Prospects for increased post-65 career employment for the baby boom generation

Despite useful skills, less than a third of Americans over age 65 work, fewer still have meaningful careers. The opportunity for careers if important for those unwilling to retire and a source of significant income for others, yet there has been limited research. As part of this study, specific research questions addressed whether there is a relationship among age, gender, or education levels and senior citizens' interest in careers and if there is a relationship between line of business and employers' willingness to hire older workers. Senior citizens and potential employers in Florida were surveyed with Chi-square and R2 analyses completed on the data. The results demonstrated no significant difference among age, gender, or education levels and senior citizens' interest in careers or the perceptions of employers by line of business. The study did find senior citizens were interested in careers with variable hours or enhanced vacations. Nearly thirty-five percent of senior citizens, however, were discouraged from searching for these positions or did know they existed; yet eighty-seven percent of employers cited a lack of older applicants. The results demonstrate a potential mismatch between the interest of senior citizens seeking meaningful careers and employers. One important step is to develop support systems that can effectively connect older workers with employers. From a societal perspective, presenting senior citizens with meaningful careers is an important step in recognizing the valuable contributions of older workers and an essential source of additional income for individuals facing retirement with limited financial means.