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Whether you want to earn extra income to make ends meet or stay engaged with the community, there are plenty of reasons why you may decide to seek out part-time employment after you leave the workforce. And because these jobs don’t require 40 hours a week, you still have plenty of time to enjoy the retirement experience.

10 Part-Time Jobs for Seniors

Maybe your ideal part-time job allows you to work from home. Or perhaps you’re looking for a side hustle that keeps you moving for most of the day. Whatever your needs are, there are plenty of employment options to explore. Here are 10 to consider.

#1: Dog Sitter and Walker

Many people brought dogs home during the pandemic — and many of them need help with their companions while they work or when they go out of town. If you’re an animal lover and understand basic pet first aid, offering your services as a dog sitter and walker allows you to care for man’s best friend while also earning cash to help cover retirement expenses.

•   General duties: Main duties generally include feeding, walking, and overseeing the care of the dogs. If you’re pet sitting, you might care for them in your home, stay in the client’s home, or check in on the pooches throughout the day.

•   Average pay: A dog walker charges an average of $17 per hour, while a pet sitter charges around $15 per hour. However, rates vary by location and the services offered.

#2: Office Manager

Know how to make the workplace run smoothly? An office manager job may be right up your alley. Note that these jobs can sometimes be competitive, so you may want to contact former employers to see if there are part-time positions available. Or consider expanding your search to include a variety of industries. After all, the skills that the job requires — organization, time management, attention to details, problem-solving, communication — are essential no matter what type of office you’re in.

•   General duties: These can vary by location but typically consist of coordinating administrative activities in an efficient and cost-effective way.

•   Average pay: A typical office manager makes around $24 an hour.

#3: Content Writer

If you have the writing chops, you may be able to find opportunities to hone your craft and earn some money. In fact, companies across the country need outstanding writers to create their content, so this could be an excellent choice for introverts looking for remote work.

•   General duties: You may write content for companies to help them market themselves to potential customers or decision-makers. If you have technical skills — perhaps knowing about search engine optimization or photo editing — all the better!

•   Average pay: A content writer typically charges around $37 per hour, though some prefer to charge a flat rate for each piece of content they create.

#4: Private Tutor

When it comes to retiree-friendly jobs, it’s tough to beat private tutoring. For starters, you have the option to tutor in person or over a video platform. It’s also a chance to help students with a subject you’re passionate or knowledgeable about. Plus, private tutoring can be a low-stress way to earn money.

•   General duties: A private tutor provides one-on-one assistance to help one or more students learn and finish school assignments. This can involve studying the student’s textbooks or other materials and answering their questions on the subject matter.

•   Average pay: Private tutors generally charge an average of $27 per hour, though that rate can vary by location and expertise.


💡 Quick Tip: Check your credit report at least once a year to ensure there are no errors that can damage your credit score.

#5: Retail Sales Worker

If you enjoy engaging with people and helping them to find what they need, there are numerous retail sales positions to consider. Do you love fashion? Look for jobs where you sell clothing and accessories. Interested in technology? You might be ideal in shops that sell computers, tablets, cell phones, and so forth.

•   General duties: You’ll answer customer questions, provide courteous service, and accept payments for transactions. You may also stock shelves and tidy up your area.

•   Average pay: On average, retail sales workers earn around $16 per hour.

#6: Receptionist

If your idea of retirement planning involves finding easy part-time jobs for seniors— easy on the feet, that is — and you enjoy talking to people, then a receptionist position could be the ticket. If you don’t mind working weekends, you may want to consider a position in a hospital, nursing home, or similar facility.

•   General duties: Receptionists often greet customers or patients and help them register, if necessary. They also answer phones and offer general guidance to people who contact the organization.

•   Average pay: Although pay can vary by the type of organization and the state where you live, figure an average of $18 an hour.

#7: Groundskeeper

Many of the part-time jobs for seniors on this list take place indoors. But if you appreciate spending time outdoors, you might enjoy being a groundskeeper. Note that depending on where you live, this could be a seasonal position, so you may need to adjust your budget accordingly.

•   General duties: Groundskeepers generally mow lawns, edge, pull weeds, and plant and care for flowers.

•   Average pay: The national average is $20 an hour for groundskeeping services.

