Jobs for Senior Citizens

AARP conducted a study on senior employment and found that 80 percent of baby boomers will work beyond the retirement age of 65. Mature individuals who desire to work, for financial or non-financial reasons, offer valuable skills and experience to both employers and the economy.

Searching Jobs for Senior Citizens

Job searching is intimidating for anyone who has been out of the workforce for a substantial amount of time. Employment resources are available that enable senior citizens to make this transition. Governmental, private, and public organizations provide assistance with:

• Career guidance
• Education
• Job training
• Job placement
• Resume and interview skills

Online Search

• CareerOneStop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and includes job resources for older workers.
• SeniorJobBank is the most popular online job matching service for senior citizens in the U.S. It is a free service for job seekers over the age of 50.

Employment Programs

Employment programs are available for seniors that assist with job placement and/or training in both entry-level and professional work. Two of the most popular include the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and the Senior Environmental Employee(SEE) program.

Senior Community Service Employment Program

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is the nation’s oldest program for helping senior citizens re-enter the job market. The SCSEP provides training and employment opportunities to low-income senior citizens.

Under the program, seniors work 20-hours a week in community service positions and are paid minimum wage or higher. SCSEP workers learn new skills and gain valuable work experience so they can progress to permanent work in the private sector, if desired.

Jobs for senior citizens under the SCSEP include fringe benefits, annual physicals, and other supportive services.

To qualify, individuals must be:

• Age 55 or older
• Reside in the county served by the SCSEP office
• Have a family income of no more than 25 percent above the federal poverty level
• Be unemployed

Enrollment priority is given to persons over age 60, veterans, and qualified spouses of veterans. Preference is also given to minorities and eligible individuals who have the greatest economic need.

SCSEP Sponsors

Currently, you can find 18 SCSEP sponsor organizations, in addition to state and territorial governments. Each sponsor offers unique benefits, variable job placement rates, and maintains unique prerequisites for the program.

The top three funded sponsors with the greatest job placements are:

• AARP: The AARP Foundation maintains the highest job placement rate of all SCSEP national sponsors. Benefits include a one-year free membership to AARP.
• Experience Works: More than one-third of Experience Work's SCSEP participants find permanent jobs, including as teachers' aides, emergency dispatchers, care providers, and clerical assistants. The national average for job placement in the program is 30 percent.
• Senior Service America, Inc.: SSAI operates two programs: SCSEP and the Senior Environmental Employment (SEE) Program.

Senior Environmental Employee Program (SEE)

The Senior Environmental Employment (SEE) Program provides opportunities for retired and unemployed older Americans, age 55 and over, to utilize their expertise with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Employment is available in Washington, DC, laboratories nationwide, as well as in ten regional offices.

Types of SEE jobs for senior citizens include,

• Clerical (non-typing): such as receptionist, file clerk
• Clerical (typing): such as secretarial support, administrative assistant
• Technical: such as physical science technician, writer, editor, technical researcher
• Professional: such as engineer, scientist, accountant

For more information on the SEE program visit the SSAI Web site.

Senior Friendly Companies (AARP)

Many senior friendly companies have joined the AARP National Employer Team because they recognize the contributions older workers provide to their workforce. For more information, or to see the full list, click on the respective links.

Putting It All Together

People work best when they do what they enjoy and can utilize their skills and talents. A thorough self-assessment of one's skills and interests will focus job searching efforts. Professional assistance is available for carreer guidance and providing job recommendations that meet the senior citizen's needs. Volunteerism is another option for senior citizens desiring to broaden their skills and gain valuable job experience. To search volunteer opportunities online, see: VolunteerMatch.org.

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