Retirement Jobs
Discussion
Hold on this could fit under many titles, so a bit about myself first.
Nearly 59, worked in the city most of my life, upper end facilities for a professional services firm. It's been a great career, worked all over the world, but frankly I've sort of had enough, firm has changed, far less autonomy and I feel i'm wading through treacle for every decision.
So has got me thinking about "semi retirement", now I stress that I'm in no way ready to put my feet up and watch loose women each morning but a job with less responsibility would be great, something that I can leave in the locker and not wake up thinking about each night. I was thinking of something like a security guard. Oddly this is something that has come under my remit over the years, obviously doesn't pay nearly as much as I'm on but having said that I've nearly paid the mortgage etc
Has anyone done similar and rather than retire 100% shifted down a few gears??
Nearly 59, worked in the city most of my life, upper end facilities for a professional services firm. It's been a great career, worked all over the world, but frankly I've sort of had enough, firm has changed, far less autonomy and I feel i'm wading through treacle for every decision.
So has got me thinking about "semi retirement", now I stress that I'm in no way ready to put my feet up and watch loose women each morning but a job with less responsibility would be great, something that I can leave in the locker and not wake up thinking about each night. I was thinking of something like a security guard. Oddly this is something that has come under my remit over the years, obviously doesn't pay nearly as much as I'm on but having said that I've nearly paid the mortgage etc
Has anyone done similar and rather than retire 100% shifted down a few gears??
I have a very different background from you, having been in showbiz all my working life. I burned out.
I am currently doing a part-time menial job. No pressure, it gets me out of the house on three evenings per week and for one whole day.
It's great. The lack of pressure is healthy, and having been at sea, it is lovely to be on land consistently. I think if you can deal with it financially, there is A LOT to be said for taking a big step back and coasting.
I am currently doing a part-time menial job. No pressure, it gets me out of the house on three evenings per week and for one whole day.
It's great. The lack of pressure is healthy, and having been at sea, it is lovely to be on land consistently. I think if you can deal with it financially, there is A LOT to be said for taking a big step back and coasting.
stu67 said:
Hold on this could fit under many titles, so a bit about myself first.
Nearly 59, worked in the city most of my life, upper end facilities for a professional services firm. It's been a great career, worked all over the world, but frankly I've sort of had enough, firm has changed, far less autonomy and I feel i'm wading through treacle for every decision.
So has got me thinking about "semi retirement", now I stress that I'm in no way ready to put my feet up and watch loose women each morning but a job with less responsibility would be great, something that I can leave in the locker and not wake up thinking about each night. I was thinking of something like a security guard. Oddly this is something that has come under my remit over the years, obviously doesn't pay nearly as much as I'm on but having said that I've nearly paid the mortgage etc
Has anyone done similar and rather than retire 100% shifted down a few gears??
I have had the same career path as yourself and found your decision path to be difficult.Nearly 59, worked in the city most of my life, upper end facilities for a professional services firm. It's been a great career, worked all over the world, but frankly I've sort of had enough, firm has changed, far less autonomy and I feel i'm wading through treacle for every decision.
So has got me thinking about "semi retirement", now I stress that I'm in no way ready to put my feet up and watch loose women each morning but a job with less responsibility would be great, something that I can leave in the locker and not wake up thinking about each night. I was thinking of something like a security guard. Oddly this is something that has come under my remit over the years, obviously doesn't pay nearly as much as I'm on but having said that I've nearly paid the mortgage etc
Has anyone done similar and rather than retire 100% shifted down a few gears??
Even without any salary income I was paying top rate of income tax so anything I earned form a new low pay job would leave very little take home pay.
I took redundancy/retirement when my major employer said that they were looking at cutting the workforce by 30% and they would start with last in first out which probably would mean the youngest, an unfair proposition so I put my hand up.
If you don't need an income find some other interest but if you do then a low pressure job could work for you. I know someone who went from being a director of a Lloyds broker at 62 to a cleaner and loved it, no pressure, he found the time to talk to people, he was amazed how flirty young women (and one man!) was with him, not that he complained.
Security guard covers a lot of different areas and types of security work but for any of them you will need to obtain an SIA licence, never done it myself but I don't think that's particularly difficult.
The thing about security guards is for most of the roles you are going to have to deal with the public in a not particularly nice way, if you get work in a shop or shopping centre of some description the people you are watching won't be nice people so you will get a lot of abuse and it will wear thin pretty quickly.
If I was in your position i'd be looking at some sort of driving job.
The thing about security guards is for most of the roles you are going to have to deal with the public in a not particularly nice way, if you get work in a shop or shopping centre of some description the people you are watching won't be nice people so you will get a lot of abuse and it will wear thin pretty quickly.
If I was in your position i'd be looking at some sort of driving job.