#8: School Bus Driver

A school bus driver may seem like a surprising job for seniors, but the majority of part-time bus drivers are in fact over the age of 55. To get accepted for this job, you’ll need to have or get a commercial driver’s license, a clean driving record and background, and (probably) plenty of patience.

•   General duties: In the mornings, you’ll pick up students from bus stops or homes and drive them to school. Later in the day, you’ll drop them back off. You’ll also need to manage student behavior on the bus.

•   Average pay: School bus drivers earn around $20 an hour on average.

#9: Consulting

There are pros and cons of working after retirement, but one benefit is the ability to share your expertise and skills with others. A consulting gig can provide such an opportunity. By the time you reach 65, you’ve likely gained plenty of knowledge that you can impart to business leaders in your field. Plus, as a consultant, you can have a decent amount of control over your when and how much you work.

•   General duties: You’ll analyze a situation from an outsider’s perspective, looking for inefficiencies and providing guidance based on your expertise. Typically, consulting is a contract-based position that could continue until a situation has been addressed.

•   Average pay: The range for consulting work can largely depend upon your background and expertise. Sometimes, you might charge per project.

#10: Customer Support Representative

Whether your cable conked out or your income tax software hit a glitch, you’ve almost certainly reached out for customer support for help in times of need. If you’re a strong communicator and enjoy helping others, you may want to consider serving as a customer support representative yourself.

•   General duties: You’ll receive phone calls or chat messages from a customer in need of a fix. You can help them solve the problems, create tickets for others to address, and offer outstanding customer service to keep people satisfied.

•   Average pay: This position typically pays around $23 an hour.

💡 Quick Tip: Income, expenses, and life circumstances can change. Consider reviewing your budget a few times a year and making any adjustments if needed with a money tracker app.

The Takeaway

After you retire, you might be looking for a low-cost side hustle that can help bring in some income and keep you active. Fortunately, when it comes to part-time jobs for seniors, there’s no shortage of options to explore. As you review potential positions, consider your work experience, skill set, interests, how much time you plan on working, and how much money you could potentially earn.

FAQ

Can seniors still work part time and receive Social Security benefits?

According to the Social Security Administration, once you reach the full retirement age, what you earn will no longer reduce your benefits — no matter the amount. As of 2023, if you’re below the full retirement age, the Social Security Administration will deduct $1 out of every $2 you earn above the amount of $21,240.

What skills and experience are needed for a part-time job as a senior?

Required skills will vary widely based on the position. If you’re applying to be an administrative assistant, for example, it’s important to be organized and capable of managing a variety of tasks in a professional way. Being a nanny, on the other hand, requires strong communication skills with parents and children alike. When you’re looking at job ads, check the requirements listed and see how closely they match your experiences and skills.

How many hours a week should seniors work part time?

There’s no one-size-fits-all number of hours a senior should work each week. They’ll want to consider a number of factors to determine the appropriate workload for them, including how much income they need, how much free time they have, and how much they’re able to earn and still receive Social Security benefits.

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*Terms and conditions apply. This offer is only available to new SoFi users without existing SoFi accounts. It is non-transferable. One offer per person. To receive the rewards points offer, you must successfully complete setting up Credit Score Monitoring. Rewards points may only be redeemed towards active SoFi accounts, such as your SoFi Checking or Savings account, subject to program terms that may be found here: SoFi Member Rewards Terms and Conditions. SoFi reserves the right to modify or discontinue this offer at any time without notice.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Non affiliation: SoFi isn’t affiliated with any of the companies highlighted in this article.

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For a growing number of Americans, turning 65 no longer automatically means retirement. As of May 2022, 21.9% of Americans 65 and older were working, compared with 19.5% in May 2020, according to a survey conducted by MagnifyMoney.

If you want to keep up the 9 to 5 into your golden years, there’s a wide range of options for you to explore. This is especially true if you’re a skilled senior interested in full-time employment.

Tips When Finding a Job as a Senior

There are pros and cons and working after retirement. If returning to the daily grind is right for you and your financial situation, then there are a few things you’ll want to keep top of mind:

•   Weigh the pros and cons of working for a company versus freelancing or consulting.

•   Think about whether you’d prefer to work from home or go into an office or to a job site.

•   Read the job listing carefully, paying close attention to the requirements listed.

•   Remove graduation dates from your resume unless they’re fairly recent.

•   Include a couple of your key accomplishments in a cover letter.

