Guide Accompanies Release of New MetLife Foundation/Civic Ventures Survey Showing Americans Age 50 to 70 Want Work in Fields that Help Those in Need

Washington, DC – The author of a popular retirement book has written a new guide to help baby boomers find public service jobs in the second half of their lives – the preference of most boomers in their 50s, according to a new national survey. Both the guide, The Boomers' Guide to Good Work: An introduction to jobs that make a difference, and the survey, MetLife Foundation/Civic Ventures New Face of Work Survey were released today.

The guide was written by Ellen Freudenheim, author of Looking Forward: An Optimist's Guide to Retirement (Stewart, Tabori and Chang 2004), a bestselling retirement lifestyle book recommended in The Wall Street Journal.

Previous surveys have shown that baby boomers plan to work, whether full or part time, long past the time their parents moved to the sidelines. The MetLife Foundation/Civic Ventures New Face of Work Survey is the first to ask boomers now in their 50s what kind of work they want to do. The result: 58 percent of those in their 50s are interested in taking jobs now and in retirement that help improve the quality of life in their communities.

"The widespread desire to do good is enormously heartening news," said Marc Freedman, president of Civic Ventures, a nonprofit think tank and incubator that works to make the aging of America an asset. "It indicates a potentially good fit between the desires of a new generation of older Americans and some of the key sectors – education, health care, and social services – where we are wringing our hands wondering how to find the talent to fill growing human resource gaps."

The Boomers' Guide to Good Work, a 16-page pamphlet designed to help boomers think about new careers – whether full or part time – in the second half of life, includes:

• Dozens of web sites, books, and organizations that offer information about the nonprofit sector, including job descriptions, salaries, and job listings.
• Advice on how to package experience as an asset and confront potential age discrimination.
• A look at job openings and retraining options in the fields of education, health care, and nonprofit work.
• Useful web sites for those thinking of working in education or health care.
• Examples of how some employers are making adjustments to prevent an experience drain and encourage older adults to enter the field.
• Real-life examples of personal transitions to second careers. For example, Jo Manhart left a successful career working for a trade association to start an employment agency in her hometown of Columbia, Missouri, to help older workers find jobs.

"Our goals are to strengthen communities, promote good health, and improve education," said Sibyl Jacobson, president and CEO, MetLife Foundation. "Boomers have the experience, interest, and talent to do good work to meet societal needs, and this new guide gives them the road map to make it happen."

The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, from March to April 2005, and involved 1,000 people age 50 to 70. The survey and guide are projects of Civic Ventures, funded by MetLife Foundation.

The Boomer's Guide to Good Work is available free online at www.civicventures.org/guide.

The MetLife Foundation/Civic Ventures New Face of Work Survey is available at www.civicventures.org/survey.

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Civic Ventures is a think tank and incubator, generating ideas and inventing programs to help society achieve the greatest return on experience.

MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 by MetLife to carry on its longstanding tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. In the area of aging, the Foundation funds programs that promote healthy aging and address issues of caregiving, intergenerational activities, mental fitness, and volunteerism.