Staying Fit
Among workers age 50 and older, 76 percent say a job that offers flexibility is the best way to achieve work-life balance, according to one recent survey. The good news is there are many employers that offer opportunities for flexible work arrangements and welcome midcareer workers.
After conducting the previously mentioned survey of older adults, FlexJobs looked at the job postings on its website to find offerings from employers that are committed to hiring people age 50 and older, according to the non-profit Age-Friendly Institute. (Many of these businesses also participate in AARP’s Employer Pledge Program.) The analysis found there are a wide range of jobs available for older adults who want to use their years of work experience to create more freedom in their schedules.
AARP Membership— $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.
The following is a list of flexible jobs available with companies that have been recognized by either the Age-Friendly Institute or AARP’s Employer Pledge Program for their commitment to older workers. Clicking on the job title will take to you to current postings on AARP’s Job Board. Median pay is provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
1. Senior recruiter
- Employers: Adecco, Allied Universal, United Health Group
- Median pay: $30.52 per hour
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are roughly 10 million job openings in the United States. One reason why more of these positions haven’t been filled is because many companies are looking for human resources (HR) experts who can help them find good workers for their other openings. By taking a contract position as a senior recruiter, you can earn money while helping other people get hired.
2. Customer Service Representative
- Employer: Aetna, Work At Home Vintage Experts, Concentrix
- Median pay: $17.23 per hour
Many companies are so eager to hire now that they are offering financial bonuses to new hires. For example, the health insurance company Aetna is willing to offer new customer service representatives in one of its Delaware offices $1,000 for signing on plus an additional $2,000 for staying at least 90 days after completing training.
3. Accounts Receivable Specialist
- Employers: ServiceLink, Allied Universal, Advance Auto Parts
- Median pay: $18.32 per hour
This job, which often can be done remotely, involves helping businesses manage their billing processes. Typical job duties include processing invoices, receiving and depositing customer payments, and updating and maintaining monthly billing processes.
4. Senior Data Analyst
- Employer: AT&T, Compass Group, Allied Universal
- Median hourly pay: $41.44 per hour
If you have experience helping businesses manage and analyze the data they collect from their customers, a position doing freelance work as a data analyst could be a good fit for you. A typical job responsibility for this position is moving records and information from one computer system or program into another, all while making sure that each piece of data remains accurate.
5. Home Mortgage Underwriter Specialist
- Employer: Citizens Bank, Work At Home Vintage Experts
- Median hourly pay: $30.75 per hour
Working as a home loan specialist is a popular option for older workers because not only are the hours flexible, but also in many cases the work can be done remotely. The job mostly involves reviewing mortgage applications to help the bank determine whether to offer the person a loan.
6. Billing Representative
- Employer: CVS, NYU Langone Health, BrightSpring Health Services
- Median hourly pay: $19.03 per hour
Billing representative jobs are a specific type of customer service representative position in which the work focuses on payments and other financial matters. While these jobs don’t typically require a college degree, previous experience doing this type of work is important.
For example, to qualify for billing representative job with CVS, applicants are asked to have at least one year of experience working with health care reimbursement systems.
7. Payroll Specialist
- Employer: H&R Block, KenCrest, Allied Universal
- Median pay: $22.61 per hour
As a payroll specialist, your job will involve processing records to make sure that employee wages are paid timely and accurately every cycle. The work requires attention to detail to accurately keep track of things such as time and attendance, base pay, overtime, incentive pay and taxes, as well as any wage garnishments.
8. Administrative Assistant
- Employer: Humana, Texas Roadhouse, Fusion Education Group
- Median hourly pay: $19.71 per hour
While long-term demand for these types of workers is declining, there still is a need for administrative assistants who can help keep offices running smoothly. Job duties typically include providing administrative support to high-level executives, scheduling meetings and helping to compile reports.
9. Data Entry Clerk
- Employer: ManPower Group, United Health Group, Compass Group USA
- Median pay: $17.24 per hour
If you have good typing skills, work as a data entry clerk might be a good fit for you. The job generally involves transcribing information from documents and other files into a computer system. Banking, insurance, manufacturing and supply-chain logistics are some of the industries that frequently employ data entry clerks.
