AARP Work Jobs Study
AARP Work & Jobs Study Economic Security and Work
(Report, PDF) (Infographic, PDF) See Also AARP's latest study on work and career shows that many older workers are interested in working into retirement, with a focus on flexible work arrangement such as part time work and consulting. KEY FINDINGS In total, more than one-third of working Americans age 50-64 (37%) anticipate working for pay post retirement from their current career.
Among those who will seek employment post retirement, almost half (44%) will be looking to work in new fields of interest; 23% will stay in the same field, and 33% are undecided.
Regardless of the field, respondents are hoping to work part-time (73%), with over half expecting to work for someone else (57%) vs. being a contractor (21%) or starting their own business (19%).
Training is a key need for those who plan to work in retirement. Among those who plan to enter a new field, training is seen as even more important to success (46% vs. 36% among those staying in the same field).
Personal contacts and job listings are the primary avenues respondents plan to use to find post-retirement work (49% AND 43%, respectively). Professional networking is also a popular way people plan to find work.
When asked about their dream job, many respondents talk about a profession, for others it is about a particular type of working lifestyle.
Jobs in the sports, creative, hospitality and education fields are mentioned frequently.
Lifestyle mentions include flexibility, lucrative, offers travel opportunities, and has a charitable aspect to it.
The majority of respondents surveyed plan to retire at or after age 65 (45% plan to retire between age 65-69 and 23% plan to retire after 70).
When asked about what they enjoyed most about their current career, top mentions included income, benefits, and the schedule/work-life balance. For more valuable information, tools, and programs that help Americans age 50+ stay competitive in the marketplace, check out AARP Work & Jobs (. This survey was fielded online from July 27 to August 3, 2015 and conducted among adults age 50-64 who are currently employed full time. A total of n=4,975 surveys were completed. The final data has been weighted to U.S. Census for analysis. For more information, contact G. Oscar Anderson at Suggested Citation: Anderson, G. Oscar. AARP Post Retirement Career Study. Washington, DC: AARP Research, August 2015.
AARP Work & Jobs Study
Learn More About This Study
Over one-third of respondents think they would pursue paid work if they decided to retire from their current job today. Download the Report(Report, PDF) (Infographic, PDF) See Also AARP's latest study on work and career shows that many older workers are interested in working into retirement, with a focus on flexible work arrangement such as part time work and consulting. KEY FINDINGS In total, more than one-third of working Americans age 50-64 (37%) anticipate working for pay post retirement from their current career.
Among those who will seek employment post retirement, almost half (44%) will be looking to work in new fields of interest; 23% will stay in the same field, and 33% are undecided.
Regardless of the field, respondents are hoping to work part-time (73%), with over half expecting to work for someone else (57%) vs. being a contractor (21%) or starting their own business (19%).
Training is a key need for those who plan to work in retirement. Among those who plan to enter a new field, training is seen as even more important to success (46% vs. 36% among those staying in the same field).
Personal contacts and job listings are the primary avenues respondents plan to use to find post-retirement work (49% AND 43%, respectively). Professional networking is also a popular way people plan to find work.
When asked about their dream job, many respondents talk about a profession, for others it is about a particular type of working lifestyle.
Jobs in the sports, creative, hospitality and education fields are mentioned frequently.
Lifestyle mentions include flexibility, lucrative, offers travel opportunities, and has a charitable aspect to it.
The majority of respondents surveyed plan to retire at or after age 65 (45% plan to retire between age 65-69 and 23% plan to retire after 70).
When asked about what they enjoyed most about their current career, top mentions included income, benefits, and the schedule/work-life balance. For more valuable information, tools, and programs that help Americans age 50+ stay competitive in the marketplace, check out AARP Work & Jobs (. This survey was fielded online from July 27 to August 3, 2015 and conducted among adults age 50-64 who are currently employed full time. A total of n=4,975 surveys were completed. The final data has been weighted to U.S. Census for analysis. For more information, contact G. Oscar Anderson at Suggested Citation: Anderson, G. Oscar. AARP Post Retirement Career Study. Washington, DC: AARP Research, August 2015.