Simple question: Do you miss human connection when you use self-checkout at the grocery store? Complex question: How is cogeneration threatened by AI, profit-driven “efficiencies,” and automation — and what can we do about it? Allison Pugh, author of the book The Last...
On Friday, May 15, I had the great honor to address the 2026 graduates of Drew University, including the undergraduate College of Liberal Arts, the Theological School, and the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies. I'm very grateful to Drew's remarkable President...
Across the country, young people and older people are stepping up as civic leaders. But too often, they do this critical work with peers, in age-segregated spaces. Young people work without the benefit of older generations who bring lived experience, networks, and a...
Is your organization ready to tackle one of the toughest but most transformative shifts in intergenerational collaboration? In this session, you’ll hear from three leaders spearheading efforts to diversify board involvement. This will be a learning-in-public...
Sam Rubin and Marci Alboher at an intergenerational workshop. Photo by Sky Bergman.
If you’re interested in finding an encore career, exploring new opportunities for intergenerational collaboration or simply curious about midlife career pivots, this list offers some good ways to get started.
Read these books. The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life by CoGenerate VP Marci Alboher. Purpose and a Paycheck: Finding Meaning, Money, and Happiness in the Second Half of Life by Chris Farrell. How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting the Generations by CoGenerate founder and co-CEO Marc Freedman. In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in the New World of Work by Kerry Hannon. Fifty-Five Unemployed and Faking Normal by Elizabeth White.
Try before you buy. Volunteering can be a great way to explore a new career path. VolunteerMatch is one of the largest online listings and allows you to do targeted keyword searches. AARP’s Create the Good is another great one for people over 50. If you’re interested in becoming a tutor, try Experience Corps, Reading Partners and Eldera. If you want to connect with teens or young adults, try Sages & Seekers, Girls Write Now and Big & Mini.
Feel connected. The Encore Network is a coalition of leaders who champion the experience and contributions of people over 50. It’s a good network to tap if you’re looking for a local group of like-minded encore seekers. Listen to inspiring examples of midlife career pivots on Second Act Stories, a podcast by Andy Levine, and realize you’re part of a growing movement! Harriette Cole’s Dreamleapers is another great place to get inspiration, as is Debbie Weil’s [B]OLDER podcast and Katie Fogarty’s A Certain Age podcast.
Get schooled. There are lots of opportunities to learn and find community in educational settings.
Go for experiential learning. It’s still not easy to find paid midlife internships or jobs that will help you find your second act for the greater good. But here are a few.