When a door closes

Slam!

That was the sound of the door suddenly closing several weeks ago on what I believed to be a reasonably secure job.  It was something that I saw myself doing for the next handful of years until I “retired” and transitioned to something that was hopefully a bit closer to home that didn’t require my presence every day.

I had just returned to the office from a week in Disney World with my family and was greeted by the leadership of the organization’s Board of Directors. They told me that there had been a restructuring and my position – and that of our Executive -- had been eliminated effective immediately. Here’s your final check and we’d like your keys and laptop in 45 minutes. 

It was surprisingly sudden and corporate for a non-profit.  I’ll give them credit, though, for acknowledging that the timing – I wasn't back at work 20 minutes – didn’t look good.

After offers of references, if needed, and handshakes or hugs, I was left wondering: as an older worker what was next for me?

Should I dust off the resume; start networking, and apply for any job that looked like a possibility? Given that age discrimination is alive and well in the workplace, how many months would pass before a potential employer overlooked the years my resume represented and instead focused on the knowledge and experience I could bring to their organization?

Or, was I lucky enough to have options that would allow me to avoid what certainly could be a long, frustrating and potentially fruitless job search?

I currently teach part-time at two outstanding colleges in the area. After years of threatening to do so, I had also finally gotten my real estate license in April. Could I pick up another class or two and use my background in marketing and communications to push my wife’s very successful career as a realtor to the proverbial next level?

Over the last few months, we had been discussing these and other options as part of a vague plan to be gradually implemented over the next two or three years. Immediately was never a consideration.

But, instead of crying in our beer(me) and wine (her) to lament my bad fortune, we decided to go for it. So far, it looks like we made the right decision.

I’ve already been offered additional classes for next year where I currently teach and have identified potential opportunities elsewhere.

As I draft this, we’re getting ready to leave a three-day real estate training in Brooklyn with noted industry coach, Tom Ferry. Even though I’ve been around the business for 18 years, I still have a lot to learn and this has been a very inspiring start.

So, instead of being discouraged, a situation many older workers face when they suddenly find themselves out of a job, I’m excited by the potential of what could happen in the years ahead. You might say there’s even a bounce in my step that hasn’t been there in a while. 

I even walked over the Brooklyn Bridge this morning.