Older People Looking for Jobs Use Life Experiences and Innovation

Sep 18, 2011
Mary King

Older People Looking for Job Ideas Can Rely on Life Experiences and Skills - Neeta_Lind

Now is the time for seniors to put skills & lifetime experiences to work. Combine traditional employment with innovative strategies to create your own job.

What could be better than working at a job(s) that you really want to do? What if you could set the limits on how hard you work and decide how much you get paid? It is possible for an older person to find work, but it takes discipline, drive and an innovative mindset to succeed.

Older People Can Find Employment by Filling Part-Time and/or Temporary Positions

Two years have elapsed since the recession began in 2009, and workers are still being laid off. With all the company layoffs and downsizing, what kinds of jobs are available to workers age 50 and older? You might be surprised.

Do you:

Know how to play piano or other instrument? Teach lessons. Check with churches to see if they're hiring for holiday work – extra services, children's plays and choir accompanist. Don't forget weddings and funerals, too.
Know how to install plumbing, or perform subcontractor work in a home? Instruct a DIY class at a community school. Or, check out hardware and home improvement stores that might pay you to put on a Saturday morning demo.
Love children? Moms and Dads are always looking for nannies, after-school carers, special-needs caregivers, tutors and weekend help, all with experience.
Know something about elder-care? This field is wide open for sitters and companions. Light housekeeping duties added on could mean more pay. Or, teach a community school class on caregiver duties to spouses and loved ones that are new to the role.
Love to drive? Run errands, shuttle vehicles between cities for auto dealers, or chauffeur other elders to appointments. Or, teach a DIY class on basic auto mechanics.
Have managerial skills and/or enjoy traveling in your RV? Try work camping, also called workamping, as explained on website, Work-Camping.
Consider yourself a computer genius? Make house-calls and get paid to help older people learn basic and intermediate skills. Or, offer services to others who aren't so computer literate.
Own a pickup truck? Thrift stores often don't deliver. Clear it with the manager first. Set a travel radius – say ten miles – and charge $20-$25 cash per trip. You might need a helper now and then, but the end profit is still fair money.

There are all kinds of niche jobs seniors can fill – services for private citizens, special-needs and one-time jobs, and temporary business jobs. All one has to do is make himself or herself available. Even if you're 60 or older, and have never worked for hire a day in your life, you can find work by filling a need for someone who's willing to pay.

Organize parties for children. Offer your skills as gardener. Cater small social events – a holiday wine and cheese party, for example – in the homes of busy adults. Offer to provide live music in a department store or restaurant during the holidays for a fee. Who knows how far you can go if an original idea catches on!

AARP Offers Hope with an Example of Seniors Making Their Own Kind of Work

A new placement agency, called Rent-a-Grandma, rents out senior women as grandmas. Applicants age 50 and older are screened as caregivers for children and older adults. A staff writer for the September 2011 issue of the AARP Bulletin, (p.6) offers insight in the article, "Looking for Grannies as Caregivers". The author says, "Launched a year ago, the Los Angeles-based employment service is expanding nationwide."

The article quotes Todd Pliss, Rent-a-Grandma founder and president, who explains, "A lot of our 'grandmas' are college-educated, and some of them have worked for school districts." The article continues with more detail – applicants need not be grandmas (i.e. blood relatives), and the work might include some housekeeping, cooking or whatever is agreed upon in the job description. Assignments for workers average $14 to $18 hourly (Los Angeles).

Self-Employed Seniors Just Starting Out

Self employment is liberating; but if you're going to be any good at it, then you have to follow a few guidelines. Of course there will be the required legal documents. Remember too, that self-discipline and organization are a must, even for part-time workers.

Here are a few rules, tips, guidelines – whatever you want to call them – that can help make self employment work:

Upgrade your résumé to reflect your talents and skills as well as former work experience. Be sure to include any special certifications and accomplishments.
Earned income is taxable, so be sure to connect with the IRS once you begin working.
You may be limited on how much you can earn if you're already collecting Social Security benefits, so check the guidelines for going back to work and inform the SSA of what you're doing.
Be prepared before seeking a caregiver or similar position. Get a current state/national background check, fingerprints and references. Check with your local law enforcement agency and the Department of Children and Family Services (or similar for your area) for any other requirements.
Details count when you're an older person looking for work. It isn't necessary to spend a fortune, but invest in some business cards and brochures that highlight your skills. Spread the word through your church bulletin, former coworkers, colleagues and friends. Post on public bulletin boards, too.
If you have reviews from former clients or a portfolio of past work you've done, then keep these handy for potential jobs.
Make yourself stand out. If you're looking for work as an independent nanny or private caregiver, then take a Red Cross CPR course or basic lifesaving course. Both can certainly help your chances of being hired to work in someone's home.

Seniors have accumulated a lifetime of experiences. Why not put your decades of knowledge and life skills to work? With the right amounts of attitude and effort, you might just be able to rebuild the nest egg you lost in the 2009 recession. You may even be able to keep your independence longer, plus you will surely enjoy a satisfying, productive lifestyle for many more years to come.

Sources

AARP Bulletin (Hard-copy edition): "Looking for Grannies as Caregivers" (Staff writer, Sept. 2011, p. 6).
Work-Camping (Online): "Work Camping: At Recreation Resource Management" (Staff, No year).
Suite101 (Online): "Find a Job While RV Camping, Work for Services or a Paycheck" (Mary King, April 2010)