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Resource for Graying Job Hunters
ElderAuthority has published over 50 articles about the necessity for those of us who are middle-aged and older to create our own jobs. Because of dreadful job market, everyone has trouble getting work, but older people have special challenges. Check out some of the following posts:
Senior Jobs: Look at Fastest Growing Professions
Healthy Aging: Keep Working, Learning, and Growing
Planning the Next Phase of Your Work Life
Jobs for Aging Boomers and Seniors 2012
Renewed Entrepreneurship
McClatchy News Service published an article recently that discusses renewed entrepreneurship. I heartily support their recommendation that you create your own job by doing work that others cannot or will not do.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It reminded me about one of my favorite characters in Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple mysteries. I believe her name was Lucy. She was a pretty sophisticated woman in her mid thirties who had figured out that people would pay for truly excellent housekeeping. Lucy had plenty of customers, charged an above-market fee, and treasured her time off because she made enough money to enjoy herself. She identified something other people could not or would not do and created a full-time job. Positions mentioned by McClatchy include the following:
- Straighten my room
- Mind my child
- Tutor my child
- Dog walking
- Rent-A-Friend
- Install new software on home computers
- Fix computer hardware problems
- Teach how to get the most out of electronic devices (ipod, smartphone, tablet, DVR, )
- Love coach
- Wedding planner
- Birth Surrogate
- Parenting counselor
- Paid friend
- Mourner for hire
- Nanny
- Organizing and cleaning space
- Personal trainer
Image via ElderAuthority
Here are some others that have been suggested by ElderAuthority:
- Caregiver
- Companion
- Nurse
- Gardener
- Shopper
- Cook
- Housekeeper
- Laundry Service
- Classroom teacher
- On-line teacher
- Ghost blogger
- Editor
- Writer
- Bookkeeper
- Read Out Loud
- Handy man
- Driver
- Life coach
- Home health aide
- Virtual assistant
- Proofreader
- Translator
- Expert
- Website reviewer
- Web search evaluator
- Mock juror
RENT-A-DAUGHTER, Rent-A- {fill in the blank}
Image by ElderAuthority
When I was caregiver for my parents I started a consulting business called RENT-A-DAUGHTER because I saw need for training families when they are suddenly thrust into the alien world of caregiving. No one is prepared, but they can get up to speed fairly quickly with the right coach. I knew there was a need because I had the same need when I became a caregiver overnight. There is a service in California called, Rent-A Grandma.
Think about needs you have that you would pay someone to do. Ask your friends what they would love to outsource from their hectic days. This is how entrepreneurial ideas a born. No one is going to rescue any of us. We have to make it up for ourselves.
