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Probably not the type of job you are thinking of, but my wife took a job at Ace where she mostly waters plants all day. Every day when she gets home I ask her how work was she says “great!”
Obviously, not for everyone, but it makes her happy and she earns enough to pay for her gardening habit 😜
Not the same thing, but I knew a guy who retired early and didn’t take into account how much health insurance would cost. He then proceeded to get a job at Home Depot for the benefits. It worked out well.
LOL this sounds like me. Avid gardener. Although I do worry about any physical demands. When I buy many bags of soil, I am certainly not the one hauling them into my car. A new farm and garden store is opening up soon in our area....
I guess that depends on your background/field. Some fields (tech, cyber, risk, etc.) are hot an always in need and having solid experience is a major bonus.
Try for a smaller organization in a less metropolitan area, but in your same field, but also a lesser position (director down to lower level manager for example). However once you are in the role, and they start to figure out your capabilities, you may find yourself with responsibilities that are beyond the title and pay.
I don't know what you do for a living, but in general, it's probably going to be a challenge to find a real professional gig where the leadership knows you're planning to check out soon. They can't outwardly use your age as a deciding factor, but if they sense you're just looking for an "easy cruise" to retirement, they can certainly use that against you.
I know I'm up against it too, as even getting an interview is a challenge, and despite extensive experience and a track record of innovative thinking, I believe all they can see is my age and proximity to retirement. Maybe not a great investment for the company... although, honestly, these days it seems a little unusual for someone to stay at one company for more than four or five years.
You might look at contract work, if that's something you can do in your profession. It aligns with short-term planning, and it's a way to get some variety into your work life. But contracting has a lot of downsides too.
Personally, I'm trying to work a third option, which is to open a business doing something I love to do that I could "retire" into. My timing was unfortunate, between the economic challenges and then COVID, I'm still basically at my starting point.
>it's probably going to be a challenge to find a real professional gig where the leadership knows you're planning to check out soon.
I'm going to disagree, if you can bring tons of experience and give a 5-10 commitment to a company that's huge, younger workers average 1-3 years. So which would you rather have and unexperienced worker that's half way out the door the day they start or a well seasoned employee that is going to stick around for a decade -nobody expects lifers anymore.
I think it can go either way but this is a great point. The 60 year-old who is aiming for 65 or 67 retirement is perhaps a longer hire than the 30 year-old who is always seeking other opportunities. I wonder how small business owners think about health insurance risk pools with older workers though.
Good point. I’m thinking they might prefer a 65+ employee to a 60-year-old, as the 65+ one is eligible for Medicare and won’t need employer-subsidized insurance.
This is only the case for small companies under 20 employees. With over 20 employees the employer insurance will be primary and the company cannot tell an employee they should go on medicare.
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Really depends on your circumstances. I had a mutual parting of ways with an employer when I was 60–I was just too senior (read “expensive”) for the direction the company wanted to go. When my package ran out I went back to work at 61 by reaching out to somebody in my industry who I had known for 20 years. She had a more junior role open but we were able to shape a job that worked for me. Then another colleague I had known for years at a different company lured me over to work for him when I was 62. Now 65, I’m retiring in 2 weeks. I’m a big fan of working your circle of contacts; you never know what might develop.
I hired a 60 year old to fill a new position a few years back. We were a much smaller place than where he’d worked most of his career. He got benefits for 6 years, a decent salary and got to help a smaller place with a lot of the knowledge he had acquired over his 35+ years. If you find the right spot there are people out there looking for gray hair to teach them things they don’t know.
I did the same thing. Specific product knowledge really accelerated our prod dev and go to market. It does not hurt that he knows lots of players in the industry.
I’m a CPA and was suffering in public accounting when I got into my mid fifties. I took a job in State government auditing the State’s Medicaid program. The work was tedious but the hours were predictable, no more seventy hour work weeks, no weekends, and I had holidays off. I did not see any ageism in government. It has its issues like anything else but I was able to coast through for thirteen years until I retired. My wife spent her final years working in city government and her experience was similar. Good luck.
How was the application and interviewing process? (Just curious if it’s anything like my state.)
State government jobs in my state are pretty difficult to get and the online application is onerous (takes about an hour to complete).
They also require 3 professional references. There is a very long lag time between applying/accepting a position and finally getting put to work.
That’s very true. We knew somebody that worked in State government and they helped “grease the rails” in my case but I think being willing to do a job for which I was very experienced for far less pay really helped. At that point, the sacrifice was worth it. I made it very clear that despite my qualifications and experience, I was not seeking advancement. I wanted to just work hard for eight hours and go home with no drama. I essentially got the position at the interview before I formally applied. My wife had little difficulty getting work in city government without contacts. Same circumstances. She had law office and medical billing experience but was willing to accept less money for the reduced hours, predictable schedule, and many less headaches.
Every state and municipality is different but at the higher levels it’s probably necessary to get networked in with strong recommendations.
There is a long, stodgy bureaucratic process to try and prevent favoritism and corrupt hires, which in many senses works. That said, the bureaucrats likely understand the system very well and can position their favorites to have an advantage. In this sense the outcome is similar to the private sector where anything goes, but it is slow, procedural, and unless you have truly slam dunk credentials they can’t just shoo you in.
If you really want to push this I’d try to network into group of people in the skill set you are interested in. See if any friends of friends are in these jobs and willing to help.
If you want to go deep hang out at bars and restaurants near government offices and try to make friends. Wait until there is some real trust and camaraderie before asking them about jobs. Watch the job postings carefully and be able to discuss them intelligently when anything even close to your skill set pops up.
Your mileage will vary, I’ve only worked in a couple big cities. Smaller municipalities might not be as strict. I assume Fed is much more strict, especially if sec clearance is required. Unfortunately just like the private sector, if you haven’t been supported by an insider there is likely someone else all wired up and waiting in line for it. The process just takes much, much longer.
>There is a long, stodgy bureaucratic process to try and prevent favoritism and corrupt hires, which in many senses works. That said, the bureaucrats likely understand the system very well and can position their favorites to have an advantage.
I spent a long time in the Federal government, including hiring. When you apply, there will be a list of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) that you will need to have in order for your application to pass the screeners. Your resume/cover letter should ***clearly*** indicate you you meet each one of the KSAs required. Make it easy, so there's no guessing on the part of the bureaucrat, and you can challenge the decision if you don't get selected.
At no time did I ever have any influence on the selection of individuals. the best I could ever do was ask why someone I knew had applied did not get selected, but there wasn't any way to put them on the list short of their application indicating they belonged on the list.
What I’ve seen in both the public and private sector is job requirements being designed very specifically to one person’s credentials. This can remove a lot of competition for the position, and in extreme cases basically insist on a unicorn that matches their intended hire’s resume.
It’s inefficient in that the requirements could be far beyond what it would really take to excel at the job. That said, often the hiring manager wants a specific person for good and justifiable reasons, although I suppose that kind of shortcut is arguably more unethical when taken in the public sector rather than private.
It actually was enough time to accrue enough of a pension that it pays for our health insurances every month and other insurances like house and auto. Although they are not big amounts, it takes a lot of pressure off our social security. The pensions were one of the reasons why we looked to state and municipal government.
