Many people assume that older adults retire at age 65, but millions of Americans in this age group continue to work, either full-time or part-time. The reasons vary: some need financial stability, while others seek to stay active and engaged.
Key Takeaways:
- Not all seniors retire at 65; many work for financial or personal reasons.
- Popular jobs for older adults include roles that use their experience and skills.
Popular Jobs for Seniors:
- Accounting/Bookkeeping: Uses accounting software to manage financial records.
- Adjunct Faculty: Part-time teaching roles in colleges and universities.
- Event Coordinator/Planner: Leverages experience in planning personal events to professional settings.
- Project-Based Consultant: Offers expertise on specific projects without full-time commitment.
- Retail Sales: Opportunities in various retail sectors with flexible hours.
- Teacher’s Assistant: Supports classroom instruction in schools and childcare centers.
Best Retirement Jobs: The best jobs depend on individual preferences and needs. Age-friendly roles often involve strong interpersonal skills over physical labor, such as receptionists, sales workers, and proofreaders.
Retirement Income: Income sources vary, including retirement savings, Social Security benefits, and pensions. The best income strategy depends on individual circumstances.
Employment Statistics: One in five adults over 65 is employed, earning an average of $22 per hour in 2022.
Part-Time & Flexible Jobs for Seniors
As a senior in your retirement years, you might not be too eager to restart a 40-plus-hour weekly grind. Instead, you might want something flexible or temporary.
1. Security guard
You might be thinking: “a security guard, during my retirement years? That can’t be right!”
Well, we’re not talking about the type of guards that protect government officials and carry weapons on the job.
You can become a mall security officer, parking guard, or residential guard. For these positions, your main duty is to maintain order, monitor alarms, and cameras, deny or accept access to vehicles, open and close gates, and other behind-the-desk tasks.
Salary: The average base pay for a security guard is $30,264 a year.
2. Youth care specialist
If you’re patient, tolerant, compassionate, and want to help people, you can provide support to young people by becoming a youth care specialist. Specifically, as a youth care specialist, you have to maintain a safe environment for children who are away from their families (for various reasons) so they feel safe, cared for, and nurtured.
Salary: An average of $38,651 a year.
3. Retail worker
This is one of the most popular part-time jobs for seniors. And it’s easy to see why: the work offers flexible hours, opportunities to socialize and interact with customers, potential store discounts, and healthcare coverage (if you work with big corporations).
Salary: Retail workers make $11 an hour, or $23,601 a year.
4. Event attendant
Are your greatest strengths organizing and planning? Then, becoming an event attendant could be your calling.
Event attendants go to different occasions (weddings, birthdays), and deal with responsibilities such as venue preparation, setting up chairs and stages for events, and operating cash registers. The job is overall easy, requires little to no training, and involves part-time working hours.
Salary: Event attendants make an average of $29,704 a year.
5. Greeter
A greeter works in stores, restaurants, hotels, banks, and other types of facilities. They greet people coming in with a friendly hello, answer questions, look out for shoplifters, and do some basic cleaning.
So, if you’ve got good communication skills and want to work with people, the position could be a great job opportunity.
Salary: Average wages vary from $10 to $12 an hour, depending on the specific facility you decide to work in.
Many older adults work past retirement age for financial stability, to stay active, or to try new roles. Beyond the listed jobs, options include event staff, tour guides, patient advocates, and tutors.
Conclusion: Seniors can work while residing in a care home, depending on their health and the policies of the care facility. However, it is important to balance work commitments with health needs and care home activities. Always check with the care home management to understand any restrictions or support available for working residents. Check the Placement Process.