•   During an interview, be sure to strategically share key career highlights from the past 10 to 15 years, and spotlight the ways in which you’ve kept your skills up to date.

•   Move ahead with confidence!

12 Jobs for Skilled Seniors That Pay Well

Working can help provide seniors with a degree of financial security as well as other benefits, such as connecting with coworkers and creating a sense of purpose. Let’s take a closer look at jobs for skilled seniors that suit a variety of skills and interests.

#1: Teacher

If you have the appropriate credentials, teaching can be a rewarding job. Don’t fret if you don’t have the right credentials — you might still be able to land a position. Many high schools, career centers, and community colleges may be open to hiring experienced people to teach general interest or professional development courses. Educational organizations may also be seeking teaching assistants or tutors, both of which can be excellent jobs for skilled seniors.

#2: Government Worker

Government jobs can offer competitive salaries along with good benefits, often including a nice pension. Even after you stop working at a federal government job, you may be eligible for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

Depending on your background, education, and work experience, you may be qualified for roles with the National Institutes of Health, which participates in jobs fairs specifically for workers aged 55 and up; the Peace Corps; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and more.

#3: Tax Preparer

Interested in becoming a tax preparer? If you have an accounting background, then this type of work may be a natural fit. That said, you don’t need to be a certified accountant — you just need to obtain a Preparer Tax Identification Number from the IRS and pass a competency exam.


💡 Quick Tip: Check your credit report at least once a year to ensure there are no errors that can damage your credit score.

#4: Real Estate Agent

You can earn a good income helping people buy and/or sell their home or property. But there’s another selling point to being a real estate agent: the ability to set your own schedule, as long as you can still satisfy your clients. In fact, this flexibility can be useful if you’re deciding whether you want to work part time or full time. Before you start working, you’ll need to get a license, and requirements vary by state.

#5: Bank Teller

You typically only need a high school diploma or the equivalent to qualify for a bank teller’s job, and you may be required to undergo a short period of on-the-job training. In this position, you’d handle the standard transactions at the financial institution. So if you’re comfortable handling a steady flow of cash and enjoy working with customers, this could be a job to consider.

#6: Medical Biller

A medical biller works for a healthcare organization such as a hospital or doctor’s office and is responsible for appropriately billing insurance companies, managing the status of claims, and addressing problems that arise. This is one of those jobs for skilled seniors that require organization and the ability to follow through — in this case, with both patients and the insurance companies.

Recommended: How to Negotiate Medical Bills

#7: Virtual Assistant

Plenty of small businesses in the United States need help with daily administration tasks. Depending on your skills, virtual tasks could include making phone calls, managing emails, scheduling appointments, maintaining calendars, offering bookkeeping services, handling social media, and so forth. Although many virtual assistant jobs are part time, if you wanted more work, you could have multiple clients to whom you provide your services.

#8: Telework Nurse or Doctor

Telehealth services have greatly expanded since the start of the pandemic, and demand for remote healthcare providers remains high. If you’re a recently retired nurse or doctor, and are still licensed, you may want to explore a telehealth position. It could allow you to continue providing care but from the comfort of home (or a home office).

#9: Counselor

Forty-seven percent of Americans live in an area with a shortage of mental health care professionals, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. If you’re a retired counselor or therapist and are interested in working again, re-entering the field could allow you to provide much-needed services.

#10: HVAC Technicians

From installation to maintenance to repairs, HVAC pros can find themselves in great demand all year long. If you have this kind of experience, or are handy and able to incorporate HVAC into your skill sets, then this type of work can be a steady source of income.

Recommended: What Is the Cost to Replace an HVAC System?

#11: Paralegal

Busy attorneys need plenty of help researching information, creating documentation, and contacting clients. If you have the education and experience — and you’re highly organized and able to multitask — then a paralegal job may be right for you.

#12: Grant Writer

Grant writing is a specialized type of writing where you’d write proposals to help nonprofits and other agencies to obtain funding for their programs. To succeed at grant writing, it’s important to research the requirements and deadlines of the funding, write compelling proposals to receive the grant dollars, follow up with the proposals, and write reports about them.


💡 Quick Tip: Income, expenses, and life circumstances can change. Consider reviewing your budget a few times a year and making any adjustments if needed.

