Working in Retirement: No Longer an Oxymoron By Carol Greenfield, Senior Web Solutions

Did you know that, according to a recent AARP survey, nearly 80% of baby boomers are planning to continue in the paid labor force during their sixties and seventies? Did you know that more businesses are started by people over 50 than any other age group? The "new retirement" is no longer synonymous with the life of leisure. Older adults are seeking out new work opportunities because they may have a financial need but also because work provides them with meaning and purpose. But the kind of work they seek and the way they choose to work may be different from the past.

Fortunately, many resources exist to assist individuals exploring new work opportunities. Some are focused specifically on working with people over 50. Others help people of all ages find a job or start a business. A good place to start is AARP's web site www.aarp.org/money/careers. Here you will find a wide range of resources about job loss, finding a job, self-employment, and workplace flexibility issues. AARP is actively working with employers to promote the hiring of persons 50 plus and the creation of workplaces with best practices that attract and retain older workers.

Other resources of interest:

Operation A.B.L.E. (Ability Based on Long Experience) at www.operationable.org promotes employment and training opportunities for individuals who represent economically, racially and occupationally diverse populations. A.B.L.E.'s mission is to serve people aged 45 and older, but their programs are available to adults of all ages.

Salem State Small Business Development Center www.salemsbdc.org, SBDC, Program is designed to deliver up-to-date counseling, training and technical assistance in all aspects of small business management. SBDC services include, but are not limited to, assisting small businesses with financial, marketing, production, organization, engineering and technical problems and feasibility studies. Special SBDC programs and economic development activities include international trade assistance, technical assistance, procurement assistance, venture capital formation and rural development.

The Massachusetts Division of Career Services oversees the state's 32 One-Stop Career Centers. At www.detma.org, you will find links to the five centers located within the NMRLS service area.

More information about employment opportunities is available at the NMRLS Lifelong Access Exchange at www.nmrls.org/tlx/employment.shtml. To share employment resources with other librarians, please email Mary Behrle and we will include them on the web site.