For assorted reasons, many people continue to work after they retire. We explore a spectrum of the best employment opportunities for retirees seeking a job, not only to supplement their income but also to sustain a meaningful life.
Why Retirees Keep Working
In journalism, the 5 Ws – who, what, when, why and where – are the baseline of most stories. In this story, the “who” refers to retired people and the “what” refers to working after retiring from a primary career. The “when,” “where” and “why,” however, vary drastically. In my conversations, I discovered that some continue to work as an essential element of their monthly budget, while others work for play money or purely for the enjoyment of living a fulfilled life.
Church and Community Service Jobs
Joe Harkins retired as a postal inspector after 29 years of service, then spent two stints as an employee of St. Benedict Catholic Church, his parish. “I was the hands-on manager doing everything from maintenance, event setup and takedown and even providing security for the Masses,” he said. Harkins shared that his motto has been “see something, do something” and that many days he was the last one present to lock the doors. He said that he benefited both financially and spiritually.
Active Lifestyles and Unique Roles
Chuck Hill is a lifelong learning and life enthusiast. After retiring as a national account manager for PepsiCo, with 24 years of service, he moved to the Charleston area and became a “beach guy,” as he said. His retirement activities are more than many people have in their primary career. “I achieved a Coast Guard captain’s license and traveled to the Caribbean. During these trips, I noticed people were performing ceremonies at destination weddings, and I thought that was neat, so I became a wedding minister and, so far, have performed two ceremonies,” Hill stated with gusto. He continued: “I also passed the lifeguard and water safety program, later became first aid and CPR/AED certified, and began to volunteer with the Sullivan’s Island Fire Department. While at the Fire Department, I met the police chief of Sullivan’s Island, who showed interest in my skills, and I eventually became a paid beach patrol officer after completing all the police training.”
Hill shared that he maintains a rigorous six-days a week walking, weight training and cardio routine. He finished by saying, “I work the cool jobs.”
Teaching and Education Jobs
Kevin Sorbanelli is a financial literacy teacher at Philip Simmons High School and is also qualified to teach computer science. This role, however, follows his retirement as a global executive with IBM and Cognizant Technology Solutions. “I saw a demand for teachers and learned that South Carolinians over age 60 can attend any state school tuition-free, so I went through a three-year process to become certified as an educator,” Sorbanelli stated. The New Jersey native previously oversaw teams of 3,000 people globally and now is “equipping teens for life,” as he said with a smile.
Driving Jobs for Retirees
Terry Teibert is the driver coordinator for McElveen Buick GMC. Although she is not yet retired, she oversees a team of drivers, five of whom are retirees who work as dealer trade drivers, shuttling cars from one dealership to another. “We look for people with a good driving record and who can pass a drug test. They move all types of cars and trucks, sometimes flying to other parts of the country to drive a vehicle back,” Teibert said. “It is very peaceful work, enabling people to enjoy the scenery and drive a variety of vehicles. Most drivers do it for fun money,” she stated.
Part-Time Retail Jobs
Jim Nogawick enjoyed a career as the CFO of a public safety department in his native Ohio. He can now be found at the Publix at Park West “doing anything needed, but only 15 to 20 hours a week, and never on Monday, Wednesday or Sunday,” he stated. “I lost 40 pounds by walking 15 to 20 miles a week rounding-up shopping carts in the parking lot. I’ll work mornings and sometimes I’ll close the store,” Nogawick shared. The very tall, outgoing gentleman receives hugs and handshakes from regular customers and is also active in two choirs locally, “although they don’t pay money,” he grinned.
Event and Safety Jobs
Finally, Les Langdale is a familiar face at the Charleston RiverDogs baseball games at The Joe. As the emergency response coordinator, Langdale enjoys a year-round part-time job overseeing first aid services for ill or injured guests. “Anytime we have an event with more than 75 people, I’m present,” he stated. “Although baseball makes up the majority of the outings, I work another 10 to 15 days a year for concerts and other events, some drawing more than 7,000 people to the ballpark,” Langdale stated. He is well-qualified for the retirement gig, having served as a paramedic since the 1970s and retiring as the base operations manager for the Medical University of South Carolina MEDUCARE flight program.
Staying Active in Retirement
This is just a sampling of opportunities available to retirees. By the way, some of the people interviewed here are in their ’80s and going strong, a great reminder of the need to stay active during any stage of life.
By D.J. Thatcher
