Seniors Over 60: The Best 11 Jobs for You

There’s no doubt that the “how and when” of retirement has changed significantly over the years. One of the ways retirement has changed is the number of seniors over 60 who still wish to work part-time after leaving full-time employment, whether it be for extra money or to get out and stay active in their older age.

If you’re looking to leave full-time work or you already have, we’ve come up with a list of the 11 best jobs for seniors over 60 to help with your job search. These are all excellent options for part-time and casual jobs for older Australians. They’re also great jobs for older people with no experience. 

Whether you have years of experience in the field or you’re following a passion, there are part-time jobs for retirees that allow you to work from home, be outdoors all day, or even work with kids!

Here are the top 11 jobs for seniors over 60.

Teacher’s aides spend their days working closely with children, helping them learn, develop social skills and understand the world around them. If you’re a patient person who loves interacting with kids, this could be an ideal part-time or casual job for you. It’s a highly fulfilling role.

This field is anticipated to experience strong job growth in the coming years. The help teacher’s aides provide to students is invaluable, so you can expect to be in demand. A vast proportion of the workers in this field are over the age of 50, proving it’s an ideal job for older Australians. 

Better still, the only qualification you’ll need to get started is a Certificate III in Education Support or a Certificate IV in Education Support. This training will also provide you with a hands-on work placement to put your skills into practice, which means you’ll be ready to enter the workforce as soon as you complete your qualification.

The average wage for a teacher’s aide is $24.40 per hour according to Payscale.

Discover a wide range of teacher’s aide courses to get started.

Sports coaching positions are available at most primary schools and high schools, community centres and local sports clubs.

You will need to obtain a Working with Children Check and a First Aid qualification to work directly with children. It’s not usually required, but obtaining some form of sports & fitness qualification that proves you’re well-versed in sports conditioning, team tactics and how the body works is a great asset!

The average wage for a sports coach is $29.69 per hour according to Payscale.

If this job appeals to you, check out some sports and fitness courses

If you have work experience in retail, this is a natural choice for you; however, if you want to hone in on your skills a course in retail certainly won’t hurt! You’ll learn key information about engaging customers, handling sales processes, and how to use your discretion and judgement when working with customers.

According to Payscale, the average wage for a sales assistant is $21.27 per hour.

Browse a variety of retail courses

If you’d prefer to stay off your feet, becoming a call centre operator could be a good choice for you. It’s a fantastic role for quick-thinkers with excellent rapport-building skills. You can expect it to have its challenges, but it’s a job that gets many high praises from those that work in the field. Many call centre operators say they wouldn’t change anything about their job.

As a call centre operator, you’ll be in charge of managing multiple phone lines simultaneously and assisting customers over the phone. This means you’ll have to be good at prioritising and organising. You’ll also need to have basic computer skills to navigate the relevant programs and websites your customers are struggling with.

Although there are no necessary qualifications for this role, a Certificate in Customer Engagement will set you apart from other candidates. It will also start you off with the right skills to succeed in this fast-paced job.

According to Payscale, the average wage for a call centre agent is $23.54 per hour.

Check out sales courses that will hone your skills

Administration work is often flexible and many organisations have an administrative team with multiple employees, allowing more opportunities to choose your own hours!

A course in business administration is an excellent idea if you’re looking into this type of role. It will assist you in brushing up on your computer skills, and how you can support a business’ formal operations from the front!

According to Payscale, the average wage for an admin assistant is $24.51 per hour.

Browse business admin courses

If you love to work with children and want to assist them with their social and intellectual development, becoming a child care worker would suit you! These dedicated professionals are kind, patient, caring and excellent at supporting young children as they discover the world.

Childcare requires extremely passionate workers, and to ensure a high standard of care is delivered there are mandatory qualifications to complete for most jobs. 

By completing a course in childcare, you can become:

• An at-home childcare educationalist (qualification required)
• An early childhood teacher’s assistant (qualification required)
• A nanny (qualification preferred)

Depending on if you choose a ‘home job’ within childcare, travel to your clients or work in a formal education establishment, childcare is often very flexible and will definitely keep you active!

According to Payscale, the average way for a childcare worker is $23.43 per hour.

Check out a wide range of childcare courses available to you

Consider studying a qualification in animal care to show clients that you’re a knowledgeable, trustworthy choice for their fur babies! An animal care qualification will also give you an introduction to crucial knowledge of animals, like how to tell when an animal is sick, how to read pet behaviour, and how to safely interact with animals.

According to Payscale, the average wage for a dog walker is $24.57 per hour.

Browse animal care courses

If you previously worked in finance to some capacity, becoming a part-time bookkeeper is an excellent way to get back on the tools in a much more laid-back environment. Many bookkeepers say they love the fact they can work so closely with individual clients, mentoring them about expenses and helping them find sustainable financial solutions.

For those who have never worked in finance or accounting, bookkeepers have to be comfortable with accounting computer software, as well as be able to communicate financial information to clients in a way that’s simple to understand.

Aside from having a love of numbers, bookkeepers must also have a keen eye for detail, be organised and have problem-solving skills.

You’ll likely be working with small businesses, which can be a really fulfilling experience. You’ll watch the business grow, thanks in part to your thorough bookkeeping and financial advice. 

According to Payscale, the average hourly wage for a bookkeeper is $28.92.

If you’re interested in numbers and wish to work with some of your local businesses on their books, a course in bookkeeping is a must!

Check out bookkeeping courses

Tutors can either work from the comfort of their own homes or travel to the client’s house.

Most tutors charge an hourly wage which can be determined by you! But according to Payscale, the average hourly wage for a tutor is $29.63.

If you do wish to work with school-aged children, obtaining a Working with Children Check is necessary! You might also want to complete some form of formal education qualification. This will prepare you for the challenges of teaching, and give you legitimacy as a tutor (especially when you’re just starting out)!

These education courses can bolster your skillset

Becoming a delivery driver usually only requires a full driver’s licence (and any additional licenses determined by the employer), and a police check, which you can apply for online. Delivery driver hours are flexible and depend on the nature of the business you’re working for!

According to Payscale, the average hourly wage for a delivery driver is $22.25.

Tip: If you’re an early bird, consider being the local news agent’s newspaper delivery driver.

Becoming a local tour guide is a fantastic role for those who have a knack for telling stories, keeping history exciting and assisting people in making the most of their holiday! You can use your natural communication skills to engage people of all ages and backgrounds. You’ll also need to bring your interpersonal skills to this role, as all your work will be done with people.

Tour guides need to be fit, as a lot of walking will be involved.

Some roles you could look into include:

• Local city-walking guide
• Tour guide for zoos, parks or museums
• A city guide for tour groups on a larger national tour

According to Payscale, the average hourly wage for a tour guide is $25.53.

Completing a nationally recognised tourism course will help prepare you for this type of work! You may also be required to obtain other certifications, such as first aid and a Working With Children check.

Check out these tourism courses to see if you like the look of any

Once you’ve decided on the kind of role you’d like, there are a few ways you can increase your chances of getting a job quickly. 

Overcoming age discrimination on your journey

If you’re worried about encountering ageism as you apply for jobs, the first thing to know is that your feelings are valid, and you’re not alone. Although it’s illegal for employers to discriminate on age, it’s still an insidious barrier that exists in many industries.

