Dear VocationVillage.com,
I am wrapping up a 30 year career in a field I want to leave. I have enough money that I can be picky in choosing the best retirement career for myself, but not enough money that I can stop working entirely. I have no idea what I want to do. Can you give me some tips about the best retirement jobs for people like me who want to leave their prior career?
Signed,
Ken
Dallas, TX
Dear Ken,
To answer your question, I turned to two sources, a webpreneur who specializes in helping retired persons find their best retirement career path and the AARP (Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons (AARP).
Don D’Armond of Enjoy-Retirement-Jobs.com says, “Retirement should be a time of fun, excitement and enjoyment, living your fullest life possible. You’ve waited a long time for the pleasures that come in this season of your life. Let your natural gifts and experiences lead you to your best retirement jobs.”
If 30 years in one career field has left you confused about your talents and interests, most community colleges offer affordable career assessment that may be helpful to you. Private practice career counselors can also consult with you and help you to make a decision, usually in just a few hours of career exploration and planning. (I do this type of counseling and coaching – you can inquire about my services by contacting me).
The AARP publishes a list of best retirement jobs, selected because these career paths are welcoming to people aged 50+, have sufficient openings, and offer flexible schedules. You might check out if anything on the list looks interesting to you.
Hope this helps!
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My ideal vision of retirement in my ‘Third Age’ involved staying in the workforce. I wanted to pursue a second career, using my best skills and experience accumulated over decades. But I wanted more leisure time with family and friends, than I had in full time employment.
I was not interested in “retirement,” but I want to work less and at a more relaxed pace. I wanted to do something more meaningful in my retirement, and I still needed to earn some income.
My Dream Jobs:
“My Dream Jobs” is a list of fun/cool ideas. I won’t do most of them … but I could! They are offered here as thought starters:
Professional Speaker- Using my Toastmasters skills
Corporate Historian – My MBA thesis was a company case study
Retirement/Life Coaching on a cruise ship
Work in Africa – I have the contacts and I lived there in the seventies
Tour Guide – Using my extensive travel and hill walking experience
Scuba Diving – Assist my friend in his Scuba school in the Canary Islands
Learn Keyboard and Join a Band – I sang at the Village Inn CA and the China Club Hong Kong!
Local Radio presenter/DJ – I have some radio experience
Take An Acting Course and Become An Extra – I shouted the line, “Fire! Fire!” from the wings, in a Shakespearian play
Teach Neuro Linguistic Programming and Hypnosis – Which I am qualified to do
Greg Butler, Ireland