Five years ago I took early retirement from the NHS and went into the funeral industry - initially driving the ceremonial fleet and bearing the deceased into church and lowering at graveside. After a few months I progressed to being a Funeral Operative. Collection and preparation of the deceased, trimming coffins. Dressing and encoffining the deceased. Preparation and maintenance of the fleet and driving (including route planning and timings.)
In some ways there's certainly less pressure, but there are no second chances. Attention to detail as well as being able to alter things as the job by its very nature is reactive.
SD.
In some ways there's certainly less pressure, but there are no second chances. Attention to detail as well as being able to alter things as the job by its very nature is reactive.
SD.
paralla said:
A friend of mine chucked in a high pressure - high paying job in big pharma and is now an Ocado delivery driver and loves it.
His relationships went from very complex and highly managed to literally one minute conversations as he dropped a delivery.
I was going to mention that - several of my wife's ex-Civil Service colleagues do this, including a married couple for Sainsbury's and they seem have a lot of flexibility - they're always on holiday, they're away at the moment.His relationships went from very complex and highly managed to literally one minute conversations as he dropped a delivery.
I retired early, living off savings.
I then panicked as for the first time in 40+ years I had no income.
I found a part-time role doing accounts based admin, just ten hours a week.
After four months I realised that I had lost the ability to deal with idiots. Packed it in and started to draw my private pension.
Being retired is the best.
ETA - I have since joined the volunteering regime. Litter picking, community cafe and a couple of other projects we are hoping to get off the ground.
I then panicked as for the first time in 40+ years I had no income.
I found a part-time role doing accounts based admin, just ten hours a week.
After four months I realised that I had lost the ability to deal with idiots. Packed it in and started to draw my private pension.
Being retired is the best.
ETA - I have since joined the volunteering regime. Litter picking, community cafe and a couple of other projects we are hoping to get off the ground.
Edited by Slow.Patrol on Saturday 6th June 22:00
Local authority is low stress but plenty of red tape. But if you don't care if the job gets done and theres no pressure for the job to get done, red tape isn't your problem to worry about.
Other than that, civil service jobs are abundant if you're not worried about salary or career progression. Lots of early retired people go to the public sector to see out the remainder of their working life due to the slower pace, less stress. And most of them are pretty good at their job.
Other than that, civil service jobs are abundant if you're not worried about salary or career progression. Lots of early retired people go to the public sector to see out the remainder of their working life due to the slower pace, less stress. And most of them are pretty good at their job.
I took early retirement/redundancy package when 52/4 months I ran QA/QC in a division at a factory.
It coincided with optimising the terms ( money ) that we had a spreadsheet to calculate for individuals. Mine showed 53 and 2 months age with years of service. Took it as it was close enough to optimum and available as no guarantees for the near future. A small gamble involving getting a job while alliwing the invested money untouched. The company sent me on a course (cost them circa £3k) on what to do after leaving. It was great in opening up my mind to options. My decision....
I looked for jobs ( low responsibility as no longer wanted stresses).
I did think about pursuing Quality Auditing for a company I dealt with but didn't as I fancied a change.
Did some work for Mori on projects for varioys gov bodies, etc. with easy self regulated hours within the project requirements. Taking home £1k+ a month for 20 hrs a week spread to suit. Nice top-up on flexi hours. Then went to work full time in police ops as a civvie. Fancied giving it a go. Very interesting and eye opening! Had the option of full time on days, or shifts ( no nights) or part time. Chose shifts as it meant extra £ to bring full retirement forward. 9 years later finances were very healthy so retired. I did consider part time work from then on but didn't go that route.
It coincided with optimising the terms ( money ) that we had a spreadsheet to calculate for individuals. Mine showed 53 and 2 months age with years of service. Took it as it was close enough to optimum and available as no guarantees for the near future. A small gamble involving getting a job while alliwing the invested money untouched. The company sent me on a course (cost them circa £3k) on what to do after leaving. It was great in opening up my mind to options. My decision....
I looked for jobs ( low responsibility as no longer wanted stresses).
I did think about pursuing Quality Auditing for a company I dealt with but didn't as I fancied a change.
Did some work for Mori on projects for varioys gov bodies, etc. with easy self regulated hours within the project requirements. Taking home £1k+ a month for 20 hrs a week spread to suit. Nice top-up on flexi hours. Then went to work full time in police ops as a civvie. Fancied giving it a go. Very interesting and eye opening! Had the option of full time on days, or shifts ( no nights) or part time. Chose shifts as it meant extra £ to bring full retirement forward. 9 years later finances were very healthy so retired. I did consider part time work from then on but didn't go that route.
Random one, and it doesn’t pay, but I’ve just been having dinner with someone in Spain who runs ‘English’ camps. You literally get an all expenses paid 8 day trip to Spain to a very nice rural retreat where all you have to do is speak English to Spanish people! Perhaps it’s a step too far towards full retirement, but it’s another of those things that’s out there that few know exist.
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