Working in retirement might appear like a contradictory phase of life, but today’s retirees and near-retirees are redefining what it means to switch into the next chapter of life.
According to the data from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, around 55 percent of American workers plan to carry on working in retirement, with 41 percent opting for part-time and 14 percent opting for full-time jobs.
Research cited by AARP’s Public Policy Institute shows that workers coming under the age bracket of 65 and older are twice as likely to work part-time as workers ages 25 to 64.
Retirees aim to reduce the intensity of work since many older workers avoid the 40-plus-hour weekly drudge and are more inclined towards looking for part-time employment – this way they can continue to bring in a paycheck.
Thus, for various reasons, numerous seniors and retirees are continuing or hopping back into the job world. A job after retirement could be a great option for a retiree for numerous reasons, including maintaining a lifestyle, financial stability or phased retirement.
Tutoring/Instructor
An instructor can help improve the learning environment for students outside of a classroom. They assist students in comprehending thought-provoking subjects, help out in the coursework, prepare for tests, find better learning methods, improve retaining abilities and help students become more involved learners.
Tutors tend to focus on a particular subject such as math, science or English. This is a great part-time job for a retired teacher or someone with a scholastic background.
Retirees can also work as substitute teachers to help fill in for full-time teachers when they are sick or otherwise absent for the day. They can execute responsibilities like taking attendance, teaching a daily set of courses or providing students with activities while the teacher is away.
With a National average salary of around $10.59 per hour, tutoring is a great option for retirees as they have extensive experience to share with students.
Retail
Retail work can be physically exhausting for retirees, as they have to spend much of their time on their feet. But the nature of the job helps in connecting them with a lot of people, as retail workers greet customers and help them in making purchases and complete transactions.
The best part about retail jobs is, they are abundant. Not only is the profession the biggest in the U.S. with more than 4.4 million workers, conferring to the BLS, but workers are required at all different types of retailers, from bookstores to garden centers.
The best part about working in retail is that the retirees get to pick their desired store and rake in the savings with an employee discount. With a National average salary of $11.91 per hour, a retiree can be working at the front of the store as a greeter or in a nominated customer service area like on the sales floor supporting customers as they shop.
Resort worker
For retirees residing in resort towns or historic locations such as Hilton Head, North Carolina, or New Orleans can earn extra money as tour guides for area visitors. It is a perfect part-time job for a retiree seeking leisure at desired resort.
The role of a resort worker is to provide customer service in caretaker roles, work as assistants on the golf course, lifeguards, restaurant workers, dock workers and more. They are committed to maintain customer service standards and assist vacationing guests. Additionally, they are involved in showing vacationers the local historic sites and fun places to explore and visit.
Tour guides are paid by the hour but also receive additional tips. Seniors can earn a National average salary of $12.03 per hour as resort workers.
Pet sitter or house sitter
Tending to other people’s pets is a great engagement for retirees who love pets especially, while the house owners may be away on vacation or on a business trip.
As a pet sitter, one must be a kindhearted caregiver who recognizes animal behavior, provide them with clean food and water, exercise them and connect with pet owners while they are away. But one does not have to limit services to dog duties only, as a pet sitter you can look after cats, birds, fish, hamsters or other household pets.
The National average salary of Pet sitter is $12.44 per hour and word of mouth is a good way to get started or by posting a flier on a community bulletin board. There are also apps that match pet owners with people with sitters.
Event Staff
As a retiree, if you’re still a fan of music, theater, and the arts, you can get paid to help out at events at performing arts centers, concert venues, and theaters. You can also work as an event planner for birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries and the like.
The best element about this sort of part-time job, you’ll be able to watch the show while you work, and you’ll get perks like free or discounted tickets to other events.
Depending on your location, you may be able to get engaged to work at consultations, professional association meetings, seminars, and other business events. The National average salary of Event Staff is $12.74 per hour, and you can also start your own business of Event planning, tapping into your network of friends and family.
Consultant/Freelancer
Rather than applying for a full-time position, freelance consulting is a good option for retirees since it allows them the flexibility to do whatever is best for them. In other words, it is like putting years of experience to work without committing to a full-time job.
Consulting can exist in several fields, and oftentimes, retirees stage into retirement by consulting in the field they used to work in. As a consultant or freelancer, retirees have an option to work in every industry, from marketing to politics – depending on the interest and experience of the retiree.
Provisional on the retiree skill set and experience, it’s possible to earn around $27.52 per hour.
Driver
Retirees can work as a driver for a taxi or ride-share services like Uber, Lyft, or Amazon, or even get on the monthly payroll and drive limos, school buses, or transport vans.
As transportation professionals, they are accountable for the safe travel of their customers. The reason retirees are best for this kind of part-time job; they are extremely acquainted with the local area, have sharp functioning skills when it comes to driving and prioritize well-being of passengers.
It is an added benefit for a retiree, if he/she owns a car and knows the way around town, then a driving job can be turned into a flexible side job with a National average salary: $14.45 per hour.
Tax preparer
To work as a tax preparer, you don’t need to be an accountant. Tax preparers work on a short-term, usually seasonal basis to help customers prepare their taxes and submit them to the government.
The job description also includes helping filers avoid penalties, interest or additional taxes that could result from an examination by the Internal Revenue Service.
As a Tax preparer, retirees can work year-round but are most busy between January and April. During this time, many tax companies hire part-time or contract workers for temporary positions with a National average salary of $14.46 per hour.
Freelance Writer
Freelance work is a great way for retirees to stay busy and continue making easy money. There are a few ways retirees can work as freelance writers; create their own ebooks, e-courses or a blog site.
Freelance writers mostly work from home and deliver writing services to several clients online. Clients include corporations, individuals, e-commerce sellers and media agencies. Freelance writers usually have to sit for long periods and meet the closing dates of the task given.
They must also be highly skilled at the art of writing and accustomed to conventional spelling and language rules. The National average salary of a freelance writer is $24.08 per hour.
Concierge
As a retiree if you are living in a town or city you know well, think through a concierge job at a hotel. A hotel concierge operates the desk of a hotel. The best part is, the working hours are flexible though you may need to work on weekends. The job description is to help guests choose restaurants, tours, events, and activities.
This part-time profession requires a candidate to have outstanding customer service and administrative abilities. As a concierge, you are also involved in informing the guests of check-in and checkout times, operating phones, check-in hotel guests and offer other porter services.
If you know all the best things to do and places to go, consider a second career as a concierge with a National average salary of $14.19 per hour.
Part-Time Jobs for Retirees – Conclusion
Giving up work or retirement does not always mean a break from working. It can sometimes mean saying goodbye to the 9-to-5 workday and hello to new opportunities.
Since the hit of Covid-19, workplaces are shifting more towards flexible work options. Hence, creating more opportunities for retirees who want to stay active, earn a paycheck, and yet enjoy a stress-free work environment with no commitment to full-time employment.
Whether as a retiree you have to work, want to supplement your income, or just hope to stay active in retirement, part-time work can be the answer. The good news is there are part-time jobs to suit every preference, professional background, and skill set.
Whether you want to get out of the house and work in the field or with a team, work in the great outdoors, or earn extra cash from the comfort of your home office, one of the above gigs is sure to suit your retired life.
You might also like: 11 Unexpected Ways Retirees Waste Their Money