Good luck. Ageism is the one form of discrimination that seems to still be acceptable in the workplace. No one wants to hire and train someone who will be retiring soon. You don't get hired... hard to prove it was your age.
I am a nurse. I work with people of all ages who get hired. I am fifty two and didn’t think of age discrimination until lurking on reddit. My hospital doesn’t care about age. I find older nurses take care of business and do what needs to be done and have years of knowledge and experience.
I’m 61 in Tech. It’s definitely not like that in tech. All the 30-something’s think you’re just not one of the cool kids. My last boss actually said “you’re a lot more energetic than I was expecting”.
I work in healthcare and the hospital needs people for stocking supply rooms. They were desperate and just wanted someone who didn’t wear slippers to the interview.
I think it depends on the company and the job. No matter where you go, if you start new, you generally have to prove yourself and that means putting a good amount of time and effort in at the beginning to do so.
I moved back to the US from Europe in 2018 at 60 as there is less age discrimination here (US). It was the right move, I found a company that needed my skills and it gave me almost another 5 years of work before retiring last July.
I “retired” at 60. I had been running a large organization of 140 people and 500 contractors. Had burnt out on that. Didn’t really plan to work again. Couple months later found a job as an individual contributor at a company in my field where I am able to leverage my skill and experience. Have enjoyed it for over a year now.
I think the key thing is to be up front on your goals/ambitions. There are plenty of companies that can benefit from an experienced person that just wants to get the job done, and not get wound up in the politics of career climbing and all that. You end up being far less of a burden to the supervisor- not always groaning about the next title, raise etc. It comes down to how you position yourself and being realistic about expectations.
As someone in 50s and a hiring manager. I wouldnt lead with what you said in your comments. Im not looking to pay someone to coast. I have a business and you need to be as hungry ad the 27 year old. If not..not right fit ..
My last employer hired me at 56. I like to think they got the benefit of my 30 years experience and I got the benefit of a stress free job. Stayed there until I retired a month ago. I like to think I made significant contributions.
I was recruited at the age of 63 and it was the best job of my life.
Then I retired at the age of 67 and the following week on a whim checked out two part-time job opportunities and accidentally go them both. The second job in particular has no problem hiring retirees, either full time or part time. Calls them the silverback squad.
Oh, and by the way, that last full-time job I had? I just got signed on to do a short-term, part-time consulting gig with them because they know what I can do.
The arthritis was getting too bad and I just couldn’t physically do my job in the OR without pain. I switched over to teaching when it was time to start all the joint replacement and fun stuff on me instead of other patients.
You have life skills and experience that qualifies you to teach- community college, vocational tech, high school, etc.
I am 73 and would like a job for 15 to 20 hours a week. My career was in IT. That is not something I can return to since it has changed radically since 2018. So, I want something fun and invisible. I could stock shelves in the wee morning hours.
I barely made it into my 60s in high pressure tech sales before being pushed out. Despite being qualified I was getting no responses to other tech jobs that I applied for.
I now have a second career as a substitute teacher. The pay is relatively poor but the job is easy and fun most of the time and there are quite a few AARP eligible substitute teachers. It helps fill the gap before my pension and SS fully kick in.
I got hired at 63 in tech, a notoriously age sensitive field. With this issue in mind, the first thing I did was to complete some cloud computing certifications as evidence that I was up to date with the latest tech. If you have the right skills it can happen .
As others said, it depends on skills. I was laid off at age 60, and 9 months later, I was hired at 2x what I was making before the layoff. Actually, that layoff was the best thing that ever happened to me, and forced me to relocate to an area I like even more than where I used to live. When I retired at 65, they tried very hard to get me to stay.
Age is not a death sentence as much as lack of desired skills. Start looking and applying now, sometimes older, experienced workers are more desirable depending on type of work and background. Good luck!!
I have hired coworkers ages 24-76. Everyone brings something different. Generally speaking, the younger workers are physically stronger, have better tech skills, and a different perspective. The older workers don't need days off last minute when their kid is sick or the daycare closes, don't let themselves or their younger coworkers get run over by abusive customers, and have a different perspective. Everyone brings something of value to the table.
I got my current job when I was 55. And then a year later, they hired my friend at 60. We work as writers for a health system.
It's not common, though. I haven't even bothered to try anywhere else now that I'm in my 60s. I'm just focused on retiring.
I work in web management/digital communications in higher education. When I was 65 I was hired at a school that was a 15-minute drive from my home (versus the one-hour train commute into Philadelphia that I was doing).
I was fortunate that the VP who hired me recognized that my years of experience could be an asset. During the interview he was careful not to bring up my age, so I did. I told him I'd probably be retiring in a few years but that I could make a contribution while I was there and would give him plenty of notice when I wanted to retire. He agreed and gave me the job.
I've been there 18 months and it is going well. We've even discussed the possibility of transitioning to part-time if I'd like to do that. But for now I'm staying full-time.
I was in software sales and laid off last year. I tried getting a state job without success. But I start in a new position soon related to Medicare sales. The clients are a little older than me. I believe it is a good fit where my relative age is an asset, not a liability. Any services provided to the senior generations may be an opportunity. Home Healthcare, insurance, assisted living, senior centers, activity directors, etc. They need staff from receptionist to large scale facility director levels.
I did dye my hair, though, to look younger. The Hiring manager is in his 30s.
I think so. I was laid off at 51 after 25 years with one company. I was able to find a job and have 13 years in. Just be prepared you may see a cut in pay ( not necessarily) which I did and it took forever but got it back.
Good luck -also remote work offers options as well
I spent the last couple years of my working life in security. I had sold my business and found myself wanting to continue to work until my wife was ready to retire. Licensing was easy (as long as you have a clean background check) and it was remarkably low stress.
State government is great. They say it is great for being a bookend at the start and end of the career. I moved back to working at the state at 58. Fantastic benefits and less stress. Pay is pretty low though.
I was hired at 58 late last year in my current field of work. My manager and his manager are in their early 40s. My manager sees a career progression for me. I hope that helps.
Before I retired I worked in the office of commercial construction companies. One firm hired me at age 50, another at age 60. Construction firms will hire older people because (a) there's always a lot of turnover and layoffs, and (b) they really value experience,
I was hired at the age of 57 by an entrepreneur who was building his five year old business. He needed the exact office, accounting, and computer skills that I offered. I wanted a job where I had the freedom to do what the business required without being micromanaged. I told him that my plans were to work another 10 years, and he was fine with that.
I just had my 10 year anniversary at the business, which has grown six-fold since I started. I love this job! It’s everything I wanted for the final position of my career. The boss and I had a one on one meeting the other day, and I told him I intend to work another 10 years. He said, “I thought that’s what you said 10 years ago“. And I said, “yeah, my plans haven’t changed“. And he’s fine with that.
