What are the best part time jobs for retirees? Retirement is a time to shift gears and chart a new course for your life. For some, this means pursuing hobbies and interests they had to put on hold for a while. For others, it means going back to school to finally get that degree they started but never got to finish. And for still others, it means taking a job in a field they’re passionate about.
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Benefits of Working in Retirement
Many retirees are employed: a Transamerica report found 57% of workers plan to continue working past retirement age; 21% full-time and 36% part-time. The majority of retirees who continue working do so to supplement their retirement income or to receive health insurance benefits before they qualify for Medicare. For others, work gives them a sense of purpose and identity and keeps them productive and socially engaged.
Along with providing additional income, working after retirement can help you stay mentally sharp and focused. Studies have found a connection between retirement and cognitive decline, and also found that continuing to work is protective against mental decline.
Part of the reason for mental decline is the social isolation that many retirees experience after leaving the workplace. Pursuing a second career or part-time employment can help retirees find a community and sense of belonging.
Drawbacks of Working in Retirement
On the other hand, part-time work involves some sacrifices. Your expenses may go up because you may have to acquire work attire and commute to your workplace. Your time is no longer entirely your own because you spend part of it at work instead of with your family and friends or pursuing hobbies. And because your income is higher, you may be pushed into a higher income tax bracket or your Social Security annuity might be reduced.
What Kind of Retirement Work is Right for You?
If you’ve decided that you want to work in retirement, the next question is what type of work is right for you.
Full-Time: Some retirees decide to pursue a second full-time career. If you have a passion for writing, try becoming a writer at a local magazine or newspaper. If you enjoy gardening, try working at an arboretum. Full-time employment is a chance to explore a new professional opportunity or even continue in the same field but in a different capacity. The ageism that previous generations of workers encountered may finally be subsiding. A majority of today’s employers say they seriously consider hiring job applicants age 50 and older.
Self-Employment: Starting a business is also a popular option. If you have decades of experience in your field, you can consider being a consultant or teacher.
Part-Time: Part-time work is a good solution for those who want additional income but also some free time to enjoy retirement. Writing, software development, graphic design, and many other fields enable you to work on your own schedule.
Remote work is appealing because you can work at home and spend time close to family. Working remotely lets you save on commuting costs. Particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work opportunities have become more plentiful.
Regardless of what type of work you go into, here are some features many people look for in a retirement job:
Low-Stress: The majority of retirees who work are looking for relatively low-stress occupations. After decades in the workforce, most people prefer to take it easy in their retirement years.
Not Physically Strenuous:There’s a good reason why tree trimmers, bricklayers, and roofers tend to be relatively young. It’s likely you don’t want to be regularly climbing tall trees or carrying and moving heavy objects when you’re in your 60s and beyond.
Provides Sufficient Income:The most common reason retirees continue to work is to provide enough income to support their lifestyle, so your retirement work should fill that purpose.
The Most Popular Part-Time Jobs For Retirees
AARP determined what are the most popular part-time jobs among workers over age 55 using data on 190,000 employees collected by a research firm in 2020. It then ranked the jobs in order based on the proportion of workers over age 55; hourly pay, job satisfaction, and physical demands. Here are some of the results.
Bookkeeper
Bookkeeping is a good position if you like numbers and are good at keeping records. Bookkeepers typically work for small businesses, tracking accounts receivable and accounts payable, bank accounts, and processing payroll. Many also generate financial reports and oversee reviews and audits.
Bookkeeping is attractive employment for retirees because the working hours are manageable and it can be done remotely. Often bookkeepers work just two weeks each month or less.
Many bookkeepers are freelancers, meaning they perform bookkeeping for multiple business clients. As a freelancer, you can take on as many or as few clients as you have time and desire for. Because it’s often a remote position, you can do the work from almost anywhere. As an added bonus, working with numbers keeps your mind sharp.
School Bus Driver
This job has the highest percentage of workers over age 55 (73%). Being a school bus driver means being responsible for the safety of a busload of children twice a day. You’re also expected to keep order and enforce rules on rowdy kids or adolescents. To qualify, you need a commercial driver’s license and a clean driving record and have to pass a background check and complete a training program.
School bus driving offers stability and security along with predictable working hours. School bus drivers usually get life, health, and dental insurance, even for working part-time. There are no educational requirements and you work independently much of the time.
But it can be stressful, both from the responsibility and from dealing with disorderly passengers. Sitting a lot also can cause physical discomfort and lead to long-term health problems like high blood pressure and musculoskeletal conditions.
Office Manager
Older professionals with many years of corporate experience may be qualified to be office managers, as they know well how to make an office operate smoothly. There are many opportunities in companies of various sizes and industries.
Office managers work closely with the company’s senior leadership to perform the day-to-day operations of the company. This may include keeping track of equipment and supplies, dealing with vendors, interviewing and hiring job applicants, and managing payroll and expenses.
The working environment can be stressful depending on the nature of the company and the industry. You will need strong verbal and written communication skills for dealing with superiors, subordinates, and outside contractors, and sometimes conflict resolution skills. It also helps to be good at time management and organization.
Administrative Assistant
An administrative assistant performs detailed tasks required to keep the office running, like ordering supplies, booking travel reservations, and keeping track of appointments. Many administrative assistants today work as freelancers and work remotely. These “virtual assistants” often work for multiple individual or business clients and perform day-to-day tasks requested by their clients. Success as an administrative assistant requires good organizational and communication skills.
