Looking to Go From Retired to Rehired? How to Do It in a Competitive Job Market.

(Illustration by Lynne Tuttle/Barron’s)

Key Points

• AARP research found that 7% of retirees returned to work in the past six months, citing financial pressures and personal fulfillment.
• Career strategists recommend that retirees research companies, identify their strengths, and revive their professional networks.
• Experts advise retirees to learn new skills and prepare positive, honest explanations for their retirement gaps during interviews.

Maybe you miss hanging out with co-workers. Maybe your golf game isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Or maybe prices are too high.

No matter the reason, you are a retiree who wants to go back to work. You aren’t alone.

In the past six months, 7% of retirees returned to work, AARP research found. Many cited financial pressures, while others got back on the job for personal fulfillment.

Either way, it takes preparation to be successful. Here’s what to do.

Soul search, then research

First, know thyself. Consider the aspects of your past work life that you loved—and didn’t love so much. That will help you home in on the role you want now, especially if you have been out of the workforce for a while. What would your ideal day look like?

“I give people permission to do this early in the first step,” said Maggie Mistal, a career change coach. “Because it’s shoot for the moon.”

Nail down the details. Do you want part-time, a remote position, or a consulting gig? Do you prefer solving analytical problems at a desk job? Or do you want a more interactive role? Do you want to do something you have done before, or something completely different.

“It’s really knowing what you’re good at, what you’re bad at, where your areas for growth are that you’re willing to invest time and money in,” said Nancy Ancowitz, a career strategist.

Next, research companies in the industry you are pursuing to narrow down what they are looking for, Ancowitz said.

Read company websites and news releases along with trade publications to get a bead on what’s cutting edge in the industry. Learn the industry jargon. And connect with people who work in that space.

Reviving your network

How to connect? It is harder for those out of the workforce and whose professional networks have gone cold. But there are ways to warm them up and expand on new connections you have made elsewhere.

To start, list everybody you know who might know someone in the industry you are targeting and who would be willing to make a connection for you.

“Brainstorm as many names as you can. Think of all the avenues that you’ve traveled in,” Ancowitz said.

Consider old colleagues, neighbors, fellow church members, those in your community or volunteer organizations.

Attend industry or networking events to meet new people. Approach speakers with praise and questions. If you are still active with your alma mater, call the alumni office to see if it can help, either by connecting you with professors or other alums.

Then, reach out.

“It’s surprisingly easy to get people to sit down and have coffee or do it virtually and talk about opportunities in X,” said Beverly Jones, author of “Find Your Happy at Work.”

Not only will these connections help you understand what qualifications you may need, but they may also serve as references or get your résumé to a hiring manager down the road.

Upskilling

If you are short on qualifications, skill up.

Check out professional learning programs at community colleges and local universities and workshops offered by trade associations. LinkedIn Learning, Coursera and IBM SkillBuild offer online classes on a broad range of topics.

Showing the initiative to learn new skills also makes you a more attractive job candidate.

“One thing that people are vaguely aware of when they’re potentially hiring an older person is they want to find somebody who is still learning,” said Jones.

Don’t discount the skills you already bring to the table.

“Let’s say you had a customer service role volunteering while in retirement and the position you’re applying for involves a lot of people contact, you can absolutely underscore that,” Ancowitz said.

Include those skills in your cover letter, in the summary section of your résumé and on your LinkedIn profile.

Explaining the retirement gap

Be ready to explain why you want to unretire.

“Whether it’s been six months or 10 years, you need to be able to answer it,” said Ancowitz.

Practice your answer for interviews, so you don’t come across worried or defensive. And transition quickly from your explanation to demonstrating how you have kept your skills fresh.

Be upfront about why you are returning to the workforce, but in a positive way.

You might highlight how coming back to work can fulfill a life purpose that you missed in your previous career. If your reasons are financial, frame a new job as a way to add another income stream.

“Whatever the truth, give the truth,” Mistal said. “But I like to give the best version of the truth.”

Dealing with ageism

You may encounter employers who don’t want to hire older workers. The best counter is to have a clear idea of your strengths and how those can help a company.

Try this to help you identify those strengths. Ask people who know you well: What are my best skills, abilities, talents, qualities? Not only will their answers crystallize what you bring to the table, but they will also build up your confidence.

“This type of feedback exercise gets people usually squarely focused on their strengths,” Mistal said, “and able to articulate them in a way that employers can understand.”

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