The Takeaway

Your golden years are what you make of them — and for some, that can mean re-entering the workforce or pursuing a new, rewarding career path. Fortunately, there are plenty of jobs for skilled seniors that suit different skills and interests and provide a source of extra income.

FAQ

Can seniors still work full time and receive Social Security benefits?

According to the Social Security Administration, the answer is “yes.” If you’ve already reached your full retirement age, then you can work and earn as much as possible without a reduction in benefits. If you aren’t yet at full retirement age, then you can earn up to $21,240 in 2023 without a reduction. For income earned beyond that annual limit, your benefits would be lowered by $1 for each $2 earned.

What types of job skills are in high demand?

Management and leadership skills are appreciated by many employees, and these are skills seniors may well have developed over the years. It’s important to be able to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, and to work well with others. For many jobs, sales and marketing abilities are key, while in others the ability to research and analyze are crucial. Note that these are general categories. Specific skills will depend upon the job you’re applying for.

What type of work-life balance should working seniors expect?

Maintaining a work-life balance is especially important for working seniors. As you consider re-entering the workforce, you’ll want to consider your physical and mental health as well as your finances, and ensure that whatever job you take on will fit in your lifestyle. As an older adult, you may discover that you don’t have quite as much stamina as you once did. On the other hand, having children out of the home and on their own may open up more time than you expected.

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*Terms and conditions apply. This offer is only available to new SoFi users without existing SoFi accounts. It is non-transferable. One offer per person. To receive the rewards points offer, you must successfully complete setting up Credit Score Monitoring. Rewards points may only be redeemed towards active SoFi accounts, such as your SoFi Checking or Savings account, subject to program terms that may be found here: SoFi Member Rewards Terms and Conditions. SoFi reserves the right to modify or discontinue this offer at any time without notice.

Non affiliation: SoFi isn’t affiliated with any of the companies highlighted in this article.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Trading ETFs is, in many ways, similar to trading stocks or other securities, and can be done on most stock-trading platforms or brokerages. And while conventional wisdom suggests investors are limited in what they can do with an exchange-traded fund (ETF), an investor can almost certainly buy into a fund based on portfolio needs.

But investors have different goals and strategies, and that may include trading or otherwise buying and selling ETFs frequently. Trading ETFs is fairly simple, though, and investors would do well to know how to trade ETFs.

What Is an ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund)?

An exchange-traded fund is a popular investment vehicle that enables investors to buy a group of stocks in one bundle, thus promoting investment diversity and efficiency. They’re widely available, usually through major investment fund companies.

ETFs aren’t mutual funds, although they originate from the same fund investment family. The primary differences between the two is that mutual funds are usually more expensive than exchange traded funds.

Another benefit of ETFs is that whereas mutual funds can only be traded after the end of the market day, ETFs can be traded during open market sessions at any point in the day. ETFs have become wildly popular, too, over the years.


💡 Quick Tip: Look for an online brokerage with low trading commissions as well as no account minimum. Higher fees can cut into investment returns over time.

Different Types of ETFs

ETFs come in a variety of different types, including the following:

•   Stock ETFs: This type of ETF is composed of various equity (stock) investments.

•   Bond ETFs: Bond funds hold different types of bond vehicles, like U.S. Treasury bonds, utility bonds, and municipal bonds.

•   Commodities: Commodity ETFs are popular with investors who want gold, silver, copper, oil, and other common global commodities.

•   International ETFs: Global-based ETFs usually include country-specific funds, like an Asia ETF or a Europe ETF, which are made up of companies based in the country featured in the ETF.

•   Emerging market ETFs: This type of ETF is composed of stocks from up-and-coming global economies like Indonesia and Argentina.

•   Sector ETF: A sector ETF focused on an economic sector, like manufacturing, health care, climate change/green companies, and semiconductors, among others.

Recommended: Tips on How to Choose The Right ETF

4 Reasons to Consider Trading ETFs

Trading ETFs offers the same advantages (and risks) associated with trading common stocks. These features and benefits are at the top of the list.

1. ETFs Provide Liquidity

In a multi-trillion dollar market, there is likely no shortage of investors looking to buy and sell ETFs. By and large, the bigger the market, the more liquidity it provides, and the easier it is to move in and out of positions.

2. There are Different Investment Options

With ETFs widely available in categories like stocks, bonds, commodities, and more recently, green industries and others, ETF traders have plenty of investment options.

