Laid off at 60? Here are some tips for starting over

When you lose your job at 60, you might feel too old to get a new job, but too young to retire.

USA TODAY spoke to 10 Americans who lost jobs around age 60, to learn how they had handled the difficult decision of what to do next.

Here are some of their best tips for other older Americans who suffer a job loss.

When Todd Fannin lost a high-paying job at age 61, he and wife Carrie decided to switch gears and launch a new career with a deck and patio franchise.

Their advice to other job-loss victims: Don’t panic, wisdom taken from the Douglas Adams book “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”

“Okay, maybe panic a little bit, but set a time limit on it – perhaps a couple of days to really feel sorry for yourself,” Carrie Fannin said. “After that, take stock, grab your towel, and start looking for a plan.”

When JoAnne Kim lost her marketing job at age 62, she was living in Qatar. After some reflection, she and her husband moved to Mérida, Mexico, and she settled into semi-retirement.

Her advice: “Don’t assume your immediate job is to replace the job you just lost.”

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/money/