We should note the demand for administrative assistants has declined in recent years, with over two million jobs lost between 2016 and 2021. This trend is expected to continue in the near future. Automated tools like office management and integrated calendar systems have reduced the need for humans to perform management tasks. Additionally, one administrative assistant can effective serve multiple clients or executives, further reducing the demand for these workers.
Nanny/Babysitter
If you’re good with young kids, this is one of the more rewarding positions on AARP’s list. It’s a low-stress job with flexible hours and you can form close relationships with kids and their parents. Many nannies rate their jobs high in terms of making a positive difference in the world. You do need to be high energy to keep up with the kids.
Home Health Aide
Along with nannies, home health aides rank the highest among jobs on the list for making a positive difference in the world. As the U.S. population ages, the demand for home health aides is projected to increase significantly, rising 37% by 2028. Home health aides provide essential services to some of the most vulnerable members of society. They provide social interaction and companionship to isolated older adults and make life more manageable for those no longer able to care for themselves.
The job can be stressful, though. You get to meet all kinds of people and see most aspects of humanity, both the good and the bad. It requires compassion and an intuitive sense to know what clients need even if they don’t or can’t express it.
Security Guard
If you have a background in law enforcement, or you don’t but are just interested in the field, being a security guard may be right for you. It’s a popular retirement job for many retirees, especially men. Some become security guards by working for a large security firm at the front desk of an office building. They log in visitors and keep track of visitor badges. Or they may be in back, watching a bank of closed-circuit security video monitors.
Of course, there’s a wide variety of security occupations, with a variety of demands and danger levels. Depending on your qualifications and interest, you could work in a bank, a casino, or a nuclear power plant. Or you could work in a shopping mall, a school, or a retirement community. The amount of training you will need depends on the demands of the job and may include first aid, firearms, and public relations.
Retail Associate
This is another popular job for retirees, especially women. Many retail stores hire part-time associates to help during holidays and other busy seasons. The job involves working with customers to help make purchases and complete transactions. You typically spend most of the time on your feet talking to customers. This job has one of the lowest percentages of workers over 55 (15%), so most of your coworkers will be much younger.
This occupational field is the largest in the U.S. with 4.4 million workers. There is continuing demand for retail associates among businesses of all sizes, from local shops to major department stores. If you can snag a job at one of your favorite stores, you may be able to get an employee discount.
Along with the above list, the employment site Indeed.com provides a longer list of jobs potentially suitable for retirees. These include:
- Substitute teacher
- Real estate agent/broker
- Ride share driver
- Event staff
- Resort worker
- Concierge
- Handyman
- Artist/musician
- Chef
- Editor
- Wedding photographer
- Interior designer
- Online tutor
- House sitter
- Groundskeeper
- Park staff
- Tour guide
- Travel agent
As you can see, there is a wide range of full-time and part-time jobs for retirees. But paying the bills and supplementing your income is only part of the equation. Ideally, you want a job that suits your temperament and personality and is aligned with your passions or goals, so work seems more like play than a job. If you can get perks or discounts that support your hobby, even better.
If you’re receiving Social Security payments, be sure to check how paid employment will affect those payments. Include health insurance, life insurance, and other employment benefits if they’re counted as income. Inquire with your financial advisor or the Social Security Administration about the rules governing employment and Social Security. For example, if you’re below full retirement age and earn more than the annual earnings limit, your Social Security payments will be reduced.
How to Land a Job as a Retiree
How do you go about getting the job you want? Here are some suggestions:
Use your network.Be open to opportunities around you. Ask friends, relatives, and neighbors about possible job openings. Scan online job boards, and even check with owners or managers of businesses you shop at to see what’s available in your area.
Emphasize your experience. As mentioned earlier, many employers today are more open to hiring older workers than in the past. Even if you don’t have direct experience in the field or role, you can show how your previous experience applies to the job.
Brush up on technology.Many older adults today are comfortable with Facebook, Zoom, and other technologies, and many jobs require basic familiarity with desktop and Internet applications. If a job you’re interested in requires these skills and you don’t already have them, you can attend a course at the local library or community college or even online.
Taking courses and earning certifications also shows your willingness to learn, which makes you more attractive to employers. As an older worker, you need to show you can pick up new skills and keep up with fast-paced environments.
Below are resources to help older job-seekers:
RetirementJobs.com help for people over 50 to find employment
Silver Is Gold connects retired professionals with employers seeking their skills
WorkForce50.com provides lists of jobs and employment assistance for workers aged 50+
Look into Flexible Opportunities
Many retirees want to be able to set their own working hours and even their own salaries, allowing time to pursue hobbies, spend time with family and friends, and travel while still bringing in an income.
Today, there are huge numbers of opportunities for working virtually with flexible hours. With many of these positions you can take on either short-term projects or long-term employment, work from any location with an Internet connection (even the beach), and choose when and how much you want to work.
These opportunities are collectively known as gig work. Although some people associate gig work with Millennials and Generation Z, more than a quarter of older workers are doing gig or freelance work. The flexible hours and side income are a big attraction.
There is an incredible range of jobs in the gig economy, from driving to tutoring, language translation to web design, and accounting to law. Whatever your background, there are likely opportunities available to you.
Sites like flexjobs.com, freelancer.com, sidehusl.com, sidehustlenation.com, and Steady can show you current opportunities and offer pointers to help you get started with your next flexible job.