For many, retirement is a life stage where one can sit back, relax, and enjoy life.
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Or maybe it’s when one travels all over the country or the world, even.
But other retirees actually keep on working. They either continue their profession in a different capacity, or try out a different career.
So if you’re considering working in retirement, know that you’re certainly not alone.
Retirees look for work in their retirement years mainly because of financial reasons, but plenty of them want to work; either because they want to keep their brains alert, they want a sense of purpose, or they simply genuinely enjoy what they do.
The pandemic didn’t help, either.
A recent FlexJobs survey found that after the pandemic hit, a mere 9% of older workers feel financially secure.
And retirees are turning to the internet to find online jobs that allow them to work at a more relaxed pace, dictate their schedules, have a less stressful work environment, and grab opportunities for something new.
Today, we take a look at various work from home jobs for retirees.
What Types of Work at Home Jobs are Available for Retirees?
No one can force you to retire from your job unless your state or profession has a mandatory retirement age (military, Supreme Court, etc.).
Forced retirement based on age is even illegal. But if retirement is on the horizon or if you’re newly retired, a home-based job may be something you’d be interested in.
Unfortunately, trying to find an online job can be confusing at first. Don’t get turned off too soon.
See which group of retirees you belong to discover what types of work from home jobs for retirees are available for you:
Retirees who want to continue their profession in a different capacity
If you’ve been an accountant your whole life and want to continue doing what you love after retirement, you’re in luck.
This group of retirees has an easier transition from traditional jobs to work-from-home jobs since they already have extensive experience.
Those who’ve worked as teachers, customer service providers, architects, artists, and other similar jobs can easily find the same jobs online and work in the comforts of their own homes.
Unfortunately, there are particular jobs that have no home-based counterparts, such as those in the construction or manufacturing industries. Your best bet is to change careers (see the next group) or to start an online business.
Retirees who want to change careers completely
Whether you’re up for a challenge, want a simpler job, or have no choice but to switch careers after retirement, know that you have plenty of options for home-based work.
From online chat support to social media manager, marketing gigs, IT-related work, education, and more, it’s inevitable that you’d find something you’re interested in.
Retirees who want to start a business (and quit being an employee altogether)
For retirees who plan to set up a business but weren’t able to save up enough to use as capital, retirement gives you the perfect opportunity to quit being an employee and begin an online business from scratch.
Like many who have successfully started an online business, the journey can be scary or confusing at first. However, since you can operate the entire business from home, you’ll be able to save on expenses such as transportation and rent.
Whichever group of retirees you fall under – whether you’re continuing your profession, changing careers or starting your own business – you’d soon realize that the next phase of your life involves a good way of earning extra cash that can increase and take the place of a full-time job.
The Best Work from Home Jobs for Retirees
There is a plethora of online jobs that you can do after retirement.
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It just depends on the type of job you’re comfortable doing and the skills you already have (or are willing to learn). Before searching for the perfect job, you’d have to focus on your passion, interests, hobbies, skill set, and considerations such as hours of availability, amount of income needed, and openness to learning new things.
Here is a list of work from home jobs for retirees to inspire you.
1. Career coach
If you genuinely enjoyed your previous job and if you like mentoring newbies to the industry, being a career coach can be a good fit for you.
You can help those who are applying to jobs in our field by sharing your own experiences and career path, coaching them for interviews, as well as looking over and reviewing their résumés.
Thanks to modern video call software, you can work as a career coach from your home or anywhere that has an internet connection.
2. Consultant
Perhaps your skills and qualifications can help entire companies flourish. These companies or consulting groups would be willing to pay you for your expertise.
Use your background and experience to help companies to set their goals, overcome any obstacles to these goals, and plan for the future.
3. Bookkeeper
Working a financial job if it wasn’t your original career may sound daunting, but if you’re willing to be trained and to study hard, you can start by working as a bookkeeper.
Bookkeepers maintain the day-to-day financial records of a company, such as sales records, invoices, bill payments, pay slips, and other similar transactions.
If you’re shifting careers, being a bookkeeper is a good “starter” job for accounting and auditing because little training is required. As long as you can work with numbers and have great attention to detail, you can certainly handle bookkeeping.
On the other hand, if you’ve previously worked as an accountant, bookkeeping is a way to apply that knowledge while having fewer responsibilities and a more flexible schedule.
We’ve listed all the best places to find bookkeeping jobs.
4. Online teacher
Helping students with their schoolwork can be quite a fulfilling endeavor. Why not get paid for it, too?
What makes this a popular work from home job for retirees is that even though you didn’t have a degree in education or worked as a teacher previously, as long as you have enough knowledge of a particular subject and you’re able to communicate that knowledge, you’ll be able to find students online.
Teaching English remotely is another in-demand online job that can be perfect for retirees who don’t mind staying up late or waking up early to be able to work with students in places with different time zones.
Depending on the English teaching company, you might be asked to get certified to teach English.
Another field you can go into is online adult literacy, where you teach adult learners how to read or to increase their reading level. Some adult learners may be more comfortable having teachers that are older than them, and this is where you come in.
