New career ideas at age 60!

S

Salvadore

Registered User
Messages
918
A couple of friends and I are approaching a significant birthday and were recently discussing future options.

We’re all reasonably well sorted financially (mortgage cleared, modest savings, no major outgoings etc) and while we all intend to retire, we recognise the need to stay busy and relevant. We’d like to continue to participate in the the world of work but on terms that are more palatable. We all agree we’d like to do something different.

We’ve identified the following criteria:

1. Any future work should be paid but the rate of pay is less important (so that our time would continue to have a value).

2. Nothing that would involve wearing a uniform/hi-viz jacket (i.e. no McDonald’s, Woodies or exposure to bad weather)

3. Nothing with exposure to screaming kids

4. Avoidance of companies offering “a fast-paced environment with opportunities for growth and development”

5. No driving jobs

The list is by no means exhaustive and remains a work in progress.

Any ideas??
 
Retire in good time and take up a Hobby/pastime leave the option open in your head that you may return to the work force in the future if something that interest ye comes up,
I suspect ye will shortly be wondering how ye ever had time to work,
Five years in time is nothing when you are in you are fifty when you get to 65 in five years you will be 70 and you will realize you best years to enjoy retirement was between age 60 to 70,
 
Last edited:
Had the same conversation with a mate of mine, both wandering home after a few pints one Friday night. He had retired from a senior role in banking (he had done his 40 years) but he was only one year older than me (I'm 61). I was giving out to him that he was going to blow a big hole in that Lump Sum with all the jollies he had taken. Now he did have a small part-time job helping auctioneers with valuations etc.

To say it was like a Saul on the road to Damascus moment is understating it. He said, you must do things NOW.... travel, holidays, hobbies etc. Actuarially they will tell you you will live to 79 - 80 but in reality, once you cross 70 things will slow down. You will be either unwilling, unable or too afraid to take on adventures, therefore, you must do it NOW!

Made sense!!
 
Did you come up with any jobs you would like.

I was on the long term airport shuttle bus a few years ago and a retired guy I knew was driving the bus. He lived near the airport. Handy job driving around a few kilometre route and he was having a good banter with the passengers.
 
Another mate of mine early 60s had a takeaway chipper. Got fed up of the late nights, sold the shop and now is doing a bus run for a number of schools... a sensible way to wind down
 
Any language skills? I would love the idea of spending time in mainland Europe as a tour guide or teaching English. Language skills probably not even required in some cases.

Bookselling or working in some form or another in a library or museum would strike me as being a lovely way to work when I am older.
 
Book sellling is heavy work, carting around boxes of books.
Invigilating exams in university.
Census takers
Polling stations
Office administrator
Receptionist for small businesses
Accounts assistance
Part time research interviewers
Data entry
If you are a professional various government bodies are often looking for experts to audit their various schemes, schemes you probably worked within in your professional life.
Part time teaching or lecturing in your professional field.
There are a lot of local part time driving jobs too.
An extra in movies/soaps etc. (cautionary tale here)

So be careful about PRSI contributions for the state pension if you have not achieved the max 2080 by the time you are 66. It is better to earn a small amount weekly to get an A contribution each week than have large gaps and just a few contributions each year if you are relying on the yearly average.
 
Last edited:
OPW tour guide - chats with tourists, get your steps in around a historic site and a lovely one for history buffs. They recruit for the summers, leaving you free to spend the winters following the sun:

Testimonials | Heritage Ireland

Our Guides represent the public face of the OPW, showcasing Ireland’s most important heritage sites. The Guide Service plays a vital role in conserving and
heritageireland.ie
 
Leper said:
Look in the mirror and tell yourself to retire before it’s too late and while you’re in good health. You’ll never get these years back.
Click to expand...

Inclined to agree.

I took early retirement in 50s, upskilled with Dept of Social Protection and, fortunately was able to get a job working part-time for 12 years, and enjoyed it. As was caring for relative the part-time was the best option. Needless to say with only part-time it didn't pay a lot.

Even the part-time can tie you down with regard to heading off on hols whenever it suits you. Though I did enjoy it, would probably not bother doing it if had the time over. As Leper says "you'll never get those years back". Ill health has taught me this lesson over the past few years.

If you can afford it go and enjoy life while you're still relatively young and healthy. As lots of people say while enjoying retirement "they don't know how they ever had time to work also". It is so nice to be able to stretch that hand out, switch off the alarm and not care.
 
Leper said:
Look in the mirror and tell yourself to retire before it’s too late and while you’re in good health.
Click to expand...
Wise words I guess. But I can’t imagine giving up work completely. Too much of a shock to the system.
Up Rovers said:
It is so nice to be able to stretch that hand out, switch off the alarm and not care
Click to expand...
Good to hear you’re enjoying your retirement. But have you ever missed the world of work? Not just the pay but the social interaction that comes with it?
 
Thanks. I heard something similar myself.
 
Salvadore said:
But have you ever missed the world of work? Not just the pay but the social interaction that comes with it?
Click to expand...
I've never understood this perspective to be honest. The people you work with are quite literally paid to be in the same place at the same time as you. If I'm feeling sociable I'd much prefer nattering away to friends or family- people who choose to be there and also actually have the option of walking away from the conversation...
 
Plus with hybrid working or even largely remote working being the norm now, the social aspect and chit chat and small talk in the coffee room or training events has almost disappeared. No way I'll miss the Zoom calls and the Zoom training events

There is a lot of evidence to show though that people with a "work friend" are more productive and way happier at work. Sure there are many people you would rather never see again but also sometimes a few decent like-minded folk who you might miss a bit
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register