Your next chapter deserves to be visible: How your online presence can open new doors.

What comes next after a long and fulfilling career? For some people, it’s retirement. For others, it’s consulting, volunteering, mentoring, serving on a nonprofit board, or pursuing interests they’ve never had time to explore.

Whatever direction you choose, your online presence can play an important role in helping you discover new opportunities and connect with people who share your interests.

On October 27, I had the pleasure of presenting “Practical Tools for the Next Phase: Your Online Presence” to the Fall 2026 cohort of the Change Makers program at the University of Colorado Denver.

The program helps experienced professionals explore possibilities for their next chapter and develop actionable plans for using their knowledge, skills, and experience in meaningful ways.

My message to the fellows was simple: Your next chapter deserves to be visible!

 

Your Online Presence Should Reflect Who You Are Today

Many of us have spent decades developing our professional identities. But when we retire, change careers, or pursue new interests, our online profiles may no longer reflect who we are or what we want to do.

Think about this question: If someone looked you up online today, would they see only your current or former job title, or would they also get a sense of what interests you now?

You don’t need to reinvent yourself. Instead, consider how your accumulated experience, skills, and relationships can contribute to whatever comes next.

Perhaps you’re interested in mentoring younger professionals, sharing your expertise with a nonprofit organization, starting a consulting business, or becoming more involved in your community.

Your online presence can help others recognize those interests and possibilities.

 

Let Your LinkedIn Profile Tell Your Evolving Story

LinkedIn is much more than an online résumé or a place to search for jobs. It’s an opportunity to introduce yourself to people who might become valuable connections in your next chapter.

Here are three areas of your LinkedIn profile worth reviewing:

  • Your photo: Choose a current, clear, approachable headshot that makes you recognizable.
  • Your headline: Go beyond your job title to communicate your experience and the contributions you’re interested in making.
  • Your About section: Share your professional background, strengths, values, and what you’re exploring now.

For example, someone whose headline simply says “Healthcare Executive” might consider changing it to:

Healthcare Leader | Mentor | Exploring Nonprofit Board Service

That small change tells people something about both the person’s experience and future interests.

You don’t need to have everything figured out. Your LinkedIn profile can evolve as your plans become clearer.

 

Relationships Create Possibilities

One of LinkedIn’s greatest benefits is its ability to help us build and maintain relationships.

You may already have an extensive network of former colleagues, classmates, professional acquaintances, and community contacts.

Why not reconnect with some of them?

You can also use LinkedIn to discover organizations and people working in areas that interest you.

Here are a few ways to get started:

  • Reconnect with former colleagues and other professional contacts.
  • Follow nonprofits, associations, and leaders whose work interests you.
  • Comment thoughtfully on posts and ask genuine questions.
  • Share occasional posts about topics you know well.
  • Turn promising online exchanges into personal conversations.

Remember, you don’t need to create original content every day to benefit from LinkedIn. Sometimes a thoughtful comment can start a valuable conversation.

 

Be Consistent, Not Everywhere

Although LinkedIn was the primary focus of my presentation, it’s not the only online platform worth considering.

Meetup can help you discover groups and events related to your interests. Facebook and Instagram may also be useful for connecting with people and organizations.

If you have online biographies, association directory listings, or business pages, make sure the information is current and reflects your present direction.

You don’t need to be active everywhere. It’s better to maintain a meaningful presence on one or two platforms than spread yourself too thin.

 

Start With Just 15 Minutes a Week

I concluded my presentation by suggesting a simple weekly routine:

  • 5 minutes to discover: Explore an organization or learn about someone’s work.
  • 5 minutes to engage: Leave a meaningful comment on a relevant post.
  • 5 minutes to connect: Send a personalized message or reconnect with someone.

That’s just 15 minutes a week to help you remain visible, engaged, and connected.

And if that feels like too much, start with one small action, such as updating your LinkedIn headline or reaching out to someone you haven’t spoken with recently.

My closing message to the Change Makers fellows was:

“Your next chapter does not require you to reinvent yourself. It may simply require you to help others see the person you are becoming.”

Whatever your next chapter holds, your online presence can help you discover possibilities, build relationships, and make meaningful contributions along the way.

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 55 and up, become more effective social media users, especially LinkedIn and Facebook. She works with business owners, business development professionals, business consultants, job seekers, and others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com