You’ve earned it! After years of working hard at your career, you’re now enjoying the fruits of your labor in your early retirement years. At this point, you may be wondering what you can do to make your days more exciting and more productive than just watching TV or reading the newspaper. The good news is that retirees can take on all sorts of jobs that will keep them busy, active, and social, including many jobs that they can even do in their own homes or local communities. Keep reading to learn about top popular jobs in retirement many have taken on after leaving their careers behind.
Consultant or Freelancer
If you’re feeling energetic in retirement, why not continue your professional life? Working as a consultant can be very rewarding, especially if you’re well respected in your field and have a history of making valuable contributions to various companies. While working part-time as a consultant for one company may not bring in much income, freelancing will allow you to pick up projects from multiple companies or individual clients. Essentially, running your own freelance business will make it possible for you to take on as much work as possible — just be careful not to overload yourself! Best of all, consulting/freelancing is something that can be done remotely; once you choose a niche and establish an online presence, anyone can hire you.
Event Staff
For those who don’t want to completely step away from their careers, event staffing provides a unique way to stay connected to what you love and support yourself financially. Start by offering your services to local venues or contacting event staffing companies that handle high-profile events. And remember—everyone has something they love. Volunteer! Whether at an animal shelter or a library, serving as a volunteer is one of the most rewarding things you can do while staying productive in retirement.
Tax Preparer
Tax preparers need to have excellent math skills, but they also must have a keen knowledge of tax laws and an ability to organize and present information. Tax preparation isn’t just about getting your taxes done—it’s a process of helping clients achieve financial goals and address concerns. The best tax preparers make their clients feel comfortable by tailoring their approach to meet their needs.
Pet Sitter
A pet sitter can work at any hour of day or night, so it’s a good option for retirees with out-of-whack schedules. While many people working in pet care don’t require formal training, they must have some animal-related experience to be competitive. Also, pet-sitting as a full-time job is hard because people need their dogs and cats to care for 24/7 (including holidays) when their humans are away for extended periods.
Substitute Teacher or Aide
A substitute teacher or aide’s job can vary based on their assignment, but for both positions, you’ll work in a school and support teachers and students in various ways. These may include taking attendance, overseeing recess periods, monitoring hallways during passing time, or conducting tests. Aides can also help students with special needs throughout their day; if so, you’ll ensure that each student gets to their next class safely. Being friendly is especially important for substitute teachers who need to interact with different groups of students every day and maintain positive relationships with fellow staff members.
Caretaker or House Sitter
It’s easy to dismiss caretaking and house-sitting jobs as glorified babysitting, but these jobs are a win-win for those looking to stay connected with their communities. The primary benefit is that homeowners don’t have to worry about paying for a pet sitter or leaving a key under their doormat so their dog can get fed. You’ll be coming in as if you were checking up on your own home and taking care of its inhabitants, including pets. If you’re nervous about job security, try connecting with an established pet sitting or housekeeping service and getting an inside scoop on how much money these gigs can bring in—you may find it’s not as risky as you thought!
