Boomers/Gen Xers: Pioneers in Post-Career Whatevers, Ranging from Social Media Presence to Opting for Semiretirement

 Do you have at least rudimentary skills in social? 

Well, we who have shifted out of those demanding careers (Boomers called that the "rat race") into lower-pressure semiretirement can put together a new social presence on platform Bluesky. 

Pioneer Generation for Semiretirement 

That outreach can blast fresh energy, direction and vibes to the right contacts in our current kind of work life. Keep in mind that we are the pioneer generation in making semiretirement the standard Next post-careers. There are no guidelines. We are the ones making the rules.

More Traffic, More Engagement

On Bluesky, it's amazing who will decide to follow us. Some of those are movers and shakers who might have ignored us on X. 

I know. No longer am I among the influencers for the legal sector. During the past several years my X postings didn't grow much traffic. They do on Bluesky. Also, on that platform we really can develop authentic friendships or deepen old ones, the way we had decades ago when Facebook was hot. 

Here's the deal: Ranging from journalists to business owners to Everyman/Everywoman, users are discovering more traffic and more engagement on that social network, compared to X. Here is a guide how to join Bluesky. If you were already on X (and for most of us there is no reason to exit X) you will find navigation similar. No longer is an invite required. 

LinkedIn, Mutation to Personal Network for Professionals

Meanwhile, what about LinkedIn?

If we're determined to continue to make a good living from our labor, being active on that platform is a must-do. What I have found is that we have to tolerate the seeming oversharing of the personal by more and more members. In a sense LinkedIn has mutated into a personal network for professionals. 

Visual Social Networks

If we are business owners or hoping to break into or back into the influencer game and know our way around visual, hey, TikTok and YouTube are also essential. 

Former top 10 lawyer, now in his late 60s, John Tarantino created a whole new career path as a global aspirational speaker. Although Tarantino keeps his hand in practicing law, he primarily connects through the YouTube versions of his TedTalk "Redemption Stories," the Belfast presentation "Think: Manifestations." And more. 

Podcasting

Podcasting? Of course. 

My advice to the over-50 about freelancing, that is, contract work, on a podcast which managed to bring in an award - listen here - has brought in new business to my coaching practice. It also is a key moving part in my post-career branding. 

Aging lawyers, unlike Tarantino, who are still practicing full time, are leveraging podcasting to reset their branding and messaging in the current dog-fight competition among law firms. 

Those include John B. Quinn (born 1951) of Quinn Emanuel with his podcast Law, Disrupted. Typical guests are law firm leaders in their 60s such as Paul Weiss chair Brad Karp (born 1960). Karp is in the global front lines of retrofitting strategy to equip law-firm growth. Part of Karp's signature is the meme: Grow or go out of business. 

Such podcast exposure can establish the ground work for when prominent lawyers like Quinn and Karp do semi retire. Right now, obviously, no one expects that big names over-60 will ride into the sunset. Be they Larry Summers or Martha Stewart they are still at it. Two years before he died at 100, Henry Kissinger published "The Age of AI."

Choices: Of Course, You Can Ride into Sunset, Head High

A surprise ending for the popular Netflix streaming series "Lonemire" is that the iconic Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire did actually take that ride out of a regular paid check into no-more-work. He hitches a horse trailer to his car and that's that. We fans cheer him on. 

You? Like Kissinger you could keep it going well into your late 90s. Or like Walt you can decide you really are done.  

Let's get to know each other

Please follow me on Bluesky - @janegenova.bsky.social. 

Business can be especially tricky in these uncertain times. Get both success and peace of mind with a holistic approach. Jane Genova is a results-driven confidential intuitive coach, tarot reader and content-creator related to careers. Complimentary consultation (please text/phone 203-468-8579 or email janegenova374@gmail.com)