Career Coaching for Midlife and Beyond

Dr Denise Taylor is a triple award-winning career coach – including being crowned CDI Career Researcher of the Year in 2024, associate fellow of the British Psychological Society, author of six career books and a well-known career coach who is regularly featured in the media. Denise has run Amazing People, a career coaching company, for almost thirty years. Denise has a particular passion for working with people aged 50 and over – her philosophy is: you are not too old, and it is not too late to create a satisfying career and life. A long-life learner herself, reaching 60 proved a turning point for Denise. At 64 she was awarded a doctorate for her research in retirement adjustment and how people find meaning in life after full time work.  Denise’s love of nature lead to her buying a 4-acre wood in 2021. She also works part-time as a Nature-Based Executive Coach and a Woodland Retreats Facilitator.

"The book you hold, written by a writer with immense experience in the field of career coaching for older adults, fills an important gap in the career development literature. Dr Denise Taylor writes with immense wisdom and sensitivity, framing what it means to support individuals in midlife and beyond holistically, underlining the varied psychological shifts that can occur for individuals in their 50s, 60s and 70s. Addressing ageist myths about what older individuals are capable of, Dr Taylor nonetheless does not sugar coat what it means to be an individual seeking work at a time of life when many planned to enter retirement. Each individual’s circumstances vary, but the reader is ably supported by chapters looking at a range of situations, from those seeking to re-enter work when retirement is less fulfilling than they anticipated, to those having to find work through financial necessity. Those who are considering reorientating their practice to work with older clients will find much useful information in this book to help with this, including a wide range of practical activities designed for different types of client and different stages of the coaching process. Throughout, Dr Taylor maintains an ethically grounded focus, helping the reader maintain a reflective awareness of what areas fall within their remit as a coach, and which needs would be more appropriately met by a different type of professional.A vital book, whose importance will only grow as longer, less linear careers become more and more the norm. I wholeheartedly recommend it to all who have a genuine interest in supporting adults throughout the length of their career journey."Dr Oliver Jenkin PGCE RCDP, NICEC Fellow.CDI Senior Professional Development and Standards Manager, and Editor of the CDI’s magazine, Career Matters.

• 1. Introduction: Why Midlife and Retirement Coaching Matters 2. Understanding Midlife Career Transitions 3. Coaching for Career Reinvention in Midlife 4. The Psychology of Retirement and Identity Shifts 5. Designing a Meaningful Life after Full-Time Work6. Practical Tools for Career Coaches 7. Case Studies: Navigating Complex Career Transitions 8. Navigating Ageism and Changing Workplace Dynamics 9. Portfolio Careers, Self-Employment, Encore Careers and Unretirement10. Ethical and Psychological Considerations in Later-Life Career Coaching11. Coaching for What Comes Next