New Careers for People Over 50, That You’ll Love

When someone asks me what new careers for people over 50 there are, I tell them to consider all their options!

Some of the best jobs are in real estate, education, financial services, and healthcare, with so-called soft skills careers for 50-year-olds. Also, anyone over 50 searching for a new career should keep an open mind and not limit themselves to only a full-time job.

You may want to consider consulting in your field of expertise, volunteering for special interest groups, taking a part-time job, or even starting your own business are all great career options.

A mix of several of these suggestions may be the best option for finding that new careers for people over 50.

career passion

Best Jobs For Career Changers Over 50

Older workers aged 50, 60, and up aren’t so different from those younger. Flexible schedules and meaningful work are priorities that go beyond many generations. Moreover, relationships with colleagues, work environments, and the work itself can all be key to attracting and retaining workers of every age.

Whether you want a new career or are simply looking to make some extra money while semiretired, here are some job options for over 50 somethings to consider.

  • Clergy – A top concern for older workers is a job that provides meaning, and no job scores as more enjoyable for older workers than the clergy. A clergy career ticks off many boxes regarding what older workers like about employment. It provides social connections, offers a meaningful line of work, can be flexible, and provides opportunities to help others.
  • Local elected officials – Local governments rely on elected officials such as trustees, commissioners, and council members to make intelligent decisions on behalf of their communities. These positions can be ideal for people over 50 with extensive life experience and knowledge.
  • Public communicator – The best jobs for older workers often involve interacting with the public. Older workers seem to thrive in positions such as museum guides, tour guides, and hospitality hosts – also, older workers are often hired as product demonstrators and promoters.
  • Retail salesperson – Working in a retail store isn’t the most lucrative job available to older workers, but it’s hard to beat when it comes to flexible hours. What’s more, retail sales positions can be found in various stores, making it possible to find a job that matches a person’s interests. These jobs also allow employees to interact with customers and share their knowledge, two attributes that make the work appealing.
  • Teachers – Schools value experienced educators and are often willing to accommodate their work needs. Retired teachers are frequently welcomed back as substitutes. At the same time, post-secondary schools and colleges may look for experienced professionals to teach part-time as adjunct professors (I did that once I retired and found it immensely satisfying) – with online education, some teaching jobs may not even require instructors to travel to campus.
  • Financial planner/ Insurance – For those with experience with investing, one of the best jobs for older workers may be that of a financial planner. Moreover, it’s a job that lends itself well to flexible working arrangements and can be done part-time for those who want to be semi-retired. A related option would be to consider insurance sales; since both industries are all about building relationships, older individuals benefit from the extensive network of connections they have acquired throughout the years.
  • Health care worker – Nursing and other caregiver positions may be a good fit for those older who want to help others while having meaningful jobs. If you do not have health care experience, you can still be employed as a medical assistant, physical therapy aide, and other occupation after completing short-term training programs.
  • Consultant – If you enjoy your current employer and career, why leave it? Instead of leaving your profession, you could switch from being an employee to a consultant. Companies in various areas, such as business, IT, management, and accounting, may use consultants. Employers often bring you back to help with projects, mentor new employees, or someone new in their role. Older workers who have a great relationship with their current employer may be able to continue as contracted consultants for their firm even after they retire. It may require you brush-up on or acquire a few new skills, but there are great online resources like the Learning Tree International that can help.
  • Temporary worker – Temporary work can be a good option for older workers who don’t want the hassle of finding a job or prefer short-term assignments to a permanent position and seek various tasks/ roles.
  • Any job that captures your imagination and passion – Many mistake thinking only specific jobs are appropriate or enjoyable for those older than 50. Consider your personal goals and needs to find a position that will be the perfect fit. Any job can be lovely for older workers, and everyone needs to figure out what that occupation is for him or herself.
keep learning

Will I Need New Skills?

If you want to change careers, consider updating your skills, and updating your resume and making sure your branding is spot on and credentials now so it will be easier to transition later. There are many online technical schools, colleges, and great trainers that can help you learn new skills, brush up on old ones, and prepare you for a new career at ANY age (young or old).

When I talk about learning new skills, some think of it as a daunting task. Often it is something that we delay because we are afraid of committing time and effort. However, we often don’t see the reward on the other side of learning new skills. Through deliberate practice and a humble attitude, you can learn almost anything.

No one starts life with exceptional skills. It can take years of time and energy to learn and master new abilities. When you see people with absolute mastery of a craft, they’ve dedicated hours of practice and refinement to learn the basics.

Knowing the most effective strategies for learning can help you maximize your efforts when trying to learn new ideas, concepts, and skills. If you are like many people, your time is limited, so getting the most educational value out of your time is essential.

Learning Tree International

In my experience, Learning Tree International is by far the BEST out there!

A little about Learning Tree International, which is a World-Class IT & Management Training company with an extensive course library taught by industry experts. Learning Tree is a Trusted Partner for over 65,000+ organizations. It has helped more than 2.5 million individuals worldwide develop the skills and earn the certifications necessary to support their careers as IT Professionals & Managers.

I highly recommend that you look into their vast catalog for either skill enhancement for a current role to make you more promotable or that second career is an older worker looking to enhance their skills and knowledge.

Conclusion – And A Special Note

Older workers are better positioned to pursue their dream job. With years of work experience under their belts, they may already have savings, benefits, and retirement plans from previous jobs, as well as the insight, to know what type of work appeals to them.


Are you interested in:

  • Gaining more control of your career destiny?
  • Creating higher income and career security through a side business?
  • Diversifying your assets and income?
  • Building your own personal wealth and financial independence?
  • Have you ever considered building a successful online affiliate marketing business?

Maybe you have put a lot of time into thinking about how things would be if you were in charge of your own legacy and financial future. You’ve probably planned how you will do things differently and thought about how you would follow in the tried-and-true footsteps of other successful online affiliate marketers and learn from those already making money in this business.

You CAN choose to escape the grind and hassles of your current job and invest in yourself. Here is how: 

Share This Article with Your Friends!

6 thoughts on “New Careers for People Over 50, That You’ll Love”

  1. I thoroughly enjoy that you provided insight into a variety of career fields that those in an older demographic may feel comfortable with. Although I am not the targeted demographic, I will provide some of these ideas to older people in my current network, or even those who are looking for a change of pace or a new career. Finding career choices that you mentioned above can be hard to notice especially if you don’t know where to look. I am appreciative of this article and can’t wait for you to share much more insight.

    Reply
    • Thank you for your comments and feedback, Elijah!

      I am glad you liked the article and will share it with your network and those you may know who are looking for a change of pace or a new career – I appreciate it, Elijah.

      -Mike

      Reply
  2. Thank you for sharing New Careers for People Over 50, That You’ll Love!

    I have lotta family members over the age of 50 who is still looking for other income streams and i believe this article will help them. 

    In my opinion, everyone should learn the skillset of affiliate marketing!

    They can do it at home, on their own time and also have the freedom to work when they want.

    Reply
    • Thank you, Lorenz…

      Thanks for passing this article and site to folks you feel can be helped by this article.  As you probably know, this article also speaks to ANYONE who is looking for a new career or an older worker looking for a career change.

      -Mike

      Reply
  3. Hello Mike,

    I love the options you point out for working when over 50. It seems for sure a great idea to think about upskilling.

    Kind regards
    Erica

    Reply
    • Hi Erica…

      You are so right about upskilling. To stay relevant, you need to stay with the times. After all, you wouldn’t go to a doctor if you knew he wasn’t keeping up his or her skills and medical knowledge, would you?

      Keeping our skills is often something that we delay because we are afraid of committing time and effort. However, we often don’t see the reward on the other side of learning new skills — and that reward can be a promotion or a great new job!

      Thank you for your input, Erica!

      -Mike

      Reply

Leave a Comment