Encore Careers for Baby Boomers
Today, thanks to healthier lifestyles and innovations in pharmaceuticals and medical technologies, people are living longer, more active lives well past the age of retirement. As the baby boomer generation moves into their senior years, this often creates a need to continue working – to combat boredom, earn income so they don’t outlive their retirement accounts, or simply because they want to add another interesting stage to their lives.
If you have earned the right to retire, but are not looking to put up your feet poolside, wander the highways in your RV, or live out the rest of your days relaxing on your front porch, you may want to take this opportunity to begin an “encore career.” You can branch out to do something completely different from what you’ve dedicated the majority of your working career to. Recent studies have shown that there are already 9 million baby boomers ages 59 to 70 working in such encore careers – focusing less on gathering a nest-egg, and more on attaining personal fulfilment in a cause greater than mere financial gain.
Encore careers often revolve around helping others or making the world a better place. Baby boomers are finding personal fulfillment, stimulation, and new learning as educators, social workers, mentors, or even missionaries. Although the economy is still struggling and many people are out of work, with a lifetime of experience in your portfolio, it is easier than you may believe to launch a second career in your 60s, 70s, or even 80s.
If you’re considering such a career change after retirement, you do not have to leave behind the skills you have already learned. You can put your hard-won expertise to work to find a rewarding position. If you worked as an executive or manager, many non-profit organizations would be happy to take advantage of your leadership abilities. If you worked in customer service, a help-line may be just the social-service job for you.
To find an encore career that offers personal fulfillment, do a search of non-profit organizations that speak to your personal passion, and give them a call to see what positions might be up your alley. For active baby boomers, retirement can be a time of rediscovery of your passions and an exciting new phase of your life.
Originally posted 2014-08-07 19:48:01.
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