts estate sales, flea markets and antique shops for quilts that are in poor condition. Often the quilts have fallen apart in places, but still have sections intact. She carefully disassembles them, carefully cleans the good portions, and resews them into decorative pillows. Pamela’s pillows show up in decorating shops around the country and sell almost as fast as she can produce them.

Another artisan buys antique chests and chairs of moderate value and uses his skill to restore them with decorative painting. Vines, flowers, animals and hearts make each of his pieces a unique and functional work of art.

Then there’s Suzanne Brangham whose passion led her to renovating real estate. In her book Housewise, Brangham tells others how to start a profitable business of their own. She should know. This self-made millionaire restored over 70 properties in her first 15 years in business. “My story began in San Francisco in 1972,” she writes. “When I couldn’t find a job I liked, I decided to create my own career. I agreed to purchase a dilapidated apartment with very little cash, then renovated and resold it in six months for an enormous profit. After a few more successes like this one, I formed a California corporation with two friends in order to renovate homes. Three years later, I bought my partners out, returning four times their original investment. I kept rolling real estate, buying more and more property with the profits from houses I sold. I was making money on every single house I renovated.”

Happily, as Brangham points out, this is an opportunity available to anyone, living anyplace. There will always be houses that need fixing — and buyers for them once the makeover is done.

Another dedicated recycler is Chicago’s legendary Leslie Hindman, who started her own auction house and architectural salvage business while still in her twenties. “Ever since I can remember,” she says, “I’ve had two favorite places in a house; the attic and the basement.” While most of the things she recovers are “ordinary treasures,” she also has the distinction of having uncovered an original Van Gogh and successfully auctioned off the remains of Comiskey Park.

Of course, a business dedicated to the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” credo is not for those who still believe that only brand-new will do. But for those who created a second-time around business, there’s the double pleasure of earning a profit while making a contribution to the environment.

Whether you have an appreciation for the beauty and craftmanship of older objects or a desire to get the most out of every item that comes your way, the possibilities are enormous for businesses which specialize in reselling things that have years of pleasure and services left to give.

Has the school calendar of your youth hardwired you into seeing this as the time for new beginnings? If you yearn for a new job, a career change, or maybe even a total life makeover, now is by far the best time to act. It’s possible to make a sweeping change and still find time for fun. Here are a few ways you can use the rest of the year to grow a dream.

Catch a Falling Star
When my best friend Elaine and I weren’t building forts or skipping rope, we could be found lying beneath a shady tree or a star-filled sky. These weren’t idle pursuits. We were flexing our imaginations. Reflective moments are made for dreaming. It’s the perfect time to gaze upward, look inward, and imagine what could be.

Grow a Dream Garden
Look within and you may find the seeds of a dream planted long ago. Left untended, dreams will fail to sprout. This is the ideal time to cultivate our dreams both old and new. Start with good soil. What is it you care deeply about? What makes you happy? What do you want your life to look like? Now get rid of the weeds–the lame excuses, apathy, self-doubt, and fear. These come from a lack of information. Tend to your dreams and watch them grow.

Read a Real Thriller
Leave that romance novel or who-done-it mystery on the shelf. Instead, treat your life like the adventure that it is by picking up a real thriller like Paul and Sarah Edwards’ The Practical Dreamer’s Handbook or Suzanne Willis Zoglio’s Create a Life That Tickles Your Soul. If you already have a new direction in mind, take this time to read up on that exciting new career.

Invest in Your Dream
Save both money and time by spending any vacation time at home. Do the kinds of things that a tourist on a budget might do: go on a picnic, head to a museum, take a day trip. Stash the money you would have spent on a more costly vacation into a dream fund. Use your savings to take career-expanding classes, buy a snappy new interview outfit, or even start your own business. If your dream includes relocating, then hit the road and treat your vacation as an exciting research expedition.

Ease Into a New Job
With all the overlapping work schedules, many organizations operate in a somewhat more relaxed mode at this time of year. The “trial by fire” period for new hires is apt to be a little less trying. If you’ve been putting off a job move until next year, keep in mind that the slower pace makes now a great time to learn the ropes–before the workplace launches into fiscal overdrive.

Re-creating your life is about making choices. What choices are you willing to make to grow your dream?