Over 50 and Thriving: How I Found New Purpose and Passion After Getting Laid Off
When I first got the news that I was being laid off, I took the expected actions. I updated my resume and my LinkedIn profile, started looking at job postings, mostly on LinkedIn, but also on websites of companies in my industry that I had decided to target. I then reached out to people in my network to see who could connect me for relevant opportunities.
At the same time that I was job hunting, I completed a University level certificate program in Digital Marketing. I was serving as an advisory board member to the program, and had the great fortune to be able to take the course at a fraction of the usual cost. I received my certification, and added it to my CV and LinkedIn profile. Once I had the certification, I wanted to use my skills immediately to develop a marketing plan and leverage social media. I contacted a former colleague who was struggling to grow her new business, and offered to develop a marketing strategy and plan for the business pro bono. As part of that effort, I learned how to use the Canva application to design social media posts. Canva does a great deal, but it would be a few months until I kicked it into high gear and became more skilled.
While I was job hunting and helping build a marketing strategy for a small business, I continued publishing a weekly digital newsletter for a local social justice organization that I’m involved with. I lead the newsletter with a team of one or two others who co-write and edit. While doing both of these, I also increased the number of hours per week that I was teaching pilates, something I had done very part-time while working. I was having a lot of fun but not making any money. I was fortunate to have received enough severance after my layoff to live comfortably for a while and I am very grateful for that.
After four months of job hunting, I was discouraged about job prospects, but encouraged about all the other options to explore. My friend and former colleague, Alex, and I decided to start our business, Riff on Jobs, to help others like us: over 50 and unexpectedly in a career transition. To start the business, we had to file an LLC, register and trademark our name, develop a business plan and everything else that comes with being a business owner. It was a lot to do and learn quickly. In addition, as our business was going to be social media oriented, I had to quickly ramp up and learn the following:
Web design and hosting tools and platforms
Building and maintaining websites on Squarespace and GoDaddy
Developing and distributing social media posts using Canva and content planning calendar tools
Posting Videos on TikTok and Instagram
Creating a YouTube channel and posting videos
Available platforms for podcasting
Tools to conduct proof of concept analysis on book topics
Discussion platforms like Discord and Facebook Groups
How to find and use stock images for blogs and other media posts
Using Upwork to find freelancers (as well as looking for freelance work)
Several platforms for finding gig work
Numerous AI tools to write, edit/grammar check, develop SEO (Search Engine Optimization) blog titles and content, and conduct AI detection checks
Using Mailchimp to publish newsletters and manage audiences
How to create a blog and newsletter archive
Creating events and managing registration using tools like Eventbrite and Eventcreate
It hasn’t been a year yet since I was laid off and, in that time, I have learned a tremendous amount and have received two course certifications (Digital Marketing and AI Writing). I developed a website from scratch and am now the webmaster for the local social justice organization that I am part of. I produce two newsletters and post blogs and inspirational content to websites and social media on a near-daily basis. I continue to teach pilates about 15 hours/week and plan to get further certified with a specialization in training pregnant women. Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?!
I have known for years that I am a “lifetime learner.” I have always been an avid reader and traveler, and am happiest when I am learning new things. I am over 60 and energized. I can truly say that I found new purpose and passion after getting laid off and I am much happier than I was at my job. This is my story. What’s yours?
By Kim