3. ETFs Offer Portfolio Diversity

Investment specialists often extol the virtue of a diverse portfolio, i.e. one made up of both conservative and more aggressive investments that can balance one another and help reduce risk. With so many classes of ETFs available, it’s relatively easy to build an ETF trading portfolio that has different asset classes included.

4. ETFs Are Relatively Inexpensive to Trade

Exchange-traded funds are typically inexpensive to buy — the average fee for buying an ETF is just under 0.20 percent of the total asset purchased. Some brokerage platforms may offer commission-free ETFs.

What Are the Risks of Trading ETFs?

The main risk associated with trading ETFs is the same as with trading stocks — you could lose money. While shedding cash is always a threat when trading any security, the liquidity associated with exchange-traded funds makes it relatively easy to sell out of a position if needed. A candid conversation with a financial advisor may help investors deal with ETF investment trading risks.

How to Trade ETFs

Just as you can trade stocks, you can trade ETFs, too, by taking these steps.

Step 1. Choose a Trading Platform

Traditionally, investors trade stocks through a brokerage house or via an online broker more recently, on alternative trading platforms where investors can buy partial shares of a stock. As with most things in life, it’s generally a good idea to look around, kick some proverbial tires, and choose a broker with the best ETF trading services for you.

Investors can choose from different categories of ETF trading accounts, ranging from standard trading accounts with basic trading services to retirement accounts, specialty accounts, or managed portfolio accounts that offer portfolios managed by professional money managers.

Step 2. Select an ETF Trading Strategy

The path to successful ETF trading flows through good, sound portfolio construction and management.

That starts with leveraging two forms of investment strategy — technical or fundamental analysis.

•   Technical analysis: This investment strategy leverages statistical trading data that can help predict market flows and make prudent ETF trading decisions. Technical analysis uses data in the form of asset prices, trading volume, and past performance to measure the potential effectiveness of a particular ETF.

•   Fundamental analysis: This type of portfolio analysis takes a broader look at an ETF, based upon economic, market, and if necessary, sector conditions.

Fundamental analysis and technical analysis can be merged to build a trading consensus, typically with the help of an experienced money manager.

Any trading strategy used to build ETF assets will also depend on the investor’s unique investment needs and goals, and will likely focus on specific ETF portfolio diversification and management. For example, a retiree may trade more bond ETFs to help preserve capital, while a young millennial may engage in more stock-based ETF portfolio activity to help accumulate assets for the long haul.

Step 3. Make the Trade

Executing ETF trades is fairly straightforward for retail investors. It may be best to consider starting out with small positional trading, so that any rookie mistakes would be smaller ones, with fewer risks for one’s portfolio.

Here are two trading mechanisms that can get you up and running as an ETF trader:

•   Market order. With market order trading, you buy or sell an ETF right now at the current share price, based on the bid and the ask — the price attached to a purchase or a sale of a security. A bid signifies the highest price another investor will pay for your ETF and the ask is the lowest price an ETF owner will sell fund shares. The difference between the two is known as the trading “spread.”

A word of caution on market trades. ETFs tend to have wider trading spreads than sticks, which could complicate you’re getting the ETF shares at the price you want. Share trading spreads of 10% are not uncommon when trading ETFs.

•   Limit trade orders. An ETF limit order enables you to dictate terms on an ETF purchase or sale. With a limit order, you can set the top price you’ll pay for an ETF and the lowest price you’ll allow when selling an ETF.

For investors who have qualms about buying or selling an ETF at a fixed price, limit orders can be a viable option, as they allow the investor to set the terms for a trade and walk away from an ETF trade if those terms aren’t met.

💡 Quick Tip: Investment fees are assessed in different ways, including trading costs, account management fees, and possibly broker commissions. When you set up an investment account, be sure to get the exact breakdown of your “all-in costs” so you know what you’re paying.

The Takeaway

Historically, exchange traded funds have been used primarily as passive, “buy and sell investments.” But as asset trading grows more exotic in the digital age, trading ETFs has become increasingly popular. It’s fairly simple to trade ETFs, too, as most investors simply need access to an online trading platform or brokerage.

As with any investment, though, there are risks to consider. While ETFs can be a great starting point for many investors, they’re not entirely safe investments, and investors should do their research before buying shares of any specific ETF, as they would with any other type of security.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

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