According to the Pew Research Center, almost 20% of Americans age 65 and older are working, and almost half of those working seniors are 75 or older.
While some older adults work into their retirement years out of economic necessity, most are finding second careers or part-time jobs in retirement to supplement retirement or pension income, to stay engaged, or to continue to use their skills and education to contribute to society.
Suppose you’re a retiree looking to enhance your income so you can travel more, enjoy more leisure activities, or reduce financial stress.
In that case, many part-time career opportunities can offer schedule flexibility and solid financial rewards while also being compatible with a variety of common skill sets and expertise.
Consulting
Pursuing a part-time career in consulting will allow you to leverage your wealth of experience and knowledge in your career field to help other professionals and businesses succeed.
Whether you worked as a director or manager in the corporate sector or served as an attorney, small business owner, or financial planner, you can easily transfer your professional knowledge to the consulting field to advise clients on best practices, common industry challenges, and business trends. And you can take on as many clients as you have time to devote to them.
The amount you can charge as a consultant will depend on the industry in which you’re working or providing guidance, but the average hourly rate of a consultant in the United States is $50.
Tax Preparer
If you’ve had a career as a CPA, bookkeeper, or tax attorney, becoming a part-time tax preparer could be an ideal second career with greater work flexibility and a surprisingly low barrier to entry.
Even if you don’t have any accounting background or education, a knack for numbers and interest in tax law is all you need to get started. Many professional tax preparation software companies offer tax prep training, and you can also enroll in the IRS’ Annual Filing Season Program to gain the necessary education and certifications. Plus, you can work seasonally from December through May during typical tax prep season and take the rest of the year off.
Tax preparers typically earn $26 to $31 per hour.
Bookkeeper
Another great part-time career option if you’re good with math and accounting is bookkeeping. As a bookkeeper, you’ll likely manage invoicing, payroll, and other basic financial recordkeeping for a business or sole proprietor. You can set your hours and take on as many or as few clients as you want to keep your schedule flexible.
Bookkeepers typically earn between $19 and $24 per hour.
Real Estate Agent
If you’re a good communicator, enjoy working with people, and have experience as an appraiser, insurance agent, banker, developer, or homebuilder, working part-time as a real estate agent could be a perfect transition career for a retirement job.
You’ll need to be willing to track and understand local market trends and their relationship to property values. Certification, training, and licensing requirements for real estate agents vary by state.
While compensation as a real estate agent is generally commission-based, you can expect your pay to average out to $22 to $28 per hour.
Educator
Assuming a part-time career as an educator is a great way to give back to your community while also earning some extra retirement income, and the options are far-ranging. If you possess a Master’s degree or higher graduate education, you can likely teach part-time at a community college or maybe even a four-year university.
And secondary school teachers are always in short supply. Many school districts will hire educators part-time to fill instructional gaps. You can also work as a substitute teacher and have greater flexibility as to when and where you work in a school district.
Substitute teachers earn an average of $21 per hour, while the average hourly wage for an adjunct (part-time) professor is $44 to $93 per hour.
Driver for Rideshare Services
Rideshare driving offers a flexible part-time career for retirees, no matter your previous work experience. While it doesn’t require formal education or certifications, successful rideshare drivers provide excellent customer service, strong communication abilities, and a safe driving record.
Having a clean, comfortable, well-maintained vehicle is important as well. Whether you work with Uber or Lyft, you’ll be able to set your hours and meet a lot of new people while you’re doing it.
While your hourly wage as a rideshare driver will vary dramatically depending on your locality as well as the time of day when you do your driving, $16 to $23 per hour is typical.
Local Tour Guide
If you enjoy traveling and sharing your knowledge, then working part-time as a local tour guide at a museum, outdoor attraction, or historic site could offer you a fun part-time career in retirement.
Successful tour guides take the time to gain a deep understanding of their destination’s history and culture and enjoy communicating and engaging with diverse groups of people. If you love your local art gallery or visiting a historic battlefield near your home, inquire as to whether or not they need tour guide services so you can combine your interests and passions with some extra retirement pay.
Tour guides earn an average hourly wage of about $19.
Final Words!
Regardless of your previous employment background, education, and experience, you can likely find a part-time retirement career that matches your skills and interests while contributing to your community and earning some extra money, too.
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