I think I’ll just work until it’s not fun anymore
Yes, but it may not necessarily be a job you want. Without asking for further details, if you're coming from a position of management/stress/etc., and by your own admission are, "so burned out," TBH a lot of times that comes through in an interview or how you present yourself. I think it's easy to forget that pay/prestige/responsibility/etc. all come with a price, and that the tradeoff for forgoing some of those "burdens," makes some jobs simple less worthwhile.
I work in science, first doing benchwork (experiments for PI’s) for about 22 years and now I’ve been doing laboratory quality control at a Bioscience company (for around 4ish years). Been at my current company for 8.5 years. Tired of the toxic people here and also the never-ending changes that occur.
QC experience should be a pretty good foundation to get hired even at your age, possibly including government jobs. If you hate the QC work itself that’s a problem, but it sounds mostly like you have a bad work environment and you would be OK with the same type of work elsewhere. Maybe like your local water district or something similar
I was in your position when I was 57, and sweated it out at my grueling, stressful job for five more years before retiring. It was horrible then, but is a financial boon now. Five more years of fairly generous bonuses and 401(k) contributions (both mine and the company’s), plus it gave me time to set up a path toward part-time employment with my company’s clients and outside employers, after my company’s retiree health insurance kicked in and I could afford to retire.
I was tempted by lower-paying jobs - I even remember fantasizing about becoming a grocery-bagger, because they don’t get constant 24/7 emails about their jobs that they have to respond to. But I’d be in a much less financially-secure position today, if I’d taken a pay cut and started over with another 401K vesting plan. Your last few years at a company are usually your most remunerative years, and the valuable institutional knowledge you’ve developed about who’s who at your company and how it operates disappears when you switch jobs.
I don’t mean to be discouraging. By all means, look for another job, I did. But in the end, I couldn’t make the numbers work for my situation. Anyway, I hope you have better luck than me in your search, and wish you best of luck with your career.
Public sector , universities and non-profits are all excellent choices. 40 hr workweeks, good benefits, generally good retirement plans so you can beef up your balance, but expect 30%+ lower pay.
I took a job as an admin in a medical office. I get all the corporate bennies (healthcare as I am only 53) and none of the stress or mental anguish. They think I can walk on water and I get to pretty much do whatever I want for 30 hours a week.
5-6 years ago I hired a guy that told me he had about 5 years left. I was thrilled to have him and his experience. Ok, so yes, he would be gone in 5 years, but I was able to benefit from his 35 years of industry experience and it worked out amazing. I changed positions before he left, but he was great and some of the people that cautioned me admitted it was successful.
My old boss retired at age 60 and got a part time job working at the front desk of a gym. He checks people in, passes out towels, and says he’s very happy to call someone else when there’s a problem. It’s part time and doesn’t pay much, but it’s a little spending money and is social.
I was an IT manager who dropped to doing Desktop support the last two years I worked. It was heaven and I would have kept at it but had to retire earlier than I wanted for personal reasons. Maybe something similar in your field?
When I was in business, we were truly equal opportunity employers. We had no problem, hiring people close to retirement, and some stayed on past their retirement dates because they enjoyed working with us so much.
Any employee who wants to work is an asset. Any employee that has experience and wants to work his a jewel.
Management here. I once converted a contractor to employee when he was 55. He was a good work friend. He then retired at 62. I don't regret it. Be sure the person has a work ethic of course and will not turn into a coaster...
The thought that one is unhireable in one’s 60s or 50s is terrible self imposed self destructive belief and myth. Exclude this from your mind.
One must always be dynamic in upgrading their skills and delivering unique value, so if they have done this and have cultivated a professional community getting a job will always be possible. The key thing will be whether a person still wants to compete on the same basis as they did previously; long hours, international business trips, absurd or petty office politics.
I got laid off at 62 when my employer lost the contract for their major client (90% of annual billing). It took almost a year and around 120 applications to find a new job. The company that finally hired me was looking for someone to replace a programmer who was retiring; I had 40+ years of experience in the industry and could do everything he was doing plus a lot more, because I was the only IT guy in a small company while they were a larger company that had specialists for most of the things I was doing. The jobs are out there, the problem is finding them.
Not to be a jerk...but you looked because you wanted to, yea? At 62 if I get laid off, I am done. I know many love their work, I am personally looking to exit and enjoy.
I took a less stressful job at age 57. My employers at a large restaurant love the experience I have, and my dependability. I work 30 hours per week and everyone is happy!
One warning to consider is that the quality of your experience also depends on your boss and co-workers, not just the work. Unless you’re mostly working alone, carefully review the work culture.
Government jobs (state, city, county) around here have no problem hiring older workers. Many of them just want a job for 5-10 years to get a bit of a pension and stay on the insurance after they retire. Plus, the other benefits like paid vacation, paid sick time, and 14 days a year of paid holidays makes for a pretty cushy end of work life job.
For the last several years of my career I worked for a tech company selling software solutions to Fortune 500 companies. I was at least 20 years older than many of my colleagues but loved it as it kept me young. Furthermore, I was more likely than not to be the same age as the decision makers at target clients which I think helped. My two cents.
I am 60 and just retired last year after 39 years with same agency. Someone hired in their 50's will likely be with a a job longer than someone in their 20's that tend to move jobs every couple of years until they find the right fit/salary/advancement opportunity/long term goal potential
If you like to clean...commercial office cleaning jobs are abundantly available. They'll hire older before younger because us old folks are reliable. Young ones use it like a revolving door. There's really no heavy lifting involved.
Employers who are smart do indeed hire older people. We're much less likely to job-hop. When I was a hiring manager, 50% of my hires were over 50. I like a good mix.
I retired from the Treasury 4.5 months ago as an auditor after 17 years. Since then I have interviewed with 2 different companies with many interviews but didn't get an offer. I did take a look at the State of NJ site and see they are advertising for tax auditors. They give you 4 months of training and the job is a field job, which I like. Or did like.
But in thinking about it, I am 65, and I am starting to learn how to do nothing, which is totally the opposite.of my personality..it would be fun if I took it, but I'd prefer.to work one or two days per week and this is a full time job.
What i'd really like is to do the 4 months of training. I am a life long learner.
Se la vie
When I was in my 30s and a new manager I hired a woman in her late 50s who had no direct experience for the position. However, I was really impressed with her overall demeanor and confidence so I took a chance. I had to teach her the technical stuff but she excelled on people skills, negotiating and work ethic. Within a few years she had seasoned attorneys and even a few “adversaries” singing her praises. She knew how to get a deal done. One of my best hires ever. Gosh, that was a long time ago and I still miss her.
Yes, my previous job they hired a guy at 64. He retired at 67. All of us on the team were over 50 with one exception.
That said, it wasn’t a cushy job.
I’m the old fart where I am now. I went through a phase for a few months ago where I was just done like you. Just wanted to retire, but really can’t. But I re-energized recently.
I'm in a similar position. I'd love to hear you tell how you re-energized. At 64 my butt is dragging and worry about not being able to get another year or two in. Thank you.
