Smart Advice for Baby Boomers Who Need or Want a Job

It's not uncommon for those in their 50s, 60s and older to return to the work force. Some return out of necessity due to a lost pension or increasing living expenses. Others may want to simply supplement their retirement income with a little extra spending money for greens fees. Still others miss the workplace itself because it gives them an opportunity to interact with others.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that those older than 55 will make up 19% of our workforce by 2012. As this percentage continues to grow, Boomers may find the competition for jobs increasingly difficult. The solution? Better planning. As retired Chrysler exec Lee Iacocca said in the June 24, 1996, issue of Fortune magazine, "You plan everything in life, and then the roof caves in on you because you haven't done enough thinking about who you are and what you should do with the rest of your life."

If you are returning to the work force in your 50s, 60s or higher, chances are you don't want to do the same work you did throughout most of your life. You want new work experiences. And they must be rewarding, financially and personally. Part-time work may be okay for some. A new career as a business owner is also an option, if you have the grit to grow it. Whatever you choose, you are going to learn, as others have, that your best chances for opportunity and success as a Baby Boomer in today's workplace will come by applying the talent and experience you gained over a lifetime, but in new and unique ways. Let's look at a couple of examples:

At 62, Anne retired after several years of working third shift as a pediatric nurse. She enjoyed her retirement, especially the relaxed pace, until her husband died, leaving her with unanticipated financial obligations. Anne had no choice. She had to return to work. Yet the thought of returning to the long and oftentimes strenuous hours of nursing at her age was something she did not want any part of. Instead, Anne discovered that her skills as a nurse gave her an opportunity to freelance as an in-home, private-duty nurse. Freelancing her skills permitted Anne to choose which patients to care for. More importantly, it allowed her the freedom to determine which days and how many hours to work. In Anne's own words, "The ability to determine my schedule while supplementing my income allowed me to have the best of both worlds."

William worked for 25 years as a project manager for manufacturing companies and evenually state government. When an early retirement incentive program was offered to him, he took it with a smile. For a long time, William had dreamed of starting a fish hatchery, but the pension prevented him from jumping in right away. To obtain the capital required for the hatchery, William leveraged his professional network to find consulting work in project management at an hourly rate. He set aside three days a week for his consulting business and was surprised by how much business he was able to find. "It has been difficult to keep the work to just three days a week," he says.

Let your current talent and experience be your springboard to NEW work ideas. As Anne and William illustrated, this simple approach to finding work after 50 can lead to new and wonderful work or second-career opportunities.