Sometimes life gets in the way of life. You retired years ago, but now you find yourself looking at jobs for seniors. Maybe it’s medical bills, a spouse in a nursing home, or maybe you just want extra spending money.
Perhaps it’s not anything remotely similar to that. Maybe you’re just bored with sitting around the house all day and are looking for a fun way to add routine to your life, to get the chance to mingle with other people, a profitable activity for seniors, you could say.
Whatever your reasons are, just know that you’re not alone. Research from 2016 showed that approximately 31% of Americans thought they would have to work past the age of 67 just to make ends meet.
So, what are some of these potential job opportunities for seniors?
Well, here are 25 great jobs for seniors to earn in retirement.
What Are the Health Benefits of Working As a Senior?
Though a younger person may find this hard to believe – having the notion that retirement is a period of one’s life filled with sandy beaches and empty schedules – there are actually a number of positive health benefits experienced by those who retain a job well after one’s typical retirement age.
For starters, just know that retirement is ranked as 10th on the list of life’s 43 most stressful events. Planning for retirement, anxiety about future finances, what the future may hold, and so on all serve as a source of tension within many peoples’ lives.
In contrast, those who delay retirement are able to put this stress off until a later time. And while studies are conflicting on whether or not retirement can truly be considered “healthy” or not, what we do know is this: there are a number of factors that can increase your mortality after you retire.
In fact, one study found that people are 40% more likely to suffer from a heart attack or stroke when compared to people who decide to delay retirement. It is this author’s opinion that such often happens as a result of difficulties with coping with the life transition (for it is a big one).
Think about it.
One’s income has suddenly dropped. One’s routine suddenly has been vaporized. The daily interaction with those who one has developed relationships with is now gone.
Those who seem to thrive the best post-retirement are those who can remember three things: forge a social network, continue to have fun, and keep learning. Perhaps one of the most vital of these factors is to continue to seek out human contact.
Studies show that those who build a strong social network can actually lower their mortality risk by about 45%. What is interesting about all this is that it perfectly applies to retaining a job as well. If you decide to go back to work, you will automatically be throwing yourself into an environment where you are going to have increased social networking.
You’ll meet new people, develop friendships, and get to share life experiences with others. Human beings are created as social creatures. We do not do well in isolation. It’s this daily interaction with other people that has often been attributable to a long and healthy life.
In fact, when researchers examined the community of Roseto, Pennsylvania, that’s exactly what they found. Despite a high prevalence of smoking, regular alcohol intake, and a diet high in fat, it was noted that the community had a virtually non-existent rate of heart disease.
The cause?
Roseto was a very tight-knit Italian community in which daily interaction with others was simply a part of life. Researchers deemed this – simple human contact – to be heart protective.
So yes, while having a job past the typical retirement age will most certainly help out your wallet, it may very well help to improve your health as well.
Is It Impossible to Find a Job As a Senior?
There seems to be a long-held notion that once you reach a certain age that it’s impossible to find a job. While it is true that it may be more difficult to find a job within the same field you’ve always worked in, as a senior you still can find plenty of jobs within your area.
As a matter of fact, the data seems to suggest that there is a growing movement of older people into the American workplace. And if you look at current demographic trends within the United States, it appears as if we’re only going to see the number of older Americans within the workforce increase as time goes on.
It was the US Department of Labor that told us 25% of US workers would be 55+ years old by the year 2024 (just 3 years away from the time of this writing). We also know that in 2018 nearly half of all new jobs created were filled by those who were over the age of 55.
According to US Census Bureau data, by 2034, older Americans (those 65 and older) are going to outnumber younger Americans for the first time in our country’s history.
There are many implications to such information, but one of them is likely this: product is still going to need to be produced. Services are still going to need to be rendered. If the population doesn’t have as high of a proportion of younger people as it used to, somebody is going to have to fill in the gaps within the market.
This is liable to be accomplished by employers hiring more and more older employees to fill needs that younger people either are not available for or do not want.
That’s most certainly not to say that seniors are stuck with the table scraps of the job market. There are still a number of great positions out there in which a senior can engage in effectively and earn an income.
