Staying Fit
There's some good news for older adults in the recent hiring boom. Many of the fields that showed the most growth in hiring over the past year are also areas that provide ample opportunity for part-time work.
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AARP combed recent jobs reports to find job growth in fields in which older workers thrive in part-time positions. The following list identifies nine such positions. Clicking on the job title will take you to the current list of job openings nationwide for that position on the AARP Job Board. Data on median hourly pay is provided by the BLS, and the portion of part-time workers over age 55 is provided by PayScale, a compensation-tracking firm.
1. Office manager
- Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 30 percent
- Average hourly wage: $17
With more companies starting to welcome their employees back to the workplace this year, various job opportunities in business offices have started to spike. More than 72,000 people were hired for office jobs in June, for an increase of more than 1.2 million workers since a year ago. Experienced office managers are in particular demand right now, as employers and workers learn how to navigate hybrid workplaces (some people working remotely while others are required to be in the office).
2. Retail sales worker
- Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 15 percent
- Average hourly wage: $10
With so many people staying home to practice social distancing for so much of the first two years of the pandemic, the demand for new clothes — and the workers who help sell them — plummeted. Now that people are getting out more, they also are shopping for clothes that fit their post-lockdown physiques. That means stores need to hire more workers. In 2022, retailers added 16,000 jobs per month, according to the U.S. Labor Department.
While the hourly wages aren't as high as for some of the other jobs on this list, retail sales work does offer very flexible hours, with opportunities to work nights and weekends. And many stores also offer employees a discount on purchases, which can help those earnings stretch further.
3. Tutor
- Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 15 percent
- Average hourly wage: $18
Students tend to learn better when they are in classrooms, which means that many students fell behind in their education when schools shifted to remote courses. Many families are now turning to tutors to help their students catch up.
Part of the appeal of tutoring is that you can focus on whichever skill best suits your expertise, whether you're great at writing or savvy with numbers. Tutoring also can offer some opportunities to work from home.
4. Administrative assistant
- Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 22 percent
- Average hourly wage: $14
This is another occupation that is benefiting from more workers returning to the office. Because there is so much uncertainty in the job market right now, many employers are using temporary contractors to fill the need for support staff in their offices. . Administrative assistants play a valuable role in keeping contractors and employees working together effectively.
5. Nanny
- Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 11 percent
- Average hourly wage: $15
The need for child day care workers remains high, as more parents have returned to working in offices at least part of the time. The responsibilities of a nanny can be demanding work, but most people employed in this profession find that it offers great emotional fulfillment.
6. Paralegal
- Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 20 percent
- Average hourly wage: $17
The COVID-19 pandemic has created increased demand for legal services as people reach out to lawyers to help them tackle unexpected challenges such as bankruptcies, mortgage foreclosures and possible medical malpractice suits. More than 6,000 people were hired in legal services in June.
7. Cashier
- Portion of part-time workers over age 55: 14 percent
- Average hourly wage: $10
This is another job benefiting from customers returning to stores. The job typically requires good people skills, and some cashiers are required to stand for long periods while working. But the job also offers a valuable perk: employee discounts.
