5 Great Jobs For Retirees

Job ideas for retirees.

With the economy in trouble and the housing market on the rocks, many people who have recently retired or are planning on retiring soon have found themselves considering finding a new job for the short term. Taking a part time job for a couple of years can make a huge difference to your budget and give you a way to transition into retirement without leaving the workforce all at once.

If you have been thinking about getting a part time job during retirement, here are some jobs you may not have thought about:

Working Freelance - Depending on what your prior career was, you may be able to find temporary work as a freelancer or a consultant. Join social networking sites like Linkedin and look for companies that may be able to use your particular skills and talents. Some of these freelance jobs can be part time or work from home or even full time for a temporary period. Since you would be working for yourself, you would be able to work as much or as little as you'd like.

Working part time at your same job - This is becoming a more common option for those who are planning on retiring in the near future. Often, the company you already work for will offer you part time work doing the same thing you have been already doing. The key to getting this type of offer is to speak with your supervisor and let them know that you would be interested in this type of arrangement. Also, many companies offer job sharing, where several people share a full time job. For example, one person might need the benefits, and the other might want the part time salary, so they split the hours and the pay in a pre-determined way.

Look for seasonal work - Think about your hobbies and the things you enjoy, then look for seasonal work that would allow you to enjoy your part time job. For example, if you love to read, look for a part time job at a bookstore. If you love cooking, then how about a job at an organic food store?

Start your own business - This doesn't have to be elaborate, but if you think about the skills you have and what you are good at, you might be able to find a way to make money doing it. For example, offering handy man services or cooking meals for busy families. If you are great at sewing, offering to do alterations or make dresses can be a huge success. Whatever it is that you like to do, find a way to offer the service for a fee to others.

Get involved with community events- Think about your local sports team, stadium, fairground or even golf courses. Most of these places hire part time employees to help with things from parking, ushering and even just cutting the grass. These are great opportunities to get out of the house and involved with the local community while still earning a little extra money.

When you are looking for a part time job, it's helpful to think outside of the traditional options to find something that will be fun, rewarding and lucrative.

What other jobs do you think would be interesting options? If you are retired, what types of jobs have your found? Let me know in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog and Nexxt, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.