Encore: Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life

by Marc Freedman, Alex Harris (Photographer)

The movement of millions of sixty-somethings into a new phase in their working lives constitutes one of the most significant social trends in this country in nearly half a century. Encore describes the competing visions for work that are already lining up to capture the hearts and minds, and the time, of waves of baby boomers who are not content, or affluent enough, to spend their next twenty or thirty years on the golf course. Baby boomers are searching for a calling in the second half of life; they are moving beyond midlife yet refusing to phase out or fade away. If the old dream of the Golden Years was the Freedom from Work, the dream of this new wave is the Freedom to Work—in new ways, on new terms, to new ends. As their numbers begin to swell, these individuals hold the potential not only to transform work in America, but to create a society that balances the joys and responsibilities of contribution across the generations—in other words, one that works better for everyone.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Self Help

255 pages, Hardcover

First published June 11, 2007

About the author

Marc Freedman, President and CEO of Encore.org, is one of the nation's leading experts on the longevity revolution.

He is a member of the Wall Street Journal's "Experts" panel, a frequent commentator in the media and the author of four books. The New York Times described his most recent book, The Big Shift: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Midlife, as "an imaginative work with the potential to affect our individual lives and our collective future." His new book, How to Live Forever, will be published by Hachette Book Group in November 2018.

Originator of the encore career idea linking second acts to the greater good, Freedman co-founded Experience Corps to mobilize people over 50 to improve the school performance and prospects of low-income elementary school students in 22 U.S. cities. He also spearheaded the creation of the Encore Fellowships program, a one-year fellowship helping individuals translate their midlife skills into second acts focused on social impact, and the Purpose Prize, an annual $100,000 prize for social entrepreneurs in the second half of life. (AARP now runs both Experience Corps and the Purpose Prize.)

Freedman was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the World Economic Forum, was recognized as one of the nation's leading social entrepreneurs by Fast Company magazine three years in a row, and has been honored with the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship. He has been a visiting scholar at Stanford University, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and King's College, University of London.

Freedman serves on the boards and advisory councils of numerous groups, including The George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, the Stanford University Distinguished Careers Institute, the Milken Institute's Center for the Future of Aging, and the EnCorps STEM Teachers Program.

A high honors graduate of Swarthmore College, Freedman holds an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management. He resides in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife, Leslie Gray, and their three sons.

Reviews

[Jonathan Spencer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was written for baby boomers (which did not impact my rating) before 2010, so commentary about economic and job market conditions are quite out of date. I was hoping for guidance and exercises to help me think of and plan for possible future encore careers. This book did not provide that. It shares collections of case studies interspersed with the author's opinions about policy changes necessary to encourage people to work longer. It felt as though the author blamed retirees for not pulling their societal weight upon retiring from the workforce. The author failed to also call out young heirs of other peoples' fortunes for not working or to blame the ultra-rich for not paying their share of taxes. I agree with the premise of enabling and encouraging those who want to work encore careers to do so, ridding our society of ageist policies and stigmas. I do not want society to depend on older adults to continue working instead of retiring, though.

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book is overly focused on ideas of the late Peter Drucker. Introduces concept of a "Third Age" career shift, but then repeats this idea over and over. Introduces but does not clearly explain career of "social entrepreneurship." Good online references for retired job seekers in last section of text.

[Brent Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

In sharp juxtaposition to "The Golden Years" legend embraced by our parents' generation - the housing industry-inspired mythology that serves up retirement as a time for carefree, unending play - Marc Freedman suggests something else: "If graying continues to mean only playing, it will mean paying...

"We can't afford a leisure class that makes up one-fourth of the population."

In his new book, Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life, Freedman asks: "How could the best thing that has ever happened to us as individuals - the dramatic extension of life and health - amount to the worst thing that has happened to us as a nation?"

To encapsulate what he means by "the worst thing," Freedman identifies eight factors contributing to a gathering "perfect storm," the first four of which are darkly ominous.

First, Freedman drives home a message being carried by many thought-leaders today: inexorable demographics. By 2030, 25% of all U.S. residents will be 60 and older. Never before in the history of the nation, or for that matter, Western society, will so many people have reached the 7th decade of life.

Second, not only is the nation growing older; Americans are living longer. By mid-century, average life expectancy in the longest-lived countries may exceed the century mark. According to my analysis of census bureau statistics, by 2065 our nation will be home to at least 2.1 million centenarians.

Third, huge numbers of aging adults and increasing longevity imply that many will face the prospect of financing 30 or more years in retirement. Aside from the wealthiest of the generation, few Boomers have saved enough for so many years without added income. My research has disclosed that roughly 25% of the Boomer generation is technically broke today, with net assets of $10,000 or less.

