60 and Can’t Find Work? Ask Madeleine

Dear Madeleine, I am sixty years old and really love my work. I have had a long and varied career and had hoped to get another decade in before retiring. The institution I worked for closed down for good last year because of COVID. Since then, I have sent out 72 cover letters and resumes.…

Ready to Step Up and Shine? Ask Madeleine

Dear Madeleine, I manage a small team in a fast-growing area of a giant information security company. There is so much opportunity for my industry right now (have you seen the stuff about “Zoom-bombing” in the news? We stop that kind of thing). I have always been ambitious—and right now, during this crisis, I am…

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Ask Madeleine

Dear Madeleine, I am what’s called a “people leader”—I lead individual contributors at a global software giant. I am also a technical contributor as a subject matter expert in a specific application. I don’t love managing people. I am quite reserved and I find it tiring—but it is the only way to get ahead in…