Working Part Time in Retirement

This recession has battered retirees and the need to replace lost money is intense. Getting a part time job may be just the right solution.

One of the more interesting and very pleasant enjoyments of retirement is having the ability to do all the interesting things you always or even sometimes thought about doing. While having lots of interesting things to do does not mean you have to work, it certainly can include work in your list as long as you enjoy what you are doing and you have time to do other activities.

It will be easier to think of working part time if you realize that working from 9 to 5 is no longer your absolute mantra. The computer has enabled the adjustment of working hours as well as the location of where you work. This is probably a good time to step out of your box of traditional thinking.

Maybe it will be two or three part time jobs that you find during the year. For instance, you could be the late afternoon golf ranger working from 4 to 7 making sure players are getting around the course with no delay. If early morning is more to your liking, maybe a local school could use your services as the staff person in charge of the children who get dropped off early because their parents work.

The one factor to your getting a job is to overcome your shyness. For some reason, most people over 60 become less outgoing and shy people are invisible. Half of the problem is that you are not even aware this is happening to you. This is not the time to be shy. Decide just how much you want to earn, what you would like to do, then start networking, making queries and phone calls, and updating your resume.

It is not super easy to find part time work these days because so many people are looking for different ways to earn extra money. You have an advantage, however, as someone who is retired.

The first place you can look for employment is where you worked before. You retired from the company or the school district. Your previous employment did not disappear because of the economy but you will have to accept less pay and do not try to put yourself into your former status. Employers know your skills and you may find lots of work for you to do. For instance, if you worked for an insurance company they may love it if you came in two days a week researching claims that were disputed in whatever your area of expertise may be.

You can also look for employment with the competitors of your former employer. Those companies would prefer hiring someone they do not have to train or offer health insurance.

If you have a technical skill, business management skills, or know a foreign language or two, check out your local community colleges for a teaching job and the adult education programs in your area. Also make inquiries about part time work in businesses that hire seasonally or have unusual hours. Employers need extra help at resorts during peak vacation times including ballparks during baseball season.

Above all, make sure you enjoy what you will be doing because you will not be compensated for your value. You will be paid for the work you do and that is what you are looking for – extra money.