5. Virtual assistant
Virtual assistants can be given a wide variety of clerical and administrative tasks. They may book appointments, schedule meetings, make and respond to phone calls, manage email accounts, organize files, create presentations, do some research, and many other similar tasks and combinations thereof.
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And they do these all right in their own homes.
Time management and organizational skills are a must for this job, as well as some financial skills, depending on the duties assigned by the individual or the business.
6. Paralegal
Paralegals provide support to lawyers by doing tasks such as legal research, organizing documents, maintaining files, writing reports, communicating with clients through various channels, and any other related task that law firms big and small may require.
If you used to be in the legal profession and want to still work in it but with different responsibilities and more flexible hours, being a paralegal might appeal to you.
However, if you don’t have experience in the legal field but you’re willing to learn, being a paralegal can be a great work from job for retirees.
7. Graphic designer
If you have a talent in drawing, cartoons, caricatures, logos, t-shirt designs, banners, flyers, social media hero images, and other graphic design tasks, you can offer your services full-time or part-time for businesses as well as individuals.
8. Proofreader
Do typos or spelling mistakes distract you? Do you wish you could get paid to point them out?
Proofreaders do exactly that. And nowadays, with the sheer volume of content being produced, there is a big demand for proofreaders, especially those who can do it online.
If you need some training or advice on online proofreading, try out Caitlin Pyle’s workshop at Proofread Anywhere and learn how to work as a proofreader, either for a company or for yourself.
9. Freelance writer
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never written an article in your life.
If you have something of value to share, writing will come naturally once you begin your journey in freelance writing.
Some of the types of freelance writing you can do include copywriting, résumé writing, academic writing, news writing, legal writing, blog content writing, technical writing, and many more.
We’ve shared a massive list of freelance writing jobs that you can go over and see which ones fit your knowledge and writing style.
10. Transcriptionist
Transcription requires excellent listening skills coupled with typing skills.
And if you have a background in an industry that frequently requires transcription services, then this is an online job that you’d be able to do well.
Examples of industries that regularly require transcription include the medical field, law enforcement, and digital media.
Online Business Ideas for Retirees
Of course not all retirees who want to earn post-retirement want to work, or at least not for another employer.
If you’re ready to be your own boss and work on building your own online business from scratch, retirement is probably the best time to do so.
Not only would have more free time but you’re also likely to be receiving social security or a pension that you can have as a backup income or invest in the business.
Below are effective and low-cost online business ideas you could check out:
Make and sell handmade products online.
For many retirees, retirement is a time to take up a crafting hobby (or two, or a few).
Whatever you’re into—woodworking, leathercrafting, metalworking, knitting, crocheting, quilting, jewelry making, candle making, soap making—handmade products are in demand nowadays.
Just look at sites like Etsy and Amazon Handmade for inspiration. Additionally, we have listed the best crafts to make and sell.
Buy low, sell high.
If you have a knack for finding products below market price, such as in thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, clearance sales, and other sources, you can turn this into a business!
You get high from bargain hunting while earning enough profit to fund your shopping trips and more.
Sell these items on your own website, or through sites such as Amazon, Facebook Marketplace, or eBay.
Run a dropshipping business.
Not everyone can make handmade products, though.
If you prefer to have a purely online business, you can go into dropshipping instead.
Dropshipping is a business model in which the retailer (that’s you) never handles the items for sale. Instead, you forward the order and customer address to the supplier or manufacturer, which then packages and ships the items directly to the customer.
You’d be in charge of the “selling” part, which involves marketing and promoting the products online through your own online storefront.
It’s quick and simple to start a dropshipping business, plus you don’t have to have a lot of capital since you don’t actually buy and store your inventory.
However, you’re heavily dependent on the supplier to do everything they’re supposed to do. If they’re not reliable, the business model fails.
A Warning on Online Job Scams
Whether you’re starting an online business, offering a freelance service, or applying for a full-time online job, you’ll inevitably face scammers eager to steal your precious information, fool you into investing in shady businesses, or dupe you into thinking you’re going to be paid for a month’s worth of work only to be left in the dark when it’s payday.
Unfortunately, seniors and new retirees are more often targeted by these scammers compared to any other age group. According to the FBI, elder fraud is a billion-dollar problem.
The only good thing about this is that there are resources to use, such as the Better Business Bureau or just by Googling the name or company name that you’re dealing with.
In general, you shouldn’t pay a company or a person to find work or start a new job. Most job boards are available without charge.
Red flags may include requirements such as “attend training” that you’re going to pay, list down your Social Security number to be given access, or vaguely-worded promises such as “earn unlimited amounts of money.”
Wrap Up: How to Succeed with a Work at Home Job after Retirement
Even if setting up an online business seems more laid back than traditional businesses, the key to a successful venture lies in hard work and consistency.
Consider your online gig, freelance job, blog, eCommerce site, or anything that’s keeping you busy as your full-time job.
Be consistent in promoting your website, finding new clients, expanding your consulting business, and improving your skills for your online venture. It will be hard sometimes, but if you go at it every day, you’ll reap what you sow in no time.
Aside from the links I’ve placed all over this article to help any retiree discover what the next phase of their careers would look like, feel free to check out these awesome resources:
