The Foreign Service Journal, February 2010

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 39 F O C U S O N L I F E & W O R K A F T E R T H E F S N O S IMPLE F ORMULA FOR S UCCESS etirement is the sec- ond-most difficult of life’s transitions, surpassed only by the exciting but uncertain period after one’s formal edu- cation, when most graduates are learning how to support themselves and searching for satisfying and lucrative ca- reers that will provide access to life’s blessings. The transition to retirement is especially difficult be- cause there’s no simple formula for success. Each indi- vidual has to work out the right path for him or herself, dealing with obstacles and wrong turns along the way. It helps to keep in mind that retirement is not something to be dreaded; but it does involve resolving a different set of challenges than Foreign Service members and their fam- ilies faced earlier. When I retired from the Service as a minister-coun- selor in 1994, I decided to seek a full-time professional job lasting at least five years in political communication. This was an area in which I had accrued considerable ex- perience while serving at posts in 15 cities on four conti- nents. My hope was that private-sector organizations or nongovernmental organizations involved in political and international affairs would find that what I brought to the table matched their needs. Some Hard Truths That’s not exactly how things went. I had some in- teresting short-term gigs, but this is what I found over- all: Ageism often knocks retirees out of the employment game before a word is spoken. My age (60) immediately caused recruiters to pass me by, albeit politely, despite my evident good health and energy. Furthermore, many of the attractive jobs I applied for were already wired, with the organization just going through the interviews for the sake of appearances. Although I expected the process to be difficult, I per- haps overestimated the extent to which my thrilling ca- reer meshed with the objectives of recruiters. I found that many organizations either are not familiar with the daily jobs that we perform or do not have an inherently favorable view of the Foreign Service. Negative public- ity in the media doesn’t help, but neither does the atti- tude of some FSOs, who think their exciting careers will automatically resonate with prospective employers. Trust me, they won’t. T HE TRANSITION TO RETIREMENT IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS TO WORK OUT THE RIGHT PATH FOR HIM OR HERSELF . B Y B ILL L ENDERKING R Bill Lenderking, an FSO from 1959 to 1994, served in Cuba, Bolivia, Japan, Vietnam, Italy, Thailand, Peru, Pak- istan and Washington, D.C., as well as at the United Na- tions and the University of Miami’s North-South Center. He is currently a When Actually Employed annuitant in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs and a freelance writer and consultant.