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Retirement Jobs for Seniors - You Should Have One For Many Reasons

If you're visiting this page, then you’re interested in having a job in retirement. There are lots of reasons for this and there's a good chance it's not just because you need the money. The goal of this page is to help you get moving on your path toward project-based work to stay engaged, regular “show up” type jobs, as well as possibly doing what you always dreamed of doing as your first career but didn't. The resources on this page will help you get started on this journey that is getting the best retirement job.

Why Get A Retirement Job?

Senior Jobs Near Me
 

There are many reasons people get a job beyond the obvious paycheck. Most people actually don’t get a job because they need money. According to a National Study of the Changing Workforce which was produced by Families and Work Institute, only 18% of those surveyed said they work because their income from other sources wasn't enough. So let's get down to the reasons.

1. Not Just Because of the Money

Using the statistic from above, only 18% of retirees need the money from their job to live. While the same survey found that 53% of retirees work to have money for a more comfortable retirement, money doesn’t have to make the decision for having a retirement job. If you save and invest strategically, then you'll have plenty of money and can make the decision to have “pocket money” without the stress of needing to pay your bills.

2. Ability to Start a Job Because You’re Simply Interested In It

Your retirement years should be spent living life on your terms. Getting a job without regard to it paying a certain amount can be quite liberating. Maybe you wanted to work with children or animals but simply couldn’t afford to live on the non-profit salary scales. In retirement, you can take a job working at an animal shelter or women’s shelter where you can take care of stray animals or help women raise their children as they get back on their feet. 31% of respondents say they work because they would be bored otherwise according to the National Study of the Changing Workforce. Eliminating boredom is a constant issue in retirement.

3. Staying Mentally Engaged

Boredom in retirement is usually a major cause of dementia. Many studies have shown mental engagement wards off mental illness as well as provides hope about tomorrow. 31% of seniors work to avoid boredom so you're not the only one in this boat.

4. Social Interaction

A job provides cohesiveness to a certain entity. While many people complain of office politics, ending a career where you've worked with different people over a period of time can all of a sudden provide a sense of loneliness since you don't have the banter and jokes most people have in their work lives. Most people spend a major portion of their week at work (a 40-hour work week is almost 25% of the total hours in a week!) so when they have all that time to themselves, they lose a major part of their social life. No more forwarding jokes to coworkers, happy hours, and other social engagements related to the workplace. This loss of social interaction is a great reason to get a part time job in retirement. Combine the social interaction with following your dreams and you’ll have a rewarding work experience in your golden years.

What Jobs Are Good For Seniors

While many type A personalities will find it hard to retire at all, for everyone else there are some good things to take note of when you want to find a job for retirement.

1. Slower Pace

Unless you crave action and deadlines, an ideal retirement job should be more relaxed. If you’ve spent a whole career working your butt off, you should enjoy your later years. A slower pace can also be good for the mind and body since you won’t have lots of stress hormones flowing through you. Relaxing pace of life is good for the soul as well since you won’t have the ever-present sword hanging over your head like many do in the rat race.

2. Good Pay Without Stressful Conditions

With all your experience, you can surely find a new position. Later on we’ll show you some resources you can use to do project work where you “bid” to do a project. This can mean good money without stress since you work when you want to work.

3. Work at Home Over The Internet

This is becoming more and more common as companies outsource entire functions of their business. Human resources, marketing, distribution, fulfillment, and website management are all things that are more commonly outsourced. These skills could be related to what you’ve done in the past so you can pick up jobs online that do this. You&'re experience is valuable and in today’s era of modern computers, many of these functions can be done online in your pajamas (or on the beach if you so desire).

4. Advisory Roles Related to Career Experience

You can even get positions as a temporary hire at certain companies in transitions. If you have a whole career related to accounting, you could help a startup company in a very part-time capacity mentoring and developing their bookkeeping system. There are a multitude of examples related to almost any career history so just scour your local area for part time jobs that use your experience and provide a little bit of cash flow.

5. Dream Jobs Unrelated To Your Career

Instead of using your career experience, you can get a dream job. Always wanted to be a cook? Maybe you could get a part time job in a local café baking different things. Many times you can develop skills in retirement that are related to your dream job. Many people are doing just that so go into a field that you might have zero experience in but have a strong desire to learn. A retirement job is mean to be something different.

Good Places To Look For A Retirement Job

1. Retiredbrains.com
Visit Search Jobs tab on the left tool bar

2. Odesk.com
Great site to find project based work or regular jobs. This is all done online and almost all job functions are available there.

3. Workforce50.com
Another great site full of resources and job listings. Good place to visit for help

How To Get The Retirement Job You Want

Now that you have an idea of what you want to look for in a retirement job, how do you actually get one? Amazingly, it’s a bit of a different process than just visiting Monster.com and applying like everyone else. Since you're going after jobs related to retirees you need to keep a few things in mind.

1. Finding a job for a senior starts at a place looking for seniors.

Look at the sites listed above. These employers want older workers for many reasons. Most employers whether they realize it or not would rather have younger workers who are more willing to do what they’re told and accept long and arduous work. Since you're retired, this isn't you. By looking at the sites targeted to seniors, you'll reduce the chance for different expectations.

2. Make sure everyone knows up front what YOU want

The fact is, you dictate your schedule now. If they want someone to work Sundays and this isn’t what you want, then don’t apply for the job. Being up-front and picky is a good way to prevent your job turning into a burden later on.

3. Go visit places of employment

Some places like shelters, restaurants, and other common retirement jobs don’t actually list positions on websites or job boards. You sort of have to find these roles. Sometimes, you might have to volunteer first but can be placed into a longer term part time job once they have grown to like you.

4. Be patient and network in your community

It's important to get out there and join clubs and social groups. Many times they’ll lead to the perfect gig since someone will know someone who is looking for help but might not have it formalized into a job yet. By showing up through this contact, you can be the person they look to for help.

5. Turn a Hobby into a Retirement Job

Do you collect coins, like building crafts, or even travelling. You can turn your passion into a money maker and it won't even feel like a job!

Overall, finding a job for seniors can be a fun journey if you have the right attitude and take your time finding the right opportunity for you. You could work at home doing project work or have a job that allows you to telecommute and show up once per week in an office. There are a multitude of opportunities so the only thing to do now is start searching for opportunities that meet your goals for your retirement years.

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