HR Column
Choosing a new career after retirement- you are still relevant
Retirement age all over the world is decreasing. Many years ago, people retired between the ages of 60-70. However today, people are retiring from active professional lives at the age of 50 or even 40.
At this point, most of these people become consultants for businesses that are related to their professional lives.
Without having to look and worry so much, one will find that so long as one has strength in body and mind, it is possible to have a fulfilling career in your retirement years.
New Career ideas and career choices for retirement
1. Keep it stress -free: Convert an old hobby into a lucrative job, now you have worked for many years, you have great numerous contacts who need various services, is it the horticultural business, writing, public speaking or language translation. These are hot business ideas that can come from your hobbies. Make a consultancy business out of any of these.
2. Keep it related: It will definitely be difficult to learn a new trade at this time or a new profession altogether so keep it related to what you already know, what you already worked at before your retirement. Therefore, the new career you want to engage in must be an enhancement or something connected in some way to your pre-retirement job. This will ensure that you are comfortable with the new career path when you start work.
3. Non-hectic: At this point in your life, you are to be paid to think not to work, by this time, body, soul and mind are quite weary and so you must start a new consultancy that would not have you running all over the place. Actually, you do not want to start to build a brick factory at this time especially if you are to work as foreman. However, at this same brick factory, you could be the consultant providing all the expertise to formulate perfect products.
4. Risk free: You certainly are “too old” to get involved in any business that will need you to take any type of risks; no huge bank loans, no climbing of ladders! Your new career at this time must be risk free and enjoyable to you.
Remember that being on retirement does not mean you should do everything for free. At this time, running your own business, if you are financially viable, will certainly be the best but do not rule out the option of joining a friend or former colleague to form a consultancy. By this, you save on office space and office running cost. If not, you can turn one of those many rooms (that the children have left empty) into a quaint comfortable office with a settee, where you can stop and rest after hours of hard brain work.
Do not make it a dull retirement, you are still relevant!
Mrs. Joyce Boeh-Ocansey, Recruitment Consultant, L'AINE Services