May 22, 2014
‘Fired at 50’ Author Phyllis Green Shares Tips for Mid to Senior-Career Professionals
Sometimes a career shakeup is just what we need to find our true calling. However, many don’t expect that shakeup to come when we’re at the top of our career.
After years of working in television and moving her way up the ranks to ABC’s corporate headquarters in New York, Phyllis Green found herself fired and in a position that she never saw coming. In 1986, she started her own advertising agency in Florida, Green Advertising, which quickly became one of the most respected ad agencies in the state. Now bought out by WPP Worldwide, the largest advertising holding company in the world, Green Advertising has launched Green’s career to levels that she never imagined and in her new book “Fired at 50: A Survivor’s Guide to Prosperity,†she details her journey of going from unemployment to an entrepreneur.
Green, who is now a successful businesswoman in her 70s, recognizes how relatable her experience is and says that “Fired at 50 is really a metaphor for any life changing event.” As a senior level professional who obviously knows a lot about the challenges of having a lasting career, Green spoke briefly at her NYC book signing at Empire Office headquarters about her secrets to success. Check her advice below.
Take risks: “I feel that in life and career you have to take chances and eventually you will succeed,†says Green in regard to professionals who are scared to make a career move, or like her, forced to make a career move. Green recognizes that if it wasn’t for taking a risk she wouldn’t have her own advertising agency under her belt. It’s this fearlessness and risk-taking mindset that she advises all mid to senior level professionals to embrace as they think about their next career move.
Continue to cultivate your brand: Branding has always been one of the key factors in creating a successful career, and in today’s social media age personal branding seems to be more important than ever. “You have to continually cultivate your brand in your industry and outside your industry,†says Green while advising professionals to remain relevant at all stages of their career.
Take the experiences you’ve learned and package them: When Green left the world of advertising and television, she took her years of professional experience and already acquired knowledge and applied them to her own business. “Take the professional experiences you’ve learned and package them up and you’ll recognize that you have the opportunity to make more money,†Green advises professionals who may be at a loss on how useful their skills will be in the next phase of their career.
To learn more about Green’s tips for bouncing back after a career setback, or making the transition from a 9-5 employee to an entrepreneur, order her book now on Amazon.com.