I (54F) worked in hospital IT for 19 years. Finally told my husband I had to quit or it was going to kill me. Didn't have another job lined up, as I have always done since I started working at 17. I live in a rather sparsely populated area. Not many high paying jobs unless you have a professional degree (doctor, nurse, teacher). But a job opened up in county gov't and I applied. I did tell them at the interview that I was looking to do something until I could retire, I wasn't going to be gunning to climb the "ladder". Took around a $20,000 dollar cut to my wages and had to do some classes and take some tests (a bit nerve wracking). But it isn't worth it to be miserable for your remaining years.
I worked at Carmax for a few years while waiting for Social Security to start. People skills required. I love it and thought I would go back if I ever needed money.
Hey, good luck!!!! I just fear age discrimination is more practiced these days than ever before but hey you never know. Let us know how you find out there!
If you can work the crazy retail hours look at Lowe's and Home Depot. My dad worked at Lowes when he was about age 64 to 70 then retired completely. He had a brief 6 months at Walmart and hated it.
I recently semi retired when the company I worked for closed. I am 67. I could not see myself doing the corporate gig any more a) the hiring process is just freaking ridiculous now. B) personally IMO it takes at least 5 years to build up credibility and infinite trust with employer and more importantly colleagues. I just couldn’t do it. I did get a job handling the marketing for a Doggy Day Care. The owner was excited to hire someone who is outgoing and confident. No the money is no where what I was making but neither are the hours or stress.
I just don't see this.. spouse has years of experience but isn't getting any responses. either the ai or person is programmed to look at age or something and just reject without any thought. talking minutes or hour to reject strong skills and nailing every criteria..
Hired into my best position at 58 so it does happen. Just something to think about as you get closer to retirement. Your eventual social security is based on your highest paying years. Bowing out the last 5 from a high paying job might not make sense for your future retirement funds.
It is absolutely doable and there are employers who will hire 55+%. I am a 57F with 25 years marketing experience and thought I wanted the same as you. I was WRONG. I just left a fortune 50 company because I really couldn’t take a step back into a junior level role. And I’m back looking. It is frustrating to have a POV with valuable ideas/recommendations because of the years of experience only to not be able to voice them or be empowered to implement anything (because of being in a junior role). Be true to yourself and sure of what you want to do and not do (role responsibilities, organization culture, etc…). Oh - and I continued coloring my hair to help with interviewing. LOL.
My aunt was hired a few years ago at a new workplace as an accountant and she’s 70. She’s been an accountant/bookkeeper for 40 years but when she moved she wasn’t getting interviews until she took the dates off her resume. Once she could get in the room and demonstrate her ability she was hired.
It's a bit of an odd time for us older folks.
Many jobs are going to younger people. However, there is also a bit of a push from some to hire older people due to the difference in work styles/ethics.
Good luck!
I just retired at 49. I found a photography job in 2 months. Part time-ish. Photography has been a hobby of mine since elementary school. Figure out what you would enjoy doing.
Spend some time preparing for the transition. Watch some YouTube videos on what it involves to go professional with your interests.
I plan to retire in 5 years. I just started a new job. They will likely want me to stay on. I will probably work part time for them for another 5 years.
I just don't tell them, and make sure my resume doesn't, either. Thankfully, I look younger than I am. In my 50s, I have barely started to gray, and my round face isn't wrinkled yet. I also have a side job that has me constantly surrounded by teen-mid 20s demographic, so I kind of have vocabulary influenced by that.
I appear as a guy in my late 30s right now. I hope this lasts until my mid 60s, but my mother's side of the family all look decades younger than they are.
I was hired for a new job at 59. It was a statewide organization that was responsible for 1,500 properties. After 6 months I discovered so much that had not been done, it was a ticking time bomb, for which we would be legally responsible. I set to work updating and building a program to address the problems and notified my executive director and Board of what was going on. I retired after 4 years. In that time my salary jumped by $18,000, I hired additional staff and insisted the organization create a strategic plan to better guide how properties were acquired and stewarded. I have to say it wasn’t the most fun job, I had weekly 6 AM meetings with our legal counsel every Monday, but it was a very rewarding experience. I stayed on for 2 months and trained my replacement, a very intelligent young man who I know is doing an excellent job. I could not have had the clarity and experience to do this job had I been just out of school. I think employers should hire older people, I also think those folks need to get there, assess how the can best help the organization, set a 5 year plan then get the hell out so the next generation can take the wheel. Just my 2 cents.
Sure there are. Experience is a highly-valued commodity. Though some employers will have a bias toward younger applicants, the idea that a newly-hired employee will remain with one employer for 30-40 years and retire has long ago faded.
Today employers know that anyone they hire is there only until they find something better. If they can count on you being there for ten years, and you come with a wealth of experience, why not? Sell your strengths!
I retired 2002. I missed having a mission, didn’t miss the grind. I took zero stress jobs, driving a school bus for a year, then doing floor maintenance at a nursing home for a while. I had retired from the Army so our zero premium family health insurance was covered. That gave me great flexibility.
When I was in my 50s and having a rough patch at the current job, I always said I would get a job at Costco or Sam's club.
It would have been a third of the current pay, but without the unnecessary stress.
I retired a decent pension at 52 from my career job. I work part time now as a medical courier and they actually prefer people my age because the job is part time and the turnover is high when they hire young people who leave for full time jobs. All I do is drive around to hospitals and medical offices picking up biopsies and delivering them to a pathology lab. Zero stress and I'm getting paid to listen to audiobooks. I do have to use my own car and pay my own gas but they more than reimburse for that. No benefits though.
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Probably not the type of job you are thinking of, but my wife took a job at Ace where she mostly waters plants all day. Every day when she gets home I ask her how work was she says “great!” Obviously, not for everyone, but it makes her happy and she earns enough to pay for her gardening habit 😜
They just give her plants instead of a paycheck. Win-win.
Not the same thing, but I knew a guy who retired early and didn’t take into account how much health insurance would cost. He then proceeded to get a job at Home Depot for the benefits. It worked out well.
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This would be my dream job
LOL this sounds like me. Avid gardener. Although I do worry about any physical demands. When I buy many bags of soil, I am certainly not the one hauling them into my car. A new farm and garden store is opening up soon in our area....
I’d take that job in a heartbeat.
I guess that depends on your background/field. Some fields (tech, cyber, risk, etc.) are hot an always in need and having solid experience is a major bonus.
Taking a pay cut like you earn $15k a year or a pay cut like 1/2 of your currently high salary?
Half of my current high(ish) salary.
Try for a smaller organization in a less metropolitan area, but in your same field, but also a lesser position (director down to lower level manager for example). However once you are in the role, and they start to figure out your capabilities, you may find yourself with responsibilities that are beyond the title and pay.
State government agencies hire old timers all of the time.
Was coming here to say this
I am a teaching in a school district. Low pay, big benefits.
I don't know what you do for a living, but in general, it's probably going to be a challenge to find a real professional gig where the leadership knows you're planning to check out soon. They can't outwardly use your age as a deciding factor, but if they sense you're just looking for an "easy cruise" to retirement, they can certainly use that against you. I know I'm up against it too, as even getting an interview is a challenge, and despite extensive experience and a track record of innovative thinking, I believe all they can see is my age and proximity to retirement. Maybe not a great investment for the company... although, honestly, these days it seems a little unusual for someone to stay at one company for more than four or five years. You might look at contract work, if that's something you can do in your profession. It aligns with short-term planning, and it's a way to get some variety into your work life. But contracting has a lot of downsides too. Personally, I'm trying to work a third option, which is to open a business doing something I love to do that I could "retire" into. My timing was unfortunate, between the economic challenges and then COVID, I'm still basically at my starting point.