Fourth, the retirement safety nets relied upon by our parents -- Social Security and Medicare -- are in severe danger of collapse. I have had an opportunity to hear disconcerting presentations by David Walker, Comptroller General of the United States. The total future unfunded liability of the U.S. government, including entitlement programs, is $46.4 trillion. Unimaginable national debt will inexorably lead to disastrous consequences for our economy, for us, and even for our children's children.

One way to think of an encore is as repetition, a repeated musical performance for example. Marc Freedman is in one sense calling on Boomers to repeat their careers again for perhaps shorter stints after the time of traditional retirement. This paradigm shift can go a long way in quelling the storm by increasing the number of years we are making instead of just consuming money.

But the book title has another, much larger implication. It is important that we realize something is greater at stake then just keeping Boomers busy, longer.

If that's all we need, then probably the so-called "bridge jobs" would be sufficient. These are the myriad retail and customer service jobs, such as Wal-Mart greeters, that employers are eager to fill with over-qualified Boomers at low wages. These McJobs also answer the yearning for "busyness," a sense that all's right with the world because we're busy, busy, busy.

Freedman isn't just suggesting an encore in a literal sense. If you haven't guessed by now, he is calling on his generation "to a gathering movement whose larger purpose is to solve the greatest problems facing humanity today."

Many books are now being published about the Boomer generation and what the aging of this segment means to the economy, to the healthcare system and to the future of aging. Some of these books simply rehash similar concepts and insights.

Marc Freedman's Encore offers a fresh approach by not only identifying potential problems of population aging but also creating a coherent vision for how we can transform "the problems" into unparalleled opportunities for businesses, nonprofit organizations and our society as a whole. It's a clarion call to a generation and an optimistic portrayal of how Boomers can make our "long, strange trip" even better.

[Carmaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The progression of middle-aged Americans into retirement creates a significant social drift transforming the workforce. Encore: Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life by Marc Freedman provides a meaningful guide with concrete steps to find fulfillment beyond midlife careers.

Encore career pioneers provide amazing testimonials and magnificent strategies revitalizing a redistribution of income and value. Freedman presents a “freedom to work” ethic encouraging seniors to refuse to fade away and deem them with a responsibility to enhance their “Golden Years” beyond a traditional scope. One example is Win Craft’s phrase “chasing a dream, not a dollar,” by contributing to humanity and creating a more meaningful world.

Learn how to balance the responsibilities and visions of work by incorporating a mindshift welcoming new terms and occupational trends. By utilizing personal talents, seniors can positively influence and redesign the world of work. Legendary labor leader, Walter Reuther’s belief, “we are too old to work and too young to die,” focused on the corporate pension as an incentive to allow younger employees to enter the workforce. Established and resourceful “baby boomers are inventing a new phase of work,” infusing past with present and opening doors to the future.

In an era of downsizing, layoffs, personal injury, illness, or early retirement, Americans are encouraged to retool, mentor, and make a choice to become a “pilgrim embarking on a new adventure.” When trailblazer Bill Gates announced his retirement, he created a new trajectory by “reordering my priorities.” Nascent innovative organizations offer myriad opportunities and tremendous potential to connect with new generations supporting the modern labor force.

Encore highlights the stories of career innovators “searching for a calling” to transform the nature of work in America. A University of Kansas Sociologist David Ekerdt stated, “the busy ethic” is an approach to retirement that should include more than a set of golf clubs. “Moral continuity between work and retirement” reflects the potential to support a balanced society. “Activity, recreation, and exercise are key ingredients” in addition to lifelong learning and volunteering. Alleviate the “purpose gap” of keeping busy by substituting with purposeful actions. “These pioneers are not celebrating their freedom from work, but rather their freedom to work” in form of social renewal constituting a phenomenal style of volunteering and exertion. The emerging forces of energy cited in Encore instill hope and happiness and may intrigue readers with the Purpose Prize, Experience Corps, Troops to Teachers, Hope for Generations, and a plethora of inspirational and educational resources.

After being in education for 35 years, I chose to retire. “Someone gave me a chance upon college graduation; now it is my time to offer someone else an opportunity for a job.” Freedman does not promise a “fountain of youth” nor guarantees for success, he offers practical optimism founded on fundamental principles. His goal to “live interested” should appeal to readers of all ages, interests, and abilities.

