Phyllis Matsuura needed a new purpose. She was offered an early retirement package after 34 years in the electronics industry, but at age 57, she was not ready to leave the working world behind.
She still needed an income. And she was not prepared to simply “sit back or travel or do nothing.”
“Deciding whether [to] take that package or not was a scary prospect,” she says.
As she was scanning the horizon, an intriguing third option appeared on her radar. She could apply for an Encore Fellowship and spend several months testing out a new career at a nonprofit, which would benefit from her decades of professional experience.
Matsuura took the retirement package, enrolled in the fellowship and spent six months working full time for the Humane Society Silicon Valley. There, she applied her project management expertise supervising a major effort to bring the shelter into compliance with more than 500 guidelines recommended by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians.
At the end of her contract, the nonprofit hired her permanently, and she’s spent nearly three happy years working there.
“It’s been a dream job since then,” Matsuura says. “As long as they want me, I’ll stay.”
Baby boomers are approaching and surpassing traditional retirement ages, but that doesn’t mean they’re ready to call it quits. Many of them know there are several good reasons to work longer, including the health and financial benefits that accompany employment.
Still, some older workers can’t or don’t want to toil away at the same level of intensity or in the same career they’ve had for decades. These people may be interested in looking for “bridge jobs,” work opportunities that keep them busy (and making money) while allowing them to ease slowly into retirement.
[See: 10 Ways to Gradually Retire.]
Mutual Benefits
Bridge jobs are obviously helpful to older individuals who want to keep working. But they’re also beneficial to employers, more of whom recognize the value of hiring and retaining experienced employees, although age discrimination is still an impediment.
“The boomers are retiring in great numbers, and institutional knowledge is walking out the door,” says Susan K. Weinstock, vice president for financial resilience at AARP.
So companies are “developing multigenerational teams where you can ensure the older workers and younger workers are working together,” Weinstock says. “Those multigenerational teams are actually more productive, more stable and they’re really a great way to ensure that companies have institutional knowledge but also bring in new talent.”
Before hiring Matsuura, Humane Society Silicon Valley didn’t have anyone on staff who could manage the shelter guidelines project, says Dr. Cristie Kamiya, chief of shelter medicine. Matsuura’s technology skills and background in the corporate world made her an important asset.
“She comes with 30-plus years of experience, and that’s not insignificant. That was one of the biggest draws,” Kamiya says. “Our expectations were blown away with Phyllis’s skill set: her mad project management skills and the way she keeps everyone on task.”
[See: 15 In-Demand Jobs for Seniors.]
Reflecting on Priorities
When considering bridge jobs, it’s important to rank personal priorities. Many older people want part-time work or jobs with flexible schedules, Weinstock says. In January, 55,000 people signed up to participate in AARP’s online career fair for part-time positions. Those opportunities may not offer full benefits, and workers with pensions should investigate the consequences of taking on part-time employment so close to retirement.
Others are most interested in “taking those skills they have and helping organizations they care about who need that kind of talent,” says Marci Alboher, vice president of strategic communications for Encore.org, the organization that offers Encore Fellowships to older adults. “We see people who are very motivated by purpose and meaning.”
That was the case for Matsuura.
“What I had in my other job was making sure I filled up my pocketbook to support my family,” she says. “This job is filling my soul. I feel like I’m doing something good for and giving back to the community.”
[See: The 12 Best Jobs That Help People.]
Crossing the Bridge
Workers may not have to look far to find bridge jobs. Some employers, including the federal government, offer ” phased retirement” options, which allow full-time employees to work part time while beginning to use their retirement benefits, Weinstock says.
Programs like the Encore Fellowship help connect experienced professionals with paid, temporary opportunities at nonprofits. There are also job boards designed to help older people find employment. AARP’s job board contains posts from more than 600 employers who have pledged to hire based on ability regardless of age (as federal law requires).
To test out a new nonprofit career, sign up for volunteer opportunities while still working at your primary job, Alboher suggests: “Volunteering is an enormous entryway for people trying to move into social impact work.” That may mean joining a planning committee at a nonprofit or working as a pro bono consultant.
But don’t squander your skills on poorly run programs, Alboher says: “You want that work to be meaningful if you’re going to give it your time.”
No matter what industry appeals to you, start networking as soon as possible and read up on relevant current events, Alboher says: “What’s happening in the sector you’re interested in right now? The best way to know that is to start getting involved.”
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How to Find a Bridge Job or Second Career Before Retirement originally appeared on usnews.com