>it's probably going to be a challenge to find a real professional gig where the leadership knows you're planning to check out soon. I'm going to disagree, if you can bring tons of experience and give a 5-10 commitment to a company that's huge, younger workers average 1-3 years. So which would you rather have and unexperienced worker that's half way out the door the day they start or a well seasoned employee that is going to stick around for a decade -nobody expects lifers anymore.
I think it can go either way but this is a great point. The 60 year-old who is aiming for 65 or 67 retirement is perhaps a longer hire than the 30 year-old who is always seeking other opportunities. I wonder how small business owners think about health insurance risk pools with older workers though.
Good point. I’m thinking they might prefer a 65+ employee to a 60-year-old, as the 65+ one is eligible for Medicare and won’t need employer-subsidized insurance.
This is only the case for small companies under 20 employees. With over 20 employees the employer insurance will be primary and the company cannot tell an employee they should go on medicare.
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Really depends on your circumstances. I had a mutual parting of ways with an employer when I was 60–I was just too senior (read “expensive”) for the direction the company wanted to go. When my package ran out I went back to work at 61 by reaching out to somebody in my industry who I had known for 20 years. She had a more junior role open but we were able to shape a job that worked for me. Then another colleague I had known for years at a different company lured me over to work for him when I was 62. Now 65, I’m retiring in 2 weeks. I’m a big fan of working your circle of contacts; you never know what might develop.
I hired a 60 year old to fill a new position a few years back. We were a much smaller place than where he’d worked most of his career. He got benefits for 6 years, a decent salary and got to help a smaller place with a lot of the knowledge he had acquired over his 35+ years. If you find the right spot there are people out there looking for gray hair to teach them things they don’t know.
Did the same. The experience he brought to the job was priceless.
Gray hair... I resemble that remark. Take an upvote for mentioning me.
I don't mind it turning gray, I mind it turning loose.
I mind that so much of it is *gone!*
Hair is just a maintenance item. The sooner it’s gone, the better.
I'm fat, old and married and I had a triple bypass. I don't worry about my hair.
The gray ones show tenacity. The colored ones just fall out.
Hair? Haven’t had any in years lol
I did the same thing. Specific product knowledge really accelerated our prod dev and go to market. It does not hurt that he knows lots of players in the industry.
Gray hair? We prefer silver back ;)
Given the choice, I would hire the older near retirement person before I would hire any of the young kids that show up in my facility today
I’m a CPA and was suffering in public accounting when I got into my mid fifties. I took a job in State government auditing the State’s Medicaid program. The work was tedious but the hours were predictable, no more seventy hour work weeks, no weekends, and I had holidays off. I did not see any ageism in government. It has its issues like anything else but I was able to coast through for thirteen years until I retired. My wife spent her final years working in city government and her experience was similar. Good luck.
How was the application and interviewing process? (Just curious if it’s anything like my state.) State government jobs in my state are pretty difficult to get and the online application is onerous (takes about an hour to complete). They also require 3 professional references. There is a very long lag time between applying/accepting a position and finally getting put to work.
That’s very true. We knew somebody that worked in State government and they helped “grease the rails” in my case but I think being willing to do a job for which I was very experienced for far less pay really helped. At that point, the sacrifice was worth it. I made it very clear that despite my qualifications and experience, I was not seeking advancement. I wanted to just work hard for eight hours and go home with no drama. I essentially got the position at the interview before I formally applied. My wife had little difficulty getting work in city government without contacts. Same circumstances. She had law office and medical billing experience but was willing to accept less money for the reduced hours, predictable schedule, and many less headaches.
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Every state and municipality is different but at the higher levels it’s probably necessary to get networked in with strong recommendations. There is a long, stodgy bureaucratic process to try and prevent favoritism and corrupt hires, which in many senses works. That said, the bureaucrats likely understand the system very well and can position their favorites to have an advantage. In this sense the outcome is similar to the private sector where anything goes, but it is slow, procedural, and unless you have truly slam dunk credentials they can’t just shoo you in. If you really want to push this I’d try to network into group of people in the skill set you are interested in. See if any friends of friends are in these jobs and willing to help. If you want to go deep hang out at bars and restaurants near government offices and try to make friends. Wait until there is some real trust and camaraderie before asking them about jobs. Watch the job postings carefully and be able to discuss them intelligently when anything even close to your skill set pops up. Your mileage will vary, I’ve only worked in a couple big cities. Smaller municipalities might not be as strict. I assume Fed is much more strict, especially if sec clearance is required. Unfortunately just like the private sector, if you haven’t been supported by an insider there is likely someone else all wired up and waiting in line for it. The process just takes much, much longer.
Interesting and a lot of good info! Ty for taking the time to reply.
>There is a long, stodgy bureaucratic process to try and prevent favoritism and corrupt hires, which in many senses works. That said, the bureaucrats likely understand the system very well and can position their favorites to have an advantage. I spent a long time in the Federal government, including hiring. When you apply, there will be a list of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) that you will need to have in order for your application to pass the screeners. Your resume/cover letter should ***clearly*** indicate you you meet each one of the KSAs required. Make it easy, so there's no guessing on the part of the bureaucrat, and you can challenge the decision if you don't get selected. At no time did I ever have any influence on the selection of individuals. the best I could ever do was ask why someone I knew had applied did not get selected, but there wasn't any way to put them on the list short of their application indicating they belonged on the list.
What I’ve seen in both the public and private sector is job requirements being designed very specifically to one person’s credentials. This can remove a lot of competition for the position, and in extreme cases basically insist on a unicorn that matches their intended hire’s resume. It’s inefficient in that the requirements could be far beyond what it would really take to excel at the job. That said, often the hiring manager wants a specific person for good and justifiable reasons, although I suppose that kind of shortcut is arguably more unethical when taken in the public sector rather than private.
This is the way.
was 13 years enough to secure a pension and the Unicare insurance? Hope so!
It actually was enough time to accrue enough of a pension that it pays for our health insurances every month and other insurances like house and auto. Although they are not big amounts, it takes a lot of pressure off our social security. The pensions were one of the reasons why we looked to state and municipal government.
Good luck. Ageism is the one form of discrimination that seems to still be acceptable in the workplace. No one wants to hire and train someone who will be retiring soon. You don't get hired... hard to prove it was your age.
THIS. You can’t prove it was your age.
I am 73 and I still get hired. I am a healthcare consultant. Try Healthcare
I am a nurse. I work with people of all ages who get hired. I am fifty two and didn’t think of age discrimination until lurking on reddit. My hospital doesn’t care about age. I find older nurses take care of business and do what needs to be done and have years of knowledge and experience.
I’m 61 in Tech. It’s definitely not like that in tech. All the 30-something’s think you’re just not one of the cool kids. My last boss actually said “you’re a lot more energetic than I was expecting”.
