Whether they have to or because they want to, many retirees continue to work in retirement. Some need to supplement retirement income. Others just enjoy the daily structure, social interaction, and purpose a job provides. There are definitely great jobs for retirees across the nation, both inside and outside of the home. This article provides a list of just a few and resources for many more.
Work from Your Home
Freelancers and independent contractors have the ability and flexibility to choose their own clients, set their own hours, and perform the majority of their work from the comfort of their own homes. Writing, marketing, graphic design, consulting, and project management careers are just a few areas that freelancers dominate. If you’ve retired from one of these industries, part-time freelance work may be a great fit for you.
And, due to the ongoing pandemic, freelancers are an ideal fit to fill positions that can be easily performed at home. According to the world’s largest work marketplace firm, Upwork, an expected 22 percent of Americans are predicted to be working remotely by the year 2025. Upwork reports that percentage is comprised of approximately 36.2 million Americans—and represents an 87 percent jump from expected levels before the pandemic.
Work in Someone Else’s Home
Depending on the job, these opportunities present relatively pandemic-safe activities that can keep you busy on a full or part-time basis. You can be a house and/or a pet sitter while your clients are traveling for work on vacation. Duties may include watering indoor plants, feeding can caring for animals, and walking dogs to ensure they get proper exercise while their humans are away. You can work on your own and get clients referred to you by family and friends, or work with pet sitting services such as Rover. These opportunities don’t require much experience, but a love for animals is a plus!
If you have experience in the health care industry, you might consider an elder care assistant position. You can determine the degree of help you provide. For example, you can be a personal care aid and take on clients who simply need companionship and help with light cleaning and cooking duties, laundry, and assistance with errands. Or (depending on your qualifications) you could take on more intensive responsibilities, such as caring for seniors with dementia, handicaps, and other issues that require more strict supervision.
Care at home jobs can be rewarding, but also demanding. Even if you are able to simply provide respite care for a family member who’s caring for a loved one and needs a break, your assistance is needed and greatly appreciated.
Try the Retail Industry
Even though many brick and mortar retail shops are closing doors, a great number remain open depending on your location and the industry. If you live close to a shopping mall or a main street full of boutiques, a sales job in retirement can be fun and rewarding. You can work full or part time in positions such as merchandising, sales, or in management.
Take on an Office Job
Accounting/bookkeeping positions may be your forte depending on your past work experience. Many retirees also seek out administrative assistant and secretarial positions to earn income and stay busy. Also, some of companies may allow many duties to be performed remotely during the pandemic.
Additionally, there is a growing demand for virtual assistants who perform a myriad of duties for one or more clients. These responsibilities may include scheduling appointments, fielding phone calls, making travel arrangements for your boss or other employees, managing mail, email and other communication, and additional administrative tasks.
Become a Substitute Teacher or a Tutor
If you enjoy working with children, you can become a substitute teacher or a teacher’s aide. In most school districts, you don’t need a teaching degree. Whether your school district is holding physical or virtual classes, you can help children learn valuable academic and life lessons, as curriculum allows.
You can also become a tutor, especially if you have prior experience as a teacher. You can help students at all age levels understand subject matter and prepare for tests. Retired teachers can often get referrals from the school systems they worked within and by word-of-mouth. Additional resources include websites like Tutor.com and brick-and-mortar franchises such as Sylvan Learning Center.
Moving Forward
So, if you are anticipating working in retirement for any reason, rest assured there are various jobs for retirees available to you. We’ve only covered just a few in this article, and hope we’ve provided a bit of inspiration for you to find a job that’s best suited for you and one that you would enjoy.
Additional resources for your convenience: