This is something one probably shouldn’t be doing in their sixth decade of life. It’s difficult, but not impossible. It’s an adjustment too, having been semi-retired for a number of years and out of the workplace for two decades or more.
I think a lot can be said for older workers. They’re more stable and reliable than their
younger counterparts because the kids are out of the house and grown. Older workers have life experience. You can count on older workers to come in and
not call in sick as often because the kids are sick, or something else is going
on in their lives that needs tending to.
There’s also no pregnancy leave required, or PMS days. LOL
Thank goodness there are a few companies out there that recognize the value of the older worker and the experience they bring to the workplace. This doesn’t go for every company around, but I believe the trend may be moving in favor of the older employee at more companies.
I worked freelance a few years and still take some freelance
work because the job I finally secured out among the public is only part-time. There are plenty of hours for other ventures
outside of my part-time job while still bringing in extra income to help pay
bills, or buy things I wouldn’t be able to otherwise.
A few hours a week being out and about is probably a plus
too. It keeps me from becoming the
recluse I would be if I was writing and editing all the time in my office
hovel.
But working today also makes me realize how things have changed. It isn’t a world of service oriented individuals anymore, which seems so strange because I was always taught the customer’s always right (regardless if they were or not). The company wanted to keep customers back in the old days. In essence that’s still the bottom line – keeping customers – but people aren’t as nice as they were thirty years ago, to each other or to the customers and vice versa. We live in different times today but thankfully most of the people I work with are older like me and have the “old school” attitude toward the people who visit the store. It makes things more pleasant all around most of the time.
With that said, there are still plenty of stories I could
write about. In the short seven months
I’ve been there, I have enough for a small book already. People tend to do some amazing, unexpected
things.
But the good news is, if you want a job in your old age, there's one out there.
But the good news is, if you want a job in your old age, there's one out there.