Retirement: What Does It Mean To You?

Retirement.
(Did you just hear angels singing the Hallelujah Chorus, or was that just me?)

Many of us are nearing that magical date, that of “retirement”. If you’re with the state or federal government, you’re nearing that time when you’ve got your thirty years in, or you’ve hit the “number”. Others are nearing a particular age, such as 62 or 65 – a time when you can begin drawing on various sources of retirement funds.

But what does “retirement” (there go those angels again!) really mean? Sometimes, it makes sense to “take” the retirement and lock in a pension, but that’s quite often not enough money to get by. Other times, money isn’t the issue, but rather you realize that you’ve worked every day of your adult life, and you need to have some sort of activity to keep you fresh – maybe something more fulfilling, though, something that really makes you happy to be a part of it. So what kinds of questions do you need to consider as you think about this magical event?

Most of us know of one person or another who has retired (in the classic sense) and they have, after a year or two, discovered that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. The retiree, without the driving requirements of their old work-a-day lives, find themselves bored, feeling out of the loop, and unfulfilled.

Taking on work in retirement may be the exact thing that you need to consider. The following questions may help you with your consideration of working during your retirement years:

Why are you considering work? Is it because of the need for extra funds for your retirement accounts? Or is it primarily for fulfillment, intellectual stimulation, keeping “in the loop”? Or just to get out of the house?

What kinds of lifestyle considerations should be included in your job search? Are you thinking that you’d like to work year ‘round, or seasonally? What about your ideas of traveling – can part-time work fit in with this? In more and more cases, the answer can be “Yes”. Some companies, such as Home Depot and CVS, have lead the way to “split” work options. For example, if you wanted to work for the same company in Wisconsin in the summer and Phoenix in the winter, some companies can make arrangements like this.

Think about your dream job – try to imagine the best possible scenario. It may be a job that provides health insurance and retirement benefits, but that also allows you flexibility of schedule so that you can make it to your grandchildren’s school activities. With a visualized “perfect” job, it will be easier to think of the possibilities for your retirement job.

No matter what type of job you choose, there are a couple of things that you’ll want to make sure that you do to prepare yourself. Keep your technology skills up to date. If you don’t know how to use a computer, take a course at your local community college. This is especially important if you’ve been out of the job market for a little while – nearly every job requires some computer skills these days.

Read up on your intended job. Learn about current issues in the trade or industry, and stay current on what’s happening. This will make you a more viable candidate for the new job, plus you’ll be much more prepared to hit the ground running.

Manage your expectations. Nothing happens as quickly as we envision. Don’t get discouraged if your first forays don’t immediately pan out. Depending upon your goal in terms of a job, you may need to take courses to learn more or become certified, and this could take a couple of years. Remember, it’s been a little while since you took a course, right?

Learn to “network” with others. This is a learned skill which can be difficult for some folks. But it is the single best, tried and true, method for finding job opportunities. There are many ways to learn about networking, but the best way to learn is to just get out there and do it.
Hopefully this list of considerations will help you as you think about working in retirement. The main thing to keep in mind is that you’ve completed a career in one field, and a job doesn’t necessarily define the person. Have fun, be fulfilled, and use this opportunity to make yourself happy. You’ve earned the right to be happy with your work.