Working after retirement is not unusual. Seniors who have already worked 30 years or more are going back to work for several reasons. One basic reason is the increased longevity of the U.S. population. A person that retires at the age of 65 is expected to live to the age of 83. This makes a lot of years of easy-going days simply dealing with hobbies and family for seniors who are really active and have the need to continue working. Besides, living longer implies extra income to live a descent life and make the retirement years less worrisome.
Although in the past retirees relied on their pension plans, today the distressed pension funds do not provide the same benefits and do not supplement Social Security income. As a result, many retirees face hard times and look for alternative sources of income. Other reasons to seek for employment after retirement are the need of seniors to cover the emptiness of their lives or the fact that some people cannot stop working after 65 feeling the urge to offer to themselves and to society.
Thankfully, there are many seasonal jobs available for retirees. Since age is not a discriminating factor, by law, you can visit your local employment agency and see what seasonal job opportunities they have available and to which you could fit.
In particular:
Working as a Limo Driver
Many retirees choose the opportunity of working as limo drivers after retirement. It is a neat job, quite demanding that will keep you busy mostly from April to June for weddings and proms, and pays between $7.67 and $16.84 or more per hour. It can be even more profitable depending on experience, number of hours worked and customer tips. To qualify for a limo driver you should have a clean driving record in the past five years with no fines for infractions and excessive penalty points for reckless driving. Besides, you should be patient and punctual, always smile to customers and put your best face forward.
Your typical responsibilities as a limo driver include, but are not limited to, keeping the limo in meticulous order and neatness each day; holding open doors for customers; providing umbrellas in rainy weather; loading and unloading luggage. Some factors that you need to consider are long driving hours, especially if you have a back problem; driving in crowded streets; and working evening, night and weekend shifts.
Working as a Shuttle Bus Driver
If you like to be employed in the tourist industry, you can work as a shuttle bus driver for a tour company or a hotel resort. To qualify for a shuttle bus driver as a seasonal position, you have to have a clean driving record with no fines for infractions and excessive penalty points for reckless driving. Moreover, you should be friendly with tourists and willing to drive around in your shift. To find a seasonal job as a shuttle bus driver you should check with local hotels and tourist sites and get informed about the tourist services they offer.
Working as a Tax Preparer
If you have a financial background, have a degree in accounting or are familiar with taxes, you can work as a tax preparer after retirement. This is a seasonal job that typically lasts from January to April 15 (deadline for filing taxes) and pays $8.50 to $30.90 per hour. Retirees who choose to land this job after retirement often sign up with a tax preparation firm such as HR Block or Ameritax and are offered training on how to prepare taxes. Your main responsibility as a tax preparer includes the preparation of annual income tax returns for individuals of small businesses assisting them to avoid penalties and fees, interests or additional taxes that could arise from an examination by the Internal Revenue Service ( IRS ).
Under new IRS rules, by 2012, any tax preparer will be required to use IRS e-file for 11 or more tax returns and should acquire a Preparer Tax Identification Number. Also, you will be required to pass a competency exam to become an IRS registered tax return preparer and take continuing education courses.
Working as a Theme Park Seasonal Employee
If you are a well-rounded individual with a teaching résumé and public speaking skills or a degree in history or geology you can apply for a seasonal position in a theme park and get paid for $14 to $18 an hour. Many retirees work as food vendors, souvenir shop employees, admission workers or guest relations employees. In particular, the National Park Service hires 10,000 seasonal employees annually.
As a theme park seasonal worker some of your responsibilities will include guiding guests through the park, collecting fees, handing out park maps and brochures, and reporting potential safety hazards. As a theme park seasonal worker you become part of a greater team that focuses on customer satisfaction. Theme parks are nothing without their employees and your attitude toward customers plays an important role in customer perceptions. Besides, one of the best parts of being employed as a theme park seasonal employee are the benefits for retirees including free tickets, day passes for themselves and their families, or special employee days.
Working as a Pet Sitter
Many retirees work as pet sitters when people go on vacations. Pet sitting does not require years of professional experience but rather a working knowledge of animals. For instance, you should know how to feed a dog or how to walk a dog and of course how to deal with challenging animal behavior. If you don’t have any working experience as a pet sitter you can gather references from pet owners who have assigned you with taking care of their pets in the past. Also, if you had pets of your own which you had looked after for years make sure to mention it in your resume as well as what duties you carried out. Personal experience is more likely to count in landing a seasonal position as a pet sitter because pet owners love to see dedication and personal experience in caring for animals.
Sources:
http://www.aarp.org/work/working-after-retirement/info-11-2010/5-great-seasonal-jobs-for-retirees.html
http://www.ehow.com/list_7400039_seasonal-retirement-jobs.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2224067_become-tax-preparer.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1809424/how_to_work_as_a_pet_sitter_with_little.html