Let’s take a look at what some of those great jobs for seniors are…
25 Great Jobs for Seniors
Note – all estimated salaries were derived from Zippia, Salary.com, or Glassdoor.
1) Consultant – Do you have a very rich work history and a thorough understanding of your area of expertise? If so, you may be able to sell your knowledge by working as a consultant. Within this job your responsibilities include providing input, and maybe doing a bit of calculations. Other than that, there’s not much else you need to do here.
The average salary here is huge at $75k, so if you have the qualifications and background, this could be a very profitable means of earning extra money as a senior.
2) Uber/Lyft – If you already own a vehicle, enjoy getting to meet new people, can keep your car clean and pleasant, and are thoroughly familiar with your area, you may enjoy the opportunity of working as an Uber driver.
There’s virtually no physical activity required. You simply have to be able to drive for long periods of time. The annual salary of Uber drivers is $39k, and working with Uber is notoriously flexible, so this may be just the job for you.
Plus, roughly 23% of Uber drivers are 50+ years-old, so there’s no shortage of older drivers working for this company.
3) GrubHub – GrubHub is an app in which people place orders at their favorite restaurants for food to be delivered to their front door. As a GrubHub driver, you’d be the delivery driver. You’d need a smartphone for this and would receive notifications once there was an order in your region that needed to be delivered.
Should you accept the mission (it’s a very flexible schedule), you would then be responsible for driving to the restaurant, picking up the meal, and then delivering it to the customer’s phone. All of the money transaction is handled via the internet, so you don’t have to worry about customer’s stiffing you on the bill.
This may blow your mind, but if you deliver with GrubHub full time, your average salary could be $50k.
4) Tour Guide – Do you know everything there is to know about your location? Are you a big history buff with a love of the hidden lore of your town? Then working as a tour guide could be right up your alley.
You’ll need to have a cheerful disposition, love meeting new people, and possess the ability to effortlessly keep a conversation flowing. In many cases, there’s a good bit of walking required with such a position, so keep that in mind.
Average salary is $30k.
5) Museum Guide – Are you somebody who has a love affair with history? Perhaps you like the notion of getting to work as a reenactor, dressing in period garb as you demonstrate to patrons how bricks used to be made 200 years ago, sheep were sheared in the Middle Ages, or flintlocks were fired during the War for Independence.
If this sounds up your alley, why not search for a posting as either a museum guide or historical reenactor? The average salary is $27k, you meet new people on a daily basis, and in many cases, you’re getting to pretend your someone else.
This could be a fun job.
6) Retail Salesperson – Working in retail could be an easy-to-find job that fits your schedule perfectly. Within this job you’ll be stocking shelves, handling a cash register, assisting customers find product, and doing what you can to ensure the store runs smoothly.
If you’re looking for a steady position with some physical activity – but not an overbearing load – check out some of your local brick-and-mortar stores. Average salary is $24k, so this could be a good way to help pay off some bills.
7) Ticket Taker – If you’re looking for a job that permits you to sit in one spot, that will let you meet large scores of people, and that has differing hours, this job may be just the ticket. You’ll be checking peoples’ tickets as they enter the venue, whether that be a sporting event, a movie, a concert, or some other ticket-only event.
Average salary is $23k, so you won’t grow rich working this job, but it’s a fantastic way to keep the lights on throughout the year.
8) Usher – Finding seating at events is often difficult for customers, which is where ushers come into play. Concerts, sporting events, and other type events often require ushers in order to assure that every customer in the auditorium ends up getting a seat.
You’ll likely need to have good knees to perform this job, as repeated climbing of stairs is typically part of the job. If that sounds manageable, the average salary is $24k.
9) Hostess – If you enjoy the hustle and bustle of the restaurant, have a cheerful demeanor, and are able to stay organized well enough to keep a restaurant floor functioning efficiently, working as a hostess can be a rewarding job.
You’ll mainly be ushering people to their seats as you ensure that guests are distributed evenly and efficiently throughout the restaurant and across servers. Average salary is $23k and be prepared to be asked to work later shifts.
