Part-Time Job Ideas for Baby Boomers

More and more baby boomers are working past the traditional retirement age, either by choice or for financial reasons. And part-time employment is becoming increasingly more popular for those boomers who want to reduce their workload and still bring home a paycheck.

“Some people are not prepared financially or mentally to retire,” says Michael Bivona, a retired CPA and author of “Retiring? Beware!! Don’t Run Out of Money and Don’t Become Bored.”

Bivona suggests the following part-time job ideas for baby boomers, whether their needs are financial or they just want a place to go every day to mingle with co-workers.

Cruise ship employment

Why not set your sails on a spectacular floating resort? Working on a cruise ship can offer room and board and the use of the facilities during your time off. It gives you an opportunity to travel to beautiful destinations, places you may have always dreamed of going to when you retired -- and you get paid for doing it.

“The opportunities on cruise ships are endless,” Bivona says. “Where else can retirees spend time teaching what they enjoy while traveling around the world, eating wonderful food and earning extra pocket money? Possible jobs onboard cruise ships include golf instructors, scuba diving/water sports instructors, bridge instructors, arts and crafts instructors, caricature artists, dance instructors and photographers. I have a friend who has been a dance host on ships for six years, and plans on continuing for as long as his legs hold out.”

Librarian

Libraries worldwide are changing from a location where paper records and books are stored to one where all kinds of media are stored, including virtual libraries. If books have always been your passion, a relatively “quiet” librarian might be your part-time employment choice.

“The job openings for librarians can be very lucrative,” says Bivona. “Some universities and colleges have 24/7 hours of operations, while neighborhood libraries, although they have shorter hours, still offer part-timers the opportunity to earn extra money while working in a quiet setting. As most libraries are computer driven, it also gives baby boomers a chance to fine-tune their PC skills.”

Bookkeeper

If you are a retired bookkeeper and enjoyed your work, you can continue your career on a part-time basis with a small business and in some cases, work from your home.

“Having retired from the accounting profession and the computer enhancement industry, [I know] there is a shortage of qualified people to perform bookkeeping-computer work and that the wages and flexible time schedules can be very attractive for part-timers. In many instances the work can be performed at home for those who have computers and prefer being in a quiet environment,” says Bivona.

Virtual assistant

A virtual assistant does a lot of the same things an in-office assistant would do. The only difference is that this assistant works virtually through telecommunication. The tasks you are requested to complete will vary, depending on your employer’s business and needs.

“In many cases,” Bivona says, “people contemplating retirement can make arrangements with their employers to continue as part-time virtual assistants. The attractions are that they can work at home and avoid the stress of travelling and workplace politics. Many college certification courses for this type of work have referral services for possible student placement.”

Amusement parks and resorts

Disney has job openings from dressing as a member of “Mickey’s” family to escorting tourists around their entertainment facilities. Some of the jobs baby boomers might enjoy are loading and unloading passengers from rides, doling out costumes at wardrobe facilities, staffing gift shops and concession stands in the park and driving their many vehicles on and off the premises.

“Certainly a great place for anyone that believes in magic and loves dealing with children aged one to ninety,” says Bivona. “Disney doesn’t have a monopoly on seasonal and part-time employment. Football and baseball stadiums have a multitude of part-time jobs available such as ticket takers, ushers, driving players and staff to and from airports and clerical work. What better way to earn additional income than to be in an environment that one might love?”