Excerpted with permission of the publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc., (www.wiley.com), Great Jobs for Everyone 50+: Finding Work That Keeps You Happy and Healthy ... and Pays the Bills by Kerry Hannon, © 2012 by AARP.

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To keep business trucking along, roughly one-third of companies hire contract or temporary workers, recently, according to the survey of more than 3,000 hiring managers and human resource professionals. "It's an easy way for employers to get great experienced staff and save money at the same time," says Art Koff, founder of RetiredBrains.com, a job search site for older workers. That can be good news for many of you, and it's especially true if you're a retiree and need some extra money to boost your current retirement income.

Under those circumstances, part-time or contract jobs are often perfect. They can pay enough to bolster income from investments and Social Security, often without exceeding the limits that would require a reduction in Social Security payments. Even if your Social Security payment is reduced due to earnings, those benefits are not truly lost. At your full retirement age, your payment will be increased to account for the benefits withheld. For more about working while receiving Social Security, see AARP Social Security For Dummies or contact the Social Security Administration (ssa.gov).

For all types of job seekers, though, there are scores of reasons why part-time or contract work is worth it. Here are a few to ponder:

Kerry Hannon's newest book details why part-time or contract work is worth your time. — Michael J.N. Bowles

• It gives you something to do. Don't discount this. Having a sense of purpose is a great thing for all kinds of reasons.

• It gets you in the door. It may lead to full-time work with an employer eventually. Don't miss the opportunity.

• It gets you decent pay. You can make your experience a plus. Employers are typically willing to pay you generously, providing you have the chops and solve their problem or need quickly. It lets them bypass the hand-holding and learning curve stage that a younger, less experienced, but lower-paid worker might require.

• It builds your professional network. Nurture relationships with coworkers during your assignment. You never know where contacts may lead you, and whom they might be able to refer you to for future jobs.

• It lands you new and au courant references for future employers to contact about what you've been up to lately.

• It keeps your résumé alive. It's a bone to stave off the disgrace of those gaping holes of idleness in your résumé.

• It keeps your skills sharp. You know the mantra: Use it or lose it.

• Contract work, particularly, lets you get psyched about a work project without the pressure of long-term expectations. No job is forever, anyway. This one just might be shorter than most, and that can be tremendously freeing.