Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Local marketing colleague featured in CSM article about Career change after 50...but it could just as easily be my story

Minna Vallentine is a well-connected, greatly experienced marketing professional who got laid off and found re-entering the job market no easy task.

I met Minna when I used to attend weekly networking meetings of the C6 Sales & Marketing Special Interest Group (SIG.) She was smart; she knew people; she had an amazing CV. Whart could possibly be the issue?

Well, she was laid off during the worst of the downturn. And then once things start picking up it looks like you've been out so long. And she was fairly senior level...and there are simply fewer senior level jobs out there. Lastly she was a woman over 50 years old. And as Ronni Bennett can attest, that doesn't help.

The Christian Science Monitor recently did an article on career changes in your 50s, and Minna is heavily featured.

She was certainly talking about this avocation of literacy and reading training in our networking meetings, but if I'm not remembering wrong, I think she still assumed for quite some time that she would go back to a "real" job at some point.

Well, much like my detour into being the Queen Bee of Worker Bees, sometimes when you get an idea that you're passionate about, really fascinated by...that idea should be explored...could it be your vocation? Should it be?

Minna answered, as I did, "yes."

I'm glad to see she pursued that passion. Great article.

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