Seeking a part-time job or temporary assignment? Start here.
By Art Koff

You’ve been thinking of looking for a job for a long time, but have no clue how to find one. You worry that employers won’t be interested in hiring a senior like you, anyway.

The traditional model of what you do after retirement has changed. By 2012, workers 55 and older will comprise about 20% of the labor force. Nowadays, retirees and older workers often take part-time or temporary jobs or accept project assignments. Many do so out of boredom, but many need the income to help pay the greatly increased cost of health care.

A Fidelity Investments survey showed that one in three working adults is delaying retirement plans for financial reasons. Recent studies show that for a couple who retire at 65 the out-of-pocket cost of healthcare has skyrocketed to between $220,000 and $300,000.

More employers find it cost-effective to hire older workers, since they will often take a part-time or temporary assignment for less than the rate they commanded when they worked full time. Employers usually are not required to pay benefits for part-time/temporary hires, so hiring retirees is a win-win for employer and older worker. We are fast approaching a time where employers may need older workers as much as — even more than —- the workers need jobs.

The mature skill set
Surveys indicate that many employers find older employees are more likely to be punctual, committed to quality and have better people and customer-sevice skills and a more positive attitude. They are less likely to be absent from work, change jobs, and need a lot less training.

In almost every area other than their knowledge of technology, older workers provide employers with a more cost-effective hire than do their younger counterparts.

If you are interested in continuing to work after retirement you should plan for that now. Talk with your current employer about ways you can continue to contribute. If you are already retired check with temporary-employment firms; many have divisions that specialize in staffing with older workers and will provide training. Those that do not, are more interested in whether you can do the job than how old you are. If you are able to work unusual hours, times most people are not interested in working, make sure to tell the temp counselor as well and include that on your application. Working through a temp agency builds your résumé and can help you find work more easily than if you contact an employer directly.

Job categories where older workers are most welcome and likely to find employment include: healthcare workers, pharmacists, chemists, researchers, teachers, consultants, customer service/customer relations, retail and cashiers, but there are increasingly more jobs open to seniors.

If you are interested in checking out salary information for your field of work as well as the region in which you live, check the Salary Wizard or salary information links at Job Star and Salaries Review.

Growing workforce
Depending on your skills and education you may need to revise your résumé (assuming you had one). The résumé you used when you last searched for a full-time job is no longer appropriate. Don’t try to rewrite it yourself. Go to a professional. Costs vary, but should average about $250. On the Internet you can find numerous firms that will rewrite your résumé or give you tips on writing one.

Unpublished Bureau of Labor Statistics data analyzed by Challenger Grey & Christmas, a Chicago outplacement firm, show employers are indeed embracing older workers and job seekers. As of August 2006, the number of workers 55 and older reached 24.6 million, the highest level ever recorded. About one-fourth of them (5.2 million) were 65 and older. That is a giant leap of 45% from 3.6 million in August 1996 and just below the record high of 5.4 million set in May.

The number of older workers is not only growing, it is growing faster than any other age group. The Challenger analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data found that employment among workers 55 and older grew 10.5%between 2003 and 2005.

Work and live longer
In addition to avoiding boredom and earning extra income there is another very important reason to consider working. An Israeli study of 1,000 people who continued to work at 70 and beyond found this group was 2.5 times as likely to be alive at 82 than those who had retired and weren’t working at the start of the study. The results seemed to indicate that the longer you work, the better.

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, “Research has shown that remaining challenged, especially cognitively challenged, can provide a boost to longevity.” The article quotes Dr. Michael DeBakey, who at 96 said, “Work can block out the unpleasant things we have to deal with every day. When you concentrate, you are not distracted by the things that are bothering you.”

Art Koff, a senior in his 70s, is the founder of RetiredBrains and author of Invent Your Retirement: Resources for the Good Life

Online Resources:

These sites list jobs posted by employers who are seeking older workers. There is no cost to search for a job or post your resume.

www.retiredbrains.com
www.seniors4hire.org
www.retirementjobs.com
www.retireecareers.com
www.seniorjobbank.org
www.seniorhelpwanted.com
www.ncoa.org