[David Grossman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring read. Sorry I didn't start perusing it many years ago. Many moving personal stories with astounding new careers starting 50+. Includes a compelling case that aging boomers should be better utilized in a win-win scenario of later life. Many examples of extant local programs supporting this, a very useful appendix incl career questionnaires.
I still would like to make the world a better place, and use my skills (& experience)...
But I'm still (self indulgent boomer freak) enjoying my cooloff recovery phase, with sleeping in and NO mandatory schedules. I hope to get over this phase eventually, and explore some tips from this tome.
Highly recommended, especially (if there's time) before nearing retirement.

[Ron Jensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the book was extraordinary stories of professional people starting entirely new careers, like a college dean starting a new non-profit, etc. Not much exploration of the barriers to starting a new job - little things like experience, qualifications, education. Some of the history of "retirement" was interesting - a progression from life-long work, to non-employment and poverty in old age, to social security and doing nothing, to "golden agers" and retirement communities, to engaged and working people in the 60s and 70s.

[Laura Luzzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me a lot of hope and makes a lot of sense. The older you get, your time is precious and you want to make a difference and do meaningful work. I'm hoping that there will be more training for us baby boomers that we can afford, so that even if the first half of our lives didn't make the grade, we can go out with a bang. Encore!

[Doug Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a worthwhile read even if you are years away (like I am) from a 'traditional' retirement. In fact, it would be good to read earlier rather than later because you may be able to consider an 'encore' career instead of retirement and start that much earlier than 65.

I'm not making any changes just yet, but this book does get you thinking about possibilities.

[Valerie Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why retire when you can continue making an impact with work you love? Well researched inspiration for the Boomer set. Needs practical, updated advice for those hitting this milestone.

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

More and more Baby Boomers are foregoing retirement to fulfill their career dreams. It is a trend that we are hearing a lot about lately. To me, it makes perfect sense. For the majority of people, raising our families, trying to pay off the mortgage, and just trying to survive financially forces us into jobs that pay the bills but leave us feeling cold and uninspired.

Many often fantasize about retirement but in reality the dream falls flat. Having a rest from the chaos of the rat race sounds wonderful and it is, at least for a while. Then, the realizations set in. Retirement was meant as a temporary situation, a nice little vacation before you died. Just a few decades ago, that was usually less than a decade. Now, with life spans ever increasing retirement could last 20, 30, or even 40 years, most of which the retiree will be quite healthy and mobile.

Who can play that much golf? Who wants to do absolutely nothing for 40 years? Who can even afford that? Enter the potential of a second career. Now that little nest egg can be used to finance needed schooling, the start of a new business, or serve as a subsidy for lower paying but more heartfelt work.

Encore not only discusses these important trends in retirement but shares the stories of individuals who followed their career dreams in the second half of their life. This book is definitely filled with important information for us all, whether we plan to retire in the near future or are just considering our options for the future.

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book puts a positive spin to the prospect of the post WWII babyboom generation reaching retirement age. This book suggests that babyboomers will use their early retirement years to find meaningful and fulfilling work to take the place of their careers that they endured in order to make a living. Underlying this rosy scenario is the fact that if the babyboomer generation instead decides to retire to a life of unproductive leisure that the U.S. economy will simply not be able to sustain the ratio of working population to that of the retired.

The book provides numerous examples of retired persons who have found meaning in "encore" careers. The book then provides suggestions for providing incentives to encourage productive work or volunteerism among retirees.

I mostly agree with the general premise that meaningful work is probably better for the mental health of retirees than a life of leisure. However, I'm cynical of the suggestion that the babyboomers will be significantly different from previous generations. In other words, I think us babyboomers, on average, are just as greedy as any other group. There will be plenty of grumbling if incentives are put in place that encourage us to work or volunteer after retirement.

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suspect that there is a significant portion of older adults who do not have the resources to choose a second career based on idealism. Nevertheless, Freedman write a compelling book about many people who do manage to pursue careers that are more about serving the broader community than they are about power, fame, or a fat paycheck. The book actually described my midlife career switch pretty accurately. I was climbing the ladder of success in higher education, but now I am going back to school so that I can work with older adults. The military has a pretty good model for encore careers. People enlist at 18, and by 48 they can retire with pretty good benefits, but they have years ahead. I have met several teachers who are retired military.

If you are looking to switch careers past 50, pick up Freedman's book and read the narratives. Also, know that he has a lot of good resources as appendices. But more readily available are websites he's developed on the topic.