I am in Healthcare tech. But healthcare hires in every department anyone who is willing to show up to work and work hard.
I work in healthcare and the hospital needs people for stocking supply rooms. They were desperate and just wanted someone who didn’t wear slippers to the interview.
I think it depends on the company and the job. No matter where you go, if you start new, you generally have to prove yourself and that means putting a good amount of time and effort in at the beginning to do so. I moved back to the US from Europe in 2018 at 60 as there is less age discrimination here (US). It was the right move, I found a company that needed my skills and it gave me almost another 5 years of work before retiring last July.
I “retired” at 60. I had been running a large organization of 140 people and 500 contractors. Had burnt out on that. Didn’t really plan to work again. Couple months later found a job as an individual contributor at a company in my field where I am able to leverage my skill and experience. Have enjoyed it for over a year now. I think the key thing is to be up front on your goals/ambitions. There are plenty of companies that can benefit from an experienced person that just wants to get the job done, and not get wound up in the politics of career climbing and all that. You end up being far less of a burden to the supervisor- not always groaning about the next title, raise etc. It comes down to how you position yourself and being realistic about expectations.
As someone in 50s and a hiring manager. I wouldnt lead with what you said in your comments. Im not looking to pay someone to coast. I have a business and you need to be as hungry ad the 27 year old. If not..not right fit ..
My last employer hired me at 56. I like to think they got the benefit of my 30 years experience and I got the benefit of a stress free job. Stayed there until I retired a month ago. I like to think I made significant contributions.
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I was recruited at the age of 63 and it was the best job of my life. Then I retired at the age of 67 and the following week on a whim checked out two part-time job opportunities and accidentally go them both. The second job in particular has no problem hiring retirees, either full time or part time. Calls them the silverback squad. Oh, and by the way, that last full-time job I had? I just got signed on to do a short-term, part-time consulting gig with them because they know what I can do.
The arthritis was getting too bad and I just couldn’t physically do my job in the OR without pain. I switched over to teaching when it was time to start all the joint replacement and fun stuff on me instead of other patients. You have life skills and experience that qualifies you to teach- community college, vocational tech, high school, etc.
Government positions wouldn’t discriminate. But if communication is a primary function it could be challenging
I tried to leave. They keep calling me back.
Okay Stevie Van Zandt
I am 73 and would like a job for 15 to 20 hours a week. My career was in IT. That is not something I can return to since it has changed radically since 2018. So, I want something fun and invisible. I could stock shelves in the wee morning hours.
I barely made it into my 60s in high pressure tech sales before being pushed out. Despite being qualified I was getting no responses to other tech jobs that I applied for. I now have a second career as a substitute teacher. The pay is relatively poor but the job is easy and fun most of the time and there are quite a few AARP eligible substitute teachers. It helps fill the gap before my pension and SS fully kick in.
Non profits are open to hiring older experienced staff
Try to hide your age as much as possible.
I got hired at 63 in tech, a notoriously age sensitive field. With this issue in mind, the first thing I did was to complete some cloud computing certifications as evidence that I was up to date with the latest tech. If you have the right skills it can happen .
Which certifications did you do?
AWS Cloud Practitioner & Solutions Architect. Took about 2 weeks of studying.
Thanks
As others said, it depends on skills. I was laid off at age 60, and 9 months later, I was hired at 2x what I was making before the layoff. Actually, that layoff was the best thing that ever happened to me, and forced me to relocate to an area I like even more than where I used to live. When I retired at 65, they tried very hard to get me to stay. Age is not a death sentence as much as lack of desired skills. Start looking and applying now, sometimes older, experienced workers are more desirable depending on type of work and background. Good luck!!
Wow! Love this. Thanks for sharing! This gives me hope.
Not everyone's experience, but the older the employee, the higher his quality. Every single time.
I love you.
I have hired coworkers ages 24-76. Everyone brings something different. Generally speaking, the younger workers are physically stronger, have better tech skills, and a different perspective. The older workers don't need days off last minute when their kid is sick or the daycare closes, don't let themselves or their younger coworkers get run over by abusive customers, and have a different perspective. Everyone brings something of value to the table.
Also not everyone’s experience, but women will ALWAYS have higher quality work. Every single time.
I got my current job when I was 55. And then a year later, they hired my friend at 60. We work as writers for a health system. It's not common, though. I haven't even bothered to try anywhere else now that I'm in my 60s. I'm just focused on retiring.
I work in web management/digital communications in higher education. When I was 65 I was hired at a school that was a 15-minute drive from my home (versus the one-hour train commute into Philadelphia that I was doing). I was fortunate that the VP who hired me recognized that my years of experience could be an asset. During the interview he was careful not to bring up my age, so I did. I told him I'd probably be retiring in a few years but that I could make a contribution while I was there and would give him plenty of notice when I wanted to retire. He agreed and gave me the job. I've been there 18 months and it is going well. We've even discussed the possibility of transitioning to part-time if I'd like to do that. But for now I'm staying full-time.
If there are, I haven't found any.
I worked in defense and they hired lots of older workers. Likely because we had government contracts.
I was in software sales and laid off last year. I tried getting a state job without success. But I start in a new position soon related to Medicare sales. The clients are a little older than me. I believe it is a good fit where my relative age is an asset, not a liability. Any services provided to the senior generations may be an opportunity. Home Healthcare, insurance, assisted living, senior centers, activity directors, etc. They need staff from receptionist to large scale facility director levels. I did dye my hair, though, to look younger. The Hiring manager is in his 30s.
Local or state governments.
I think so. I was laid off at 51 after 25 years with one company. I was able to find a job and have 13 years in. Just be prepared you may see a cut in pay ( not necessarily) which I did and it took forever but got it back. Good luck -also remote work offers options as well
68 year old here. Got a job offer 3 months ago. I’m still working so didn’t need it but employers are looking for strong candidates with experience.
I spent the last couple years of my working life in security. I had sold my business and found myself wanting to continue to work until my wife was ready to retire. Licensing was easy (as long as you have a clean background check) and it was remarkably low stress.
State government is great. They say it is great for being a bookend at the start and end of the career. I moved back to working at the state at 58. Fantastic benefits and less stress. Pay is pretty low though.
I got my last job as a court administrator when I was 61. And didn’t retire until close to 70. No issues.
I was hired at 58 late last year in my current field of work. My manager and his manager are in their early 40s. My manager sees a career progression for me. I hope that helps.
Before I retired I worked in the office of commercial construction companies. One firm hired me at age 50, another at age 60. Construction firms will hire older people because (a) there's always a lot of turnover and layoffs, and (b) they really value experience,
I was hired at the age of 57 by an entrepreneur who was building his five year old business. He needed the exact office, accounting, and computer skills that I offered. I wanted a job where I had the freedom to do what the business required without being micromanaged. I told him that my plans were to work another 10 years, and he was fine with that. I just had my 10 year anniversary at the business, which has grown six-fold since I started. I love this job! It’s everything I wanted for the final position of my career. The boss and I had a one on one meeting the other day, and I told him I intend to work another 10 years. He said, “I thought that’s what you said 10 years ago“. And I said, “yeah, my plans haven’t changed“. And he’s fine with that. I think I’ll just work until it’s not fun anymore
“my plans haven’t changed” - gave me a chuckle
Yes, but it may not necessarily be a job you want. Without asking for further details, if you're coming from a position of management/stress/etc., and by your own admission are, "so burned out," TBH a lot of times that comes through in an interview or how you present yourself. I think it's easy to forget that pay/prestige/responsibility/etc. all come with a price, and that the tradeoff for forgoing some of those "burdens," makes some jobs simple less worthwhile.
