Too old to land your dream job? Read this!

When you see something so inspirational, as in the story about Barbara Beskind who landed her dream job in Silicon Valley at age 89, it can set off lots of little sparklers for you.

After watching and reading her story, here are three of mine:

1. Decade birthdays often spur activity.

Many clients come to me when they are approaching a birthday that ends in a “0”. In the past month, I’ve talked to clients turning 30, 40, and 50. Each has said: I know I’ve been doing “x”, but now it’s time to focus on what I really want to be doing. This woman got her job when she was 89. I can’t help but wonder: Was she spurred on to go for this job because she was about to turn 90?!

2. Opportunities can be created.

This was not a posted job. She heard about the company and said: I want that, and they have no idea how much they need me! I’m a big fan of creating opportunities, and not simply waiting to see what shows up on online job boards like monster.com. She went for it — and got it.

3. It’s never too late!

You can imagine that I have clients in their 40s and 50s who worry about whether it’s too late to make a change. But I also have clients in their 30s who are concerned that they’ve already invested in one line of work, and can they really leave that behind (or, I remind them, incorporate it in a new way) and explore new directions? Again, it’s never too late!

Here’s to a long, healthy life where there are still dreams to be dreamed and realized —