Retirement Career Change Ideas
Considering a retirement career? Some sort of work that not only provides you with an income, but gives you a sense of meaning and purpose as well?
You could have 30 to 40 years ahead of you. Just think of all the options and possibilities for remaining productive and pursuing your dreams!
More than 75% of baby boomers plan to work past retirement age. Many will be creating their own, more flexible work arrangements. And as the supply of workers begins to decrease in the near future, workers over 50 will once again be needed for their knowledge, experience, and talent.
Your skills, maturity, and wisdom are assets, all of which are coming to be more valued in our society. Your work can be a vehicle for your own growth and development, as well as an opportunity to contribute and be of service to others.
Planning For Career Change In Retirement
Planning for a new career in retirement can be challenging, but opportunities will be there. It's important to take your time identifying your values and passions before you decide what you want to do. And remember, your retirement career change is just part of your total retirement lifestyle planning.
Then ask yourself what's important to you in your retirement career, things such as...
- flexibility
- autonomy
- making a contribution
- creativity
- decent income
- enjoyment and fun
Once you know what's important to you, you can begin to research careers that interest you to see if they fit your needs. Here are some ideas for assessing your interest, getting your foot in the door, and showing potential employers what you can do and who you are.
- Talk with people in the field you're interested in.
- Shadow someone already working in the field.
- Volunteer to learn more about the work.
- Find an internship.
- Consider smaller companies and nonprofits - if you're interested in a totally new career, they might be more interested than a large corporation in what you have to offer.
You may decide you need to return to school or obtain training for your career change. Or, if you're not interested in learning totally new skills, you might prefer to build on your current skills and knowledge.
As in any career change, make use of your network. And make sure to highlight your experience, accomplishments, and strengths that are relevant to the work you want to do.
Retirement Jobs
This is the time in your life for redefining and reinventing yourself. Take the time to be creative as you explore your career change options. For instance, how could more flexible working arrangements give you the retirement lifestyle you want?
Here are some ideas you might consider for retirement jobs.
- Part-time work
- Temporary work
- Contract work
- Consulting
- Self-employment
- Freelancing
Do you have many interests? Do you like to do more than one thing?
A portfolio career is an interesting way to explore various interests or make use of your different talents. With a portfolio career, you can combine several part-time jobs or assignments, even have different employers.
A recent trend involves creating multiple streams of income. You meet your financial goals by combining work options and activities. For instance, you might have a part-time job and a home-based internet business, plus earn money from writing or repairing computers.
And what about Susan, who wanted a retirement career that would benefit her community? Depending on how she wishes to use her particular interests and talents, she might consider a career in public service. An increasing number of boomers are interested in work that helps others, such as education, health care, and social services.
Please contact me if you would like to explore your own career change possibilities.
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