I didn't post anything yesterday because I was helping the parents at their place in RI as they get ready for their big move. It's a stressful moment in their life, and I am hopeful that the stress levels will drop once they are situated and unpacked, etc. But in the meantime, we did a lot of work and I applaud the energy and commitment of everyone to help move things along. Two big tips for people who reach out for help, regardless of the situation - 1) don't be afraid to ask - people can choose to help or not, but if you don't ask, you'll never get the help. AND people feel GREAT when they are asked to help. It makes us feel purposeful and needed - not bad at all. 2) If you can, have a To-Do list planned up. You may not do all of them, but it's a great feeling to see one after another crossed off. By reserving the to-do list items for tasks that are hard to do on one's own, it allows you to refocus your own efforts on tasks you "can" do easier. Additionally, it gives purpose to the helpers as we know where to go and what to work on next and we feel just as good to know that we helped get many things done for someone who was open enough to ask for help.
IT Isn't Just For Young'ins, But We're Making It So...
Look, Boomers built our first computers and wrote our first code...or even Silents, may have...Being older does often predict some technological shortcomings, but that isn't a certainty, ESPECIALLY for those who have worked in technology for entire careers.
There is a shortage, but companies are looking to fill roles with younger peeps. But many recognize that they are avoiding older individuals. A couple of thoughts on this -
As an organization be mindful on your hiring practices - think through things rationally. That doesn't mean - hire older people - just hire the best applicant for the job. Culture is important and this is something to consider. Price is also a consideration - best applicant that you can afford. But bringing in someone with lots of experience and a good attitude shouldn't be something we avoid - and perhaps we aren't even consciously avoiding it...Consider you see a resume that says - 25 years experience and applying for a position that is more junior...Do you subconsciously exclude this applicant as too experienced? If their resume is good and they applied for the position - reach out, explain salary range and let them decide whether or not that is ok - you might have someone applying that is not looking for $ but rather for purpose. I can't imagine someone who might be a better cultural fit than that...
As a senior applying for a role - don't be egotistical on salary. If you don't want to take a pay cut, then you know the roles you need to apply to. Recognize that a role you might be applying for might be lower pay, and be ready to accept that. Unfortunately, a company will have a budget and be hiring for a role that has certain specifications. If you are overqualified, that isn't their problem. But if you are willing to take a pay cut, you may get yourself into a good position to grow in or ride out the rest of your career. We all have to recognize that our work lives will likely be 50-60 years in length - EXPECTATIONS have to change that we will likely need to take career pivots and reductions in our salaries multiple times.
When thinking about the length of our careers - consider education will be essential throughout our careers - new tech = new skills needed, so stay up to date. Don't get complacent, get out there and try new things, keep networks alive and learn new skills to challenge yourself and keep yourself relevant for longer.
GREAT QUOTE IN ARTICLE: " “A multigenerational technology team has often proven to be extremely valuable, as varying levels of experience only enhance their ability to problem solve and innovate,” he said."
How Can You Help A Friend Through A Divorce
Divorce is not uncommon and we all have friends in various stages of relationship statuses. We almost never like to hear about friends prepping for a divorce, but it happens. There are some good tips in this article to help you think through how you might be able to help someone going through a divorce.
I really liked a couple of the pieces of advice like don't let your friend isolate themself and offer to do things for them / be with them when they are doing things like spackling an apartment after the split, cleaning, etc. What's also important is to do this even when they may not be the nicest person to deal with...
I think we hear about a divorce and our initial reaction is empathy, but we don't really know how to act around them. But I can tell you, as someone who went through divorce that just knowing you are there is what is important. Having a couple of friends that take you out, and force you to be social can help us introverts know that we aren't social untouchables works wonders. You may not know it, but there are some really deep feelings of failure, remorse, grief, and other "bad" emotions that you are dealing with when you are going through a divorce, and often we're just not able to "ask" for help.
Caregiver Support Groups
Here's a story on Channel 5 in Maine. They walk through some caregiver support groups in the area, and I was wondering - does anyone know of caregiver support groups located in Fairfield County, CT? If so, I would love to hear about them.
