Dear Dr. Civitelli,
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,
I showed your question to Don D’Armond, a webpreneur who runs the website Enjoy-Retirement-Jobs.com. Don’s advice to you is, “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.”
An excellent source of information about retirement jobs is the AARP. They publish a list of the best employers for employees age 50+ and they routinely publish information of interest to people researching retirement careers.
If 30 years in one career field has left you confused about your talents and interests, most community colleges offer 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 via telephone – you can inquire about my services by contacting me).
Hope this helps!
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