Tuesday, September 11, 2007

New careers? Or newly popular?

Today's Wall Street Journal headline article noted that displaced auto workers have been transitioning into health care. Many study nursing, while other popular fields include dental and radiology support staff.

That reminded me of what I read in Marc Freedman's book, Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life". A fifty-year old woman changed careers to become a nurse.

And in the dog park, I just met a very sharp young woman who has one of those jobs where she travels around the US (and maybe the world). She had just returned from six months in Hawaii. Currently working in Seattle, she's moving again to be closer to her family for the Christmas holidays.

For anyone who's in the 35-50 age range, and maybe even older, nursing would be a good choice if you're seeking flexibility, freedom and job security...and if you honestly like the work.

Other popular mid-career careers include librarianship. Two trends make this field attractive to those IT experience. First, it's become more information science than book cataloging. And programs are available through distance ed, with limited time in residence.

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