[stinaz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another case of don't judge a book by its cover, or rather, don't expect much from a book based on its cover. Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life - seems like it would be a how to guide of finding work that matters. Instead it just explained the trend that people are working past "retirement age" or finding new careers during this time. The Golden Years were a social construct within the last century. Now that people are living longer they want and need to continue working rather than retiring at 65. People are doing it. Policy should adjust to promote it. There's the book. The appendix does have tips and information for doing this yourself: so the title isn't a complete mislead. Not a bad book, and interesting if you just want to read the stats and figures and social trends that are part of people not retiring in the traditional sense of the word (if it can be that traditional having only been around for 50 years), just not what I expected.

[Michal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book starts out strong, sketching alternate scenarios of the year 2030. In the first scenario, "...the country has gotten tired of footing the bill for the boomers'lengthy retirement and generational conflicts abound." In the second scenario, "...the feared 'Gray2K' was a non event. Faced with the practical necessity of extended working lives, boomers have made it a virtue...and now function as the backbone of education, healthcare, nonprofits and government." The author's description and promotion of the idea of social enterpreneurs and some of the profiles of people who created that and other types of encore careers were interesting but the book was not as compelling as I expected. There are lists of resources at the back that may be useful to people like me who are beginning to think about the next phases of life.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected but I completely enjoyed it. I expected a guidebook of sorts on how to go about "finding meaningful work in the second half of life" but this book is full of ideas on how to recreate the entire view of work in the second half of life. It assert that we must rethink our view of the older worker and change our policies and society to support the older worker in view of our longer healthier life spans. It is brilliant! I am so happy there are people out there actually thinking of these things. The book starts out good, the middle is a bit repetitive and the end is fantastic...so stick with it, it is defiantly worth it!

[Brian Ryer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this at the local library (Multnomah County Library, which is absolutely great btw) and was surprised to find out just how much of a meme the concept of "encore careers" already is.

Although a lot of the content concerns folks a little bit further along in their lives and a little bit further up the economic class ladder, it was still rewarding to see that many of them are tired of running hard to stay in place, tired of doing things that not very many people actually want done. So they stop. And they find something that really means something to them and do that instead. Great work if you can get it, right?

[Jay French · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes the case that the time has come for people in the US to expect to have multiple careers throughout their lives. The book describes the history of retirement, including recent history starting with the advent of Sun City. Some examples of middle agers that have gone on to successful second careers are given, and the book ends with policy implications that would support this move to midlife career changing and learning. Kept my interest throughout. Of course, it helps that I'm nearing that target age group...

[Tripleguess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to Part 1 and most of Part 2 of the audiobook before deciding that it wasn't worth my time. The history of the concept of retirement was interesting, but past that the figures, statistics and predictions couldn't hold my interest. I was hoping for more personally/business applicable information, I suppose. This felt more like somebody's college paper. Maybe I'm not being fair because I didn't listen to the whole thing, but I don't feel obligated to finish. I don't think I would learn much compared to the time invested. On to the next book!

[Doug Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

What makes this book tick is that Freedman shows that after "retirement", Freedman and I both think this word is now a dinosaur, many of us still have much toi contribute and can find work that matters in the second half of our lives. Older workers are loyal, have great work ethics, often can sghare their wisdom, and might well accomplish as much in 25 hours a week as other can in 40 - 45. Civic Ventures offers a "Purpose Prize" each year

[Milka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since most of us will spend at least 40 to 50 of our lives working, we may be drawn to find something more rewarding and fulfilling at some point. Even though this book focuses on people in their 50s and 60s finding a second career to fulfill their passion to make a difference, it's a good read for anyone considering a career change. It will make you think, inspire you and give you ideas about what's available out there.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of a tedious do-gooder book about finding fulfilment in second, post-midlife careers. The theme is the statisfactions of moving from a life of success to one of significance, through socially beneficial work. What if one is more interested in reversing the trend?

[Hollis Fishelson-holstine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book for all of us 'boomers' trying to figure out what's next in our lives. It presents a wonderful vision of our generation returning to our roots of trying to make a difference in the world, but this time with more financial backing, wisdom, experience and time!

[Wai-kit Ng · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of the book is simple - people live longer lives and are able to work longer, in an "encore" career. Can't argue with that. It's true. But, I didn't think it required a whole book to establish this. Draggy.

[Marie]

How people did completely different work in their second half of life. Inspiring. The internet sites listed at the end are quite useful.

[Rosemary Smith]

Excellent book to read when thinking about retirement.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspiring! Everyone over 45 should read this book and rethink their work lives.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great exploration of the need for folks in my demographic to find new challenges and contribute once their main career is completed.

[Ellen Long · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for more practical advice, but the same ideas are repeated in each chapter.

[Jill Corbett]

Brought up a lot of good ideas.