10) Greeter – You know those people who sit at the front door of Walmart saying hi to everybody as they enter the door? Those people are called greeters, and it’s a relatively easy position to lay hold of. You need to be a people person with a cheerful demeanor and have the ability to sit for long periods of time (likely on a bar stool), but this can be a great and relatively easy way to earn some extra money.
Average salary for greeters is $23k.
11) Patient Sitter – Many families throughout America either have a handicapped child or a spouse/parent that needs to be monitored throughout the day, typically as the normal caretaker goes off to work. Stroke victims, dementia/Alzheimer’s patients, children with mental handicaps are often those you’ll be working with.
Responsibilities include preparing meals, assisting with using the bathroom, ensuring medications are taken, and entertaining. It’s not always the easiest of jobs, but it can be incredibly rewarding.
Average salary is $22k.
12) Handyman – Let’s say you have quite the tool collection, and not only do you know how to use all of them, but you’re good at using all of them as well. If this sounds like you, why not seek a job that’s a little more hands-on?
A handyman could very well be a great fit for you, and it would give you an excuse to purchase more tools! It’s a win-win! The average salary is $50k as well, which is nothing to turn up your nose at.
13) Janitor – Businesses cannot attract customers if they look like dumps. However, not every business out there has the time or employees to spare to clean their own buildings. This is where janitors come into play. There are a number of organizations out there that keep a “bank” of janitors on staff, letting them sign up for freelance assignments.
This gives you a very flexible schedule. There is a fair amount of physical labor involved with being a janitor, so unless you feel comfortable being on your feet for long periods of time, moving trash cans, and the like, this may not be for you.
The average salary is $23k.
14) Food Demonstrator – You know those people at your local Sam’s Club who set up their little booth and hand out free samples of crackers with Cheez Whiz? Those people are called food demonstrators. If you can tolerate standing in one location for long periods of time (though chairs are often provided) and handing out food samples with a smile to people as you make small talk, then you have the requirements needed to work as a food demonstrator.
The average salary is $27k. Not too shabby for handing out crackers.
15) Shelf Stocker – If you’re in relatively good physical condition, want a job where you’ll get to work around other people, and like organizing things, why not look into working as a shelf-stocker at your local grocery store? Provided you can set cases of food down onto a dolly and push it around a store, you have the physical requirements needed. Just be wary that there is a lot of time that is spent on one’s feet in such a job.
The average salary is $28k, so this is a good, activity-laden way to make sure you’re not only getting your daily step intake but are helping to put bread on the table (and others’) as well.
16) Hotel Front Desk – If you’re somebody who doesn’t mind working very early or working very late, enjoys dressing up, and are able to handle working with a smile as you navigate around a customer’s problems, then working at the front desk of a hotel may be a good fit for you.
This job requires minimal physical activity, but it does require some emotional stamina in order to be able to work with the occasional irate or disrespectful customer. If that sounds manageable to you, your average salary could be $29k.
17) School Bus Driver – If you’re good with kids, can operate a large vehicle, and don’t mind waking up early, being a school bus driver may be a perfect fit for you. Specialized training is involved, but there seems to be a chronic shortage of school bus drivers throughout the country, so you should have no problem finding a position to fill should this be the route you want to take.
On average, school bus drivers make $35k too, so that’s not a bad way to earn a living – especially considering you only have to make a route twice a day.
18) Bed and Breakfast Cook – If you enjoy cooking, other people enjoy eating your cooking, you have a cheerful demeanor, love meeting new people, and are capable of waking up early on a daily basis, working as a bed and breakfast cook could be the perfect fit for you.
There are plenty of B-n-B owners out there who have the lodgings, they just don’t have the cooking skills. In such cases, they often seek to farm out that job to somebody else. Typically, the only job requirement is the ability to consistently cook up a fantastic breakfast complete with a killer cup of coffee.
Average salary is $36k.
19) Secretary – If you’re a very organized person, are good with people, are handy with a computer, phone, and calendar, and aren’t afraid of telling people ‘no’, then working as a secretary would likely fit your personality well.
This is a very low physical activity job in which you’ll spend the majority of your time in an office chair at a desk as you direct customers, answer phones, and organize others’ schedules. Average salary is $39k, and this is a great position for those who are looking for a full-time gig with plenty of routine.
20) Bookstore Worker – If you consider yourself something of a bibliophile and enjoy the feeling of a good book in your hands, why not check out working as a bookstore worker? Responsibilities include stocking shelves, directing customers to items they’re looking for, working the cash register, and offering recommendations when a customer can’t find what they’re looking for.
This could be a bookworm’s dream job. Average salary is around $25k.
21) Visitor Center Front Desk – It’s hard to find salary information on this type of job, but this could be a great way to make some extra money as you meet people throughout the course of the day. Typically, the job entails sitting in an office chair behind a desk as you field questions from tourists or newcomers to your location.
It’s not a difficult job by any means, requires minimal physical activity, and gives constant human interaction throughout the course of the day. If you know all the little-known treasures within your community, this may be a great way to help spread the knowledge.
22) Interpreter – If you’re bilingual and are wanting a low-activity job that only requires your being able to listen and talk, then why not look into working as an interpreter? The average salary here is $40k, and from this author’s experience, if you’re able to speak a less common language within the United States (such as Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin, or ASL) you can make even more.
Within this author’s location, reports are that ASL interpreters for local hospitals are making $80k. And let’s not forget that Klingon has been a sought-after ability in the past as well. So if you long ago learned a foreign language, this could very well be an easy way to make extra cash.
23) Nanny – If you’re good with kids, and have the energy to deal with them, perhaps you would enjoy working as a nanny. More American women are in the workforce than ever before, and this has resulted in many of them wanting somebody to watch their children as they go off to work.
There are a number of ways to get started in working as a nanny, with Care.com being one of the largest sources for nanny searches. However, many of these positions are only heard about through word-of-mouth. Letting friends and family members from church know this is a position you’re interested in is a great way to end up finding a job here. Salary average $40k, so this is a good way to make cash.
24) Pet Sitter – This typically isn’t a full-time job, but instead a means to make a little extra cash on the side. The job typically entails watching somebody’s dog or cat as the owner goes on vacation. Duties would include changing litter boxes, taking dogs out to go potty, playing with animals, ensuring things aren’t being destroyed, and potentially taking dogs on walks as well.
It’s a relatively easy job that doesn’t entail a lot of activity, and in which a lot of reading can be accomplished while the job is being done as well. Per year, pet sitters pull in roughly $10k. So while this may not be the most lucrative job position out there, it is a way to make some extra money in a very easy fashion.
25) Realtor – If you enjoy the realty process and shopping for homes, perhaps you would enjoy working as a realtor. There is quite a learning curve in order to be licensed to work as such, and you are going to need specialized training, a license, and likely need to join a local realtor group, but if none of that sounds formidable, this can be a great way to earn extra money.
You’re going to need a good memory, great interpersonal skills, to be well-organized, and good internet connection/computer skills if this is a job which sounds enjoyable. The salary ranges between $66k – $87k, meaning this can be a fantastic way to earn quite a bit of money.
Further Reading
Retirement comes later for some than it does for others. Some people simply find out that retirement is not for them. Wherever you find yourself in the scheme of things, just know that there are a number of great positions out there available to you regardless of your skillset.
Yes, you’ll have to ‘shop around’ in a sense to find the position that best matches your personality, skillset, and physical capabilities, but really, is that any different from what you did when you were younger?
The point is that you have options. You don’t have to feel as if you’re permanently delegated to the curb of the job world after you turn 65.
Want to read more on the subject? Consider these titles:
- Lightwood, Carol (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
What are your thoughts on the job postings we’ve listed? Do you work in any of them? Are there other jobs you believe should be added to the list? Do you have the intention to apply for jobs sometime soon? Let us know in the comments below!
Additional References:
https://www.aarp.org/work/working-at-50-plus/info-2019/2018-jobs-older-workers.html
https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2018/03/graying-america.html
