Coming of Age Home Page

Work in Retirement

Working in Retirement: One Door Closes...
Another Opens... But Which One?

An Interview with Coming of Age Work in Retirement Guides Kathy Smith and Beth Wilson

You’ve worked for a long time.  Paid your dues and done a good job.  Now it’s time to retire.  Or maybe ease into retirement.  Or do something that doesn’t look like traditional “retirement” at all.
 
With people living longer and in better health, retirement often means you don’t stop working altogether.  Today, whether it’s for money or meaning, many people are “working in retirement.”  And they’re doing so for a variety of reasons. 
 

Shift Values, Pursue Interests, Set Your Goals... and Fulfill Them!

“Retirees may want more flexibility than they had in their primary working years,” says Kathy Smith, one of the Coming of Age Work in Retirement guides.  “Maybe it’s to take on a new challenge or a better work-life balance.  Or to have a steady revenue stream, extra income or sense of contributing to society.” 
 
“More than ever — with the state of the stock market, fluctuations in the economy and changes in healthcare benefits — the trend has been that more people are working in retirement,” says Beth Wilson, also a Coming of Age Work in Retirement guide. 
 
She adds that many others work in retirement to fulfill a goal… to do something they have always dreamed of doing without worrying about money.  Beth calls this a “shift in values” when people are “looking for a creative outlet, an opportunity for collaboration, the intrinsic reward of doing something with competence.”
 
Whatever the reason, to ensure that you make the most of your “working in retirement” experience, both Kathy and Beth agree that it’s important that you know why you want to work and the kind of work you wish to pursue.
 
 “Working in retirement,” says Kathy, “can be an opportunity for people to work in a different capacity… one in which they can pursue personal interests, fulfill long-held goals or help others.”  
 

Experience Counts… and Can Help You Find Work!

Oftentimes retirees think that they are too old to find another job, but Kathy says the opposite is often true.  She emphasizes that how you see and present yourself are key to how others will perceive you and respond to your desire to work. 
 
In today’s workplace, Kathy says the older worker may not be seen as a hindrance but instead sometimes viewed as an asset.  That’s because so many bring priceless experience to the table. 
 
You may have been in a leadership or management position which gives you a distinct edge in terms of problem solving, decision making and strategic planning.  Those are things that younger, “just starting out” workers cannot offer.
 

Consulting, Anyone?

The experience and expertise that retirees have gained throughout their working years have enabled many people to become consultants in the field from which they retired.  “I see people working in their field, but in a different capacity,” says Beth.  “They may limit their schedule and responsibilities or work in a more hands-on way than before.”
 
“By remaining in your field but in a different capacity, you are truly able to enhance your life and often the lives of others,” Kathy says.  For example, through consulting or teaching, as adjunct professors, speakers and educators, retirees are able to pass along their know-how to a new generation.  
 
Other retirees, rather than becoming consultants, start their own businesses, often within their previous field but sometimes in an area that they have always been interested in.  This kind of flexibility can be what makes working in retirement so intriguing and gratifying.  
 

The Choice is Yours

If you are financially secure, your goal may be to give back to the community by volunteering.  Or you may get paid nominally but work for a nonprofits such as a charity, museum or hospital  (See Do Good Work).
 
Or you may seek and make a substantial salary while changing the focus of your work.  “The options are considerable since retirement is a time when people may have more free time and fewer financial obligations so they can pick and choose what they want to do,” explains Kathy. 
 

How to Get Started and Get Back to Work

The first step to venturing back into the working world after retirement is to conduct a careful self-analysis of your strengths, interests and values in order to figure out what you want to do and where you want to do it.  “Self-assessment is key.  Think it through thoroughly and do your homework in terms of research,” says Beth.
 
“A great resource for researching working in retirement is the book store or library,” says Kathy.  “There are many helpful books on career planning and working after retirement.”  Beth suggests:
 
 
Some others books you might find helpful include:
 
 
Of course, the Internet provides vast amounts of information and tools. (Check out the Work & Retirement section of the Civic Ventures database and AARP's Careers Section).  Or look at university web sites for seminars and learning opportunities. (The Widener University Academy for Learning in Retirement for example).
 
Check with your alma mater… some colleges and universities provide career counseling for alumni.  There are also web sites devoted to helping retirees and seniors find positions, like retiredbrains.com. Here are more to check out on your quest toward working in retirement:
 
 
Another resource that Kathy and Beth find valuable is a private career coach.  A coach is trained to take you through the process of determining what you want to do, discovering what you’re passionate about and devising an ideal career plan for the next 5 to 10 years.  You can find out more about career coaches at Association of Career Professionals International.
 

The Advantages of Going One-on-One

A key tool for ensuring that your work in retirement is rewarding is one-on-one information and data gathering.  Talk to people who are still in the workforce and are doing what you might be interested in.  Ask if you can observe them on the job… tail them for a half-day.  You might be surprised — many will let you!
 
And ask lots of questions.  Also, talk to people who have retired and are now working.  Learn what their experience has been like, what have been the pluses and minuses.  “Networking is essential to a successful search for work in retirement,” explains Beth.  “By retirement age, you should have established a good number of contacts… so tap into them.”  The key is to be clear about your message and goals.
 
With the right information, desire, objectives and perspective, Kathy says, getting back to work after you’ve retired can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.  It’s your chance to give back to the community, enhance your own life, continue to earn and continue to make your mark.