Later life is all about opportunities and choices. There are
opportunities to do all those things that you always wanted to
do but couldn’t because of the lack of time. You now have to
make choices as to how you wish to spend this time that you now
have.
The first choice you have to make regarding work is, ‘Do I want
to work at all?’ After all, if you have enough money to realise
all those opportunities you see opening up you may not want to.
However, if you think you might want to do some kind of work,
the next choices are:
- Paid or voluntary work
- Full or part time work
You must be aware that finding work, be it part time or full
time, paid or voluntary, may not be easy. According to some of
the leading employment agencies, whilst there are vacancies
around, they are quickly taken. So you may have to be prepared
to act fast and be patient.
This guide is for part time jobs and work, whether paid or unpaid. People
like part time jobs and work for many reasons: flexibility, less
demanding, it allows time to do lots of other things and so on.
So:
What is Part Time Work?
If you feel that part time work or finding a part time job is for you, first of all you
might want to actually define what that means. If you work
shifts and, for example, get three or four days off because of
the shift pattern, you may consider that to be part time, even
though you might work 37 or 40 hours per week.
If you choose voluntary work, when you could be called upon
at any time of the day or night, is that part time? How many
hours a week constitute part time for you?
What about a full time short-term contract? Might that
constitute 'a part time job’ for you? Some sort of interim management
role, for example, might fill the bill nicely if your motivation
is primarily monetary and you would be quite happy to work full
time for a limited period.
Similarly, you could consider working in the retail trade over
Christmas and/or during the sales. These are jobs that are full
time but for a limited period. If you wish to do other
activities on a regular basis, or travel, then this pattern of
work may suit you better than a regular part time job.
Job sharing is another route to explore and maybe the
best place to start is your existing employer. If they are keen
not to lose your expertise, they may be very willing to provide
a job share for you.
These are questions that you might like to ponder before you
start thinking about what work to look for.
Retirement does not necessarily mean giving up work for good.
Indeed, work provides a necessary ingredient of many people’s
retirement because they do not feel ready to put their feet up
for good just because they leave their job at 60, 65 or
whatever.
There are a huge number of options for you. You can choose full
time or part time jobs and work, paid or voluntary. You can work for
someone else or you can work for yourself. The good thing is
that you can choose, so choose something that you feel will suit
you best. Before you rush headlong into it, stop, think and do
some planning so that you make the right choice.
Work can be stimulating an rewarding; if and when you come to
choose work in retirement, make sure that you pick something
that will enhance your retirement and make it the most
satisfying time of your life.
For further information on part
time jobs and work in retirement click on the links below:
First Thoughts on part time jobs and part time work
Part Time
Paid Work
Part
Time Voluntary Work
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