The 10 best part-time jobs for Seniors

Whether you have to work, want to supplement your income, or just hope to stay active in retirement, part-time work is common among senior citizens. Some part-time work is better for older workers than others. Let’s face it: no matter how fit you are, you’d probably prefer to leave the physically challenging stuff to younger workers who aren’t as worried about throwing out their backs, etc.

The good news is that there are part-time jobs to suit every preference, professional background, and skill set. Whether you want to work in the great outdoors or from the comfort of your home office, one of these gigs could be a good fit for you.

01 Consultant

If you love your career, but want to spend a little less time doing it, consulting might be perfect for you. Turn your expertise, network, and experience to good advantage and work part-time for your old employer or for other companies in your field.

Average pay for consulting is all over the map, and depends greatly on the field you're retiring from. To set your rate, start by dividing your compensation by hours worked. It's also a good idea to check with other consultants in your field to find out how they structure their compensation; is it on an hourly basis, a per-project basis, or do they prefer to work on a retainer?

02 Tutor

Retired teachers have the educational background and experience to help students learn tough subjects, bringing up their grades and preparing for exams like the SAT, among other milestones. In addition to tutoring, there are other flexible job options available for former teachers.

Even if you're not a certified teacher, you may be able to provide tutoring to students in your field, whether it's teaching them math skills or editing their writing. Average pay varies, depending on the level of tutoring (high school, college, etc.) and the tutor's level of formal training. Most tutoring programs have standard hourly pay rates.

03 Athletic Coach

Want to share your love of sports with a new generation of budding athletes? Coaching might be for you. Pay generally isn’t high — a few thousand per season — but if you need a little extra cash and want to work outdoors, a gig as an athletic coach might be perfect for you. Most jobs coaching student-athletes will require you to undergo a background check to ensure students' safety.

04 Tax Preparer

If you have an accounting background and prefer to front-load your work into the first part of the year, tax preparation could be the part-time job you’re seeking. Tax preparers typically work long hours through tax season, which runs through April 15 or so. Then, their schedules lighten up for the rest of the year.

Pay for this role will vary depending on your experience and whether you work for a small firm or a large national organization. Retired accountants may want to go freelance, working independently of a tax firm.

05 Bookkeeper

Bookkeepers need to be comfortable using accounting software programs like QuickBooks as well as Microsoft Excel. They must also possess a keen eye for detail and the interpersonal skills to communicate requirements to clients/employees.

Many bookkeepers work in a freelance capacity, taking on a mix of small and large clients. Your level of formal training and experience will dictate how much you can charge for bookkeeping services.

06 Medical Biller/Coder

Medical billers and coders translate healthcare services into diagnostic codes for use in medical billing. They also prepare, send, and track medical bills to patients and insurance companies. Note that this job requires certification, with some employers preferring candidates with an associate’s degree or a standardized training process.

Pay will vary on experience and the size of the company you're working for. It may also be affected by the type of patient; typically a medical practice focused on geriatric patients will have more procedures and hence more billing codes to sort out.

07 Customer service representative

Customer service jobs are always hiring, and some of them will let you work from home. If you’re good at communicating on the phone or via chat software and don’t mind troubleshooting with people when they’re not at their best, this role might let you work part-time from your home office. In-person training may be required, and pay varies depending on the company. Most customer service jobs pay an hourly rate.

08 Virtual Assistant

If you were an administrative assistant in your full-time working career and you’re comfortable with technology, a virtual assistant role can help you translate your skills into a new part-time job. Virtual assistant jobs don’t necessarily require a degree, but they do require solid writing skills and comfort with software programs like Microsoft Office. Most companies will require you to have your own computer (though some may supply one) and a high-speed internet connection. You usually can get reimbursed for the cost of your internet service.

09 Pet Sitter/Dog Walker

If you’re a dog owner and used to work full-time, you remember how hard it was to make sure your pet got its daily exercise. Dog walkers take the day shift, so that office workers don’t have to race home when the workday is over. If cats are more your speed, or you’re an equal-opportunity animal lover, pet sitting while clients go on vacation is a great way to put a little extra money in your pocket. Apps like Rover and Wag make it simple to get started.

10 Blogging/Social Media

Perhaps the ultimate work-from-home job, blogging has no formal training — you just need a way with words and enough comfort with technology to learn how to use various content management systems.

If you're really tech-savvy, you may be able to turn that into a job handling a company's social media accounts. Although this is a job that tends to skew younger, there are social media roles where a more seasoned voice is preferred.

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