Working After Retirement: Great Jobs for Retirees
Posted by Donna Mae Scheib on May 30, 2017
Working After Retirement: Great Jobs for Retirees
Congratulations on your retirement! After several months of waking whenever you’d like and moseying through your day, you may find boredom rears its ugly head. NPR’s program, All Things Considered, ran a story called “What Retirement? Seniors are Getting Back to Work” in 2012. Since the story ran, more and more seniors have been returning to work. While occasional volunteering may stay boredom for a bit, it may not be a final remedy. What, you ask, maybe a great remedy? Going back to work! But here’s the catch: going back to work after retirement can be completely different—and much, much more enjoyable. Check out this sage advice before re-entering the workforce.
Know Your Needs
Take the time to sit down and really go over your finances. Look at pensions, investments, and other income sources to determine the total amount you have coming in versus your known expenditures. Then, think about how much money you’d like to make. Have a specific goal in mind. Is it simply $8,000 a year to book amazing travel excursions? Is it $5,000 to help the grandkids? Whatever it is, look at the numbers and come to a clear number.
Brainstorm Jobs You’d Enjoy
Many adults spend their lives grinding away at a job that provides for their needs: mortgages, car payments, grocery bills, healthcare, educational costs. But now, as a retiree, you have the opportunity to pursue a job that fuels your passions. Check out these potential jobs:
- Former teacher? Tutor or create lesson plans and curriculum online.
- Former accountant? Assist individuals with taxes.
- Former businessman/woman? Open an independent consulting business.
- Love gardening? Grow and sell seedlings, or consult for backyard gardens.
- Love reading? Write book reviews online.
- Love writing? Start a blog with affiliate links.
- Love vintage furniture? Find it, fix it, sell it.
- Love kids? Consider becoming a grand nanny!
- Love education and travel? Consider teaching abroad.
Set Your Schedule
You’ve worked your whole life—working while retired should be fun, not drudgery. Set a schedule that balances fun with your dream job and stick to it. Not a morning person? Then enjoy lazy mornings and brunches with friends and negotiate for the hours you want, whether you’re negotiating with a new boss or yourself.
Review Senior Job Resource Sites
With an increasing retiree population, many websites now cater towards providing retirees with resources to aid in the job search. Curious about what’s out there? Check out these great sites:
Use this site to search for companies interested in hiring seniors by city, state, or zip code. You can also search for a particular job or company.
Featured in notable publications such as Forbes and NBC News, this website allows seniors to search for specific jobs by area. Reputable companies interested in specifically hiring seniors post jobs on a regular basis.
One of the internet’s premier job search sites offers targeted resources for the 50 and over crowd looking to re-enter the workforce. This website offers some great articles on returning to work, overcoming ageism, and creating amazing cover letters.
When you’re ready, know that there’s a lot of resources available to aid you on your ultimate job quest. As you begin your search, keep several important guiding factors in mind:
- You can afford to wait for the perfect opportunity
- You can work for yourself
- You have a variety of fantastic resources available at your disposal
Remember: don’t settle. This is your time to meld your passions with earning again. Wait for or create the opportunity that’s right for you.
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