Great Second Careers

YOU ARE PART OF a revolution. You are among the first generation of Americans who routinely change careers after 50. The centuries-old pattern — to work at the same job or profession right up to retirement — is becoming obsolete. In its place: a career path marked by new jobs, new starts, even new businesses, continuing for as long as you have a passion for work. The proof is in the data. For example, one study shows that 40 percent of people working at age 62 had changed careers since they turned 55.

Then there are your actual stories. For six months, the editors at the AARP Bulletin searched America to find ordinary people who have done extraordinary things with their second careers. What we learned: When people stay true to their passions and set their hearts and minds to it, new careers can take off at any age. Some provide large financial  rewards; others simply supplement pensions and Social Security checks but pay off big in terms of fulfillment, pride and satisfaction.  

How did they do it? And can you do it, too? We set out to answer those questions in the profiles below. You’ll find stories of people who reinvented their careers after age 50 and found deeper joy and satisfaction as a result. You’ll also discover their secrets of success, and advice to help you find your own path toward the best possible work for you. 

— Robert Love, editor in chief