Most Workers Plan to Work after They 'Retire'
CHICAGO -- More people may be spending their golden years at the office. Sixty percent of workers ages 60 and older say they'll look for a new job after retiring from their current employer, up from 57% last year.
When the survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder, asked how soon they think they can retire from their current job, 12% of respondents said they don't think they'll ever be able to retire.
Other responses:
- Retire in one to two years (27%).
- Three to four years (20%).
- Five to six years (27%).
- Seven to eight years (6%).
- Nine to 10 years (5%).
- More than 10 years (4%).
There is good news for mature workers who are putting off retirement. Employers are looking to hire more seasoned staff, with 48% of employers planning to hire workers age 50-plus this year, according to the survey. Forty-four percent said they hired workers age 50-plus in 2012. And, 76% of the employers surveyed would consider an application from an overqualified worker who is 50-plus, with 59% saying mature candidates bring a wealth of knowledge to an organization and can mentor others.
“We're seeing more than three-quarters of mature workers putting off retirement, largely due to financial concerns, but also as a personal decision made by people who enjoy their work,” said Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. “The majority of workers who have talked with their bosses about staying on past retirement found their companies open to retaining them. If you're approaching retirement age but hope to continue working, an open line of communication is very important.”
Mature workers can find job search success by emphasizing the qualities that set them apart from other workers.
CareerBuilder offers these tips:
- When updating your resume or interviewing for a job, think about your experience in terms of both work-related and life skills. Whether it's your strong leadership skills or your wherewithal to weather a tough economy, use your age to your advantage and play up the strengths that come with having more years under your belt.
- Workers of all ages are going back to school to increase their marketability. Attending seminars and workshops or taking formal courses is a great way to keep your skills up to date and can be helpful during an interview.
- If you're looking to stay beyond retirement with your current company, come up new ways to contribute to the organization outside of your day-to-day tasks. Running mentorship programs or training new hires are examples of how some mature workers have reinvented themselves within their organizations.
- Being in the workforce for an extended time gives you the advantage of a broad professional network. Whether it's offline or online, reach out to former colleagues, vendors and clients to see where opportunities may arise.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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