Retiree Re-staffing 4: Daydreaming About Doing Something Else

A number of factors, including the economy and older workers’ desire to not bail out of the workforce entirely, has made retiree re-staffing an emerging trend. This series examines the trend and provides ways that recruiters can take advantage of it.We’ve already discussed how the economy has created a wealth of Baby Boomers who would like to retire but are unable to do so due to the havoc the recession reaped on their retirement investments. But the recession also created another opportunity. Many companies looking to cut costs during the recession offered early retirement packages to avoid having to layoff large numbers of employees. While not providing enough income for a full retirement, these packages offered workers enough of a revenue stream to consider more enjoyable careers with less hours.The problem is, these workers may not be exactly sure what they want to do. Contracting is a great option for them because they can try different fields before committing to a new career path. It also allows them the flexibility to work when they want to rather than being tied to a full-time, permanent job.One worker who was considering taking an early retirement package from his employer so that he could explore other career options recently sought advice from www.CNNMoney.com’s Ask Annie column about how to select a new career. The article provides some good tips on how early retirees can zero in on their perfect retirement career. If you are counseling some potential contract candidates struggling over this decision, you may want to point them towards this article.