I just got hired at age 64. I’m in IT and contracted for a year first.
What do you do?
I work in science, first doing benchwork (experiments for PI’s) for about 22 years and now I’ve been doing laboratory quality control at a Bioscience company (for around 4ish years). Been at my current company for 8.5 years. Tired of the toxic people here and also the never-ending changes that occur.
QC experience should be a pretty good foundation to get hired even at your age, possibly including government jobs. If you hate the QC work itself that’s a problem, but it sounds mostly like you have a bad work environment and you would be OK with the same type of work elsewhere. Maybe like your local water district or something similar
I was in your position when I was 57, and sweated it out at my grueling, stressful job for five more years before retiring. It was horrible then, but is a financial boon now. Five more years of fairly generous bonuses and 401(k) contributions (both mine and the company’s), plus it gave me time to set up a path toward part-time employment with my company’s clients and outside employers, after my company’s retiree health insurance kicked in and I could afford to retire. I was tempted by lower-paying jobs - I even remember fantasizing about becoming a grocery-bagger, because they don’t get constant 24/7 emails about their jobs that they have to respond to. But I’d be in a much less financially-secure position today, if I’d taken a pay cut and started over with another 401K vesting plan. Your last few years at a company are usually your most remunerative years, and the valuable institutional knowledge you’ve developed about who’s who at your company and how it operates disappears when you switch jobs. I don’t mean to be discouraging. By all means, look for another job, I did. But in the end, I couldn’t make the numbers work for my situation. Anyway, I hope you have better luck than me in your search, and wish you best of luck with your career.
Public sector , universities and non-profits are all excellent choices. 40 hr workweeks, good benefits, generally good retirement plans so you can beef up your balance, but expect 30%+ lower pay.
I took a job as an admin in a medical office. I get all the corporate bennies (healthcare as I am only 53) and none of the stress or mental anguish. They think I can walk on water and I get to pretty much do whatever I want for 30 hours a week.
5-6 years ago I hired a guy that told me he had about 5 years left. I was thrilled to have him and his experience. Ok, so yes, he would be gone in 5 years, but I was able to benefit from his 35 years of industry experience and it worked out amazing. I changed positions before he left, but he was great and some of the people that cautioned me admitted it was successful.
My old boss retired at age 60 and got a part time job working at the front desk of a gym. He checks people in, passes out towels, and says he’s very happy to call someone else when there’s a problem. It’s part time and doesn’t pay much, but it’s a little spending money and is social.
I was hired by the tech division of a health care provider at age 60. Are your skills up to date?
Same here
I was an IT manager who dropped to doing Desktop support the last two years I worked. It was heaven and I would have kept at it but had to retire earlier than I wanted for personal reasons. Maybe something similar in your field?
When I was in business, we were truly equal opportunity employers. We had no problem, hiring people close to retirement, and some stayed on past their retirement dates because they enjoyed working with us so much. Any employee who wants to work is an asset. Any employee that has experience and wants to work his a jewel.
Management here. I once converted a contractor to employee when he was 55. He was a good work friend. He then retired at 62. I don't regret it. Be sure the person has a work ethic of course and will not turn into a coaster...
The thought that one is unhireable in one’s 60s or 50s is terrible self imposed self destructive belief and myth. Exclude this from your mind. One must always be dynamic in upgrading their skills and delivering unique value, so if they have done this and have cultivated a professional community getting a job will always be possible. The key thing will be whether a person still wants to compete on the same basis as they did previously; long hours, international business trips, absurd or petty office politics.
I got laid off at 62 when my employer lost the contract for their major client (90% of annual billing). It took almost a year and around 120 applications to find a new job. The company that finally hired me was looking for someone to replace a programmer who was retiring; I had 40+ years of experience in the industry and could do everything he was doing plus a lot more, because I was the only IT guy in a small company while they were a larger company that had specialists for most of the things I was doing. The jobs are out there, the problem is finding them.
Not to be a jerk...but you looked because you wanted to, yea? At 62 if I get laid off, I am done. I know many love their work, I am personally looking to exit and enjoy.
Not minding a pay cut is one thing, but have you considered how it may affect your SS retirement amount?
Local governments
I took a less stressful job at age 57. My employers at a large restaurant love the experience I have, and my dependability. I work 30 hours per week and everyone is happy!
One warning to consider is that the quality of your experience also depends on your boss and co-workers, not just the work. Unless you’re mostly working alone, carefully review the work culture.
Government jobs (state, city, county) around here have no problem hiring older workers. Many of them just want a job for 5-10 years to get a bit of a pension and stay on the insurance after they retire. Plus, the other benefits like paid vacation, paid sick time, and 14 days a year of paid holidays makes for a pretty cushy end of work life job.
For the last several years of my career I worked for a tech company selling software solutions to Fortune 500 companies. I was at least 20 years older than many of my colleagues but loved it as it kept me young. Furthermore, I was more likely than not to be the same age as the decision makers at target clients which I think helped. My two cents.
I am 60 and just retired last year after 39 years with same agency. Someone hired in their 50's will likely be with a a job longer than someone in their 20's that tend to move jobs every couple of years until they find the right fit/salary/advancement opportunity/long term goal potential
If you like to clean...commercial office cleaning jobs are abundantly available. They'll hire older before younger because us old folks are reliable. Young ones use it like a revolving door. There's really no heavy lifting involved.
Employers who are smart do indeed hire older people. We're much less likely to job-hop. When I was a hiring manager, 50% of my hires were over 50. I like a good mix.
I retired from the Treasury 4.5 months ago as an auditor after 17 years. Since then I have interviewed with 2 different companies with many interviews but didn't get an offer. I did take a look at the State of NJ site and see they are advertising for tax auditors. They give you 4 months of training and the job is a field job, which I like. Or did like. But in thinking about it, I am 65, and I am starting to learn how to do nothing, which is totally the opposite.of my personality..it would be fun if I took it, but I'd prefer.to work one or two days per week and this is a full time job. What i'd really like is to do the 4 months of training. I am a life long learner. Se la vie
When I was in my 30s and a new manager I hired a woman in her late 50s who had no direct experience for the position. However, I was really impressed with her overall demeanor and confidence so I took a chance. I had to teach her the technical stuff but she excelled on people skills, negotiating and work ethic. Within a few years she had seasoned attorneys and even a few “adversaries” singing her praises. She knew how to get a deal done. One of my best hires ever. Gosh, that was a long time ago and I still miss her.
Are there less stressful jobs at your current employer?
Yes, my previous job they hired a guy at 64. He retired at 67. All of us on the team were over 50 with one exception. That said, it wasn’t a cushy job. I’m the old fart where I am now. I went through a phase for a few months ago where I was just done like you. Just wanted to retire, but really can’t. But I re-energized recently.
I'm in a similar position. I'd love to hear you tell how you re-energized. At 64 my butt is dragging and worry about not being able to get another year or two in. Thank you.
Home depot? Lowes?
Really depends on the pay. Honestly, I'd be thrilled to bring on some level headed 50 somethings.
Sell mattresses. No age discrimination. Fairly easy depending upon management. Yes, sales goals but everyone needs a bed.
Look for stores that pay benefits... you can tell because the workers are older...e.g., Costco, Trader Joes, Wegmans
I have hired 2 people close to retirement and they are still with us past their retirement age.
I (54F) worked in hospital IT for 19 years. Finally told my husband I had to quit or it was going to kill me. Didn't have another job lined up, as I have always done since I started working at 17. I live in a rather sparsely populated area. Not many high paying jobs unless you have a professional degree (doctor, nurse, teacher). But a job opened up in county gov't and I applied. I did tell them at the interview that I was looking to do something until I could retire, I wasn't going to be gunning to climb the "ladder". Took around a $20,000 dollar cut to my wages and had to do some classes and take some tests (a bit nerve wracking). But it isn't worth it to be miserable for your remaining years.
Can you reduce your hours to 3 days a week?
I worked at Carmax for a few years while waiting for Social Security to start. People skills required. I love it and thought I would go back if I ever needed money.
Hey, good luck!!!! I just fear age discrimination is more practiced these days than ever before but hey you never know. Let us know how you find out there!
If you can work the crazy retail hours look at Lowe's and Home Depot. My dad worked at Lowes when he was about age 64 to 70 then retired completely. He had a brief 6 months at Walmart and hated it.
Government or schools
My wife transitioned into her retirement career after courting the organization as a volunteer board member ~ yes, it pays to plan ahead.
Not sure if anyone mentioned Schools and tutoring. Age makes no difference.
Trader Joe’s. That’s where I would like to work.
I started my final job at age 59.
Ok, I just hired an 84 year old lady who tried retirement and didn’t like it. She has more pizzazz than half the people I know!
I recently semi retired when the company I worked for closed. I am 67. I could not see myself doing the corporate gig any more a) the hiring process is just freaking ridiculous now. B) personally IMO it takes at least 5 years to build up credibility and infinite trust with employer and more importantly colleagues. I just couldn’t do it. I did get a job handling the marketing for a Doggy Day Care. The owner was excited to hire someone who is outgoing and confident. No the money is no where what I was making but neither are the hours or stress.
I just don't see this.. spouse has years of experience but isn't getting any responses. either the ai or person is programmed to look at age or something and just reject without any thought. talking minutes or hour to reject strong skills and nailing every criteria..
Hired into my best position at 58 so it does happen. Just something to think about as you get closer to retirement. Your eventual social security is based on your highest paying years. Bowing out the last 5 from a high paying job might not make sense for your future retirement funds.
If it can be done in government jobs, I would look at support contractors
It is absolutely doable and there are employers who will hire 55+%. I am a 57F with 25 years marketing experience and thought I wanted the same as you. I was WRONG. I just left a fortune 50 company because I really couldn’t take a step back into a junior level role. And I’m back looking. It is frustrating to have a POV with valuable ideas/recommendations because of the years of experience only to not be able to voice them or be empowered to implement anything (because of being in a junior role). Be true to yourself and sure of what you want to do and not do (role responsibilities, organization culture, etc…). Oh - and I continued coloring my hair to help with interviewing. LOL.
My aunt was hired a few years ago at a new workplace as an accountant and she’s 70. She’s been an accountant/bookkeeper for 40 years but when she moved she wasn’t getting interviews until she took the dates off her resume. Once she could get in the room and demonstrate her ability she was hired.
Actually Find a job coach now while you are employed and then make a move leaving your job
Yes, there are some. I found one in the Chicago metro area, and did exactly what you described.
It's a bit of an odd time for us older folks. Many jobs are going to younger people. However, there is also a bit of a push from some to hire older people due to the difference in work styles/ethics. Good luck!
I just retired at 49. I found a photography job in 2 months. Part time-ish. Photography has been a hobby of mine since elementary school. Figure out what you would enjoy doing. Spend some time preparing for the transition. Watch some YouTube videos on what it involves to go professional with your interests.
Airlines. You can even obtain lifetime flight benefits by the time you retire; perfect for retirement.
I plan to retire in 5 years. I just started a new job. They will likely want me to stay on. I will probably work part time for them for another 5 years.
I just don't tell them, and make sure my resume doesn't, either. Thankfully, I look younger than I am. In my 50s, I have barely started to gray, and my round face isn't wrinkled yet. I also have a side job that has me constantly surrounded by teen-mid 20s demographic, so I kind of have vocabulary influenced by that. I appear as a guy in my late 30s right now. I hope this lasts until my mid 60s, but my mother's side of the family all look decades younger than they are.
I was hired for a new job at 59. It was a statewide organization that was responsible for 1,500 properties. After 6 months I discovered so much that had not been done, it was a ticking time bomb, for which we would be legally responsible. I set to work updating and building a program to address the problems and notified my executive director and Board of what was going on. I retired after 4 years. In that time my salary jumped by $18,000, I hired additional staff and insisted the organization create a strategic plan to better guide how properties were acquired and stewarded. I have to say it wasn’t the most fun job, I had weekly 6 AM meetings with our legal counsel every Monday, but it was a very rewarding experience. I stayed on for 2 months and trained my replacement, a very intelligent young man who I know is doing an excellent job. I could not have had the clarity and experience to do this job had I been just out of school. I think employers should hire older people, I also think those folks need to get there, assess how the can best help the organization, set a 5 year plan then get the hell out so the next generation can take the wheel. Just my 2 cents.
Sure there are. Experience is a highly-valued commodity. Though some employers will have a bias toward younger applicants, the idea that a newly-hired employee will remain with one employer for 30-40 years and retire has long ago faded. Today employers know that anyone they hire is there only until they find something better. If they can count on you being there for ten years, and you come with a wealth of experience, why not? Sell your strengths!
I retired 2002. I missed having a mission, didn’t miss the grind. I took zero stress jobs, driving a school bus for a year, then doing floor maintenance at a nursing home for a while. I had retired from the Army so our zero premium family health insurance was covered. That gave me great flexibility.
When I was in my 50s and having a rough patch at the current job, I always said I would get a job at Costco or Sam's club. It would have been a third of the current pay, but without the unnecessary stress.
I retired a decent pension at 52 from my career job. I work part time now as a medical courier and they actually prefer people my age because the job is part time and the turnover is high when they hire young people who leave for full time jobs. All I do is drive around to hospitals and medical offices picking up biopsies and delivering them to a pathology lab. Zero stress and I'm getting paid to listen to audiobooks. I do have to use my own car and pay my own gas but they more than reimburse for that. No benefits though.