Thursday, June 17, 2010

Post-Retirement Jobs

The word retirement used to mean you were ending your career in search of rest, relaxation, and travel. But today, retirement is more about ending your lifelong career (generally after the age of 50) in search of another opportunity in the workforce. This new opportunity could mean simply working in the local florist, specialty shop, or electronics store; converting a long-time hobby into a job; or consulting in the line of work from which you just departed.

Before you start your retirement job search, it’s a great idea to develop a plan. Update your resume, determine your strengths and weaknesses, draft a list of your transferable skills, and focus on what type of job you want.

Once everything is in place, your best source for searching is your own network. If you haven’t signed up for LinkedIn yet, do so. LinkedIn is a professional online network, and often its members can turn into great resources to help in your job search.

You should also consider using online job search engines like Indeed.com to view available jobs from multiple company sites and job boards. It can be accessed through the "Find Jobs" section of Career Transitions, There are even web sites developed specifically for job seekers over the age of 50, such as retiredbrains.com, jobsover50.com, and retirementjobs.com.

The most important thing to remember—especially when reaching out to companies and during the interview process—is to focus on your skills and the value you bring to the company. After all, that company will be getting a more experienced, reliable, and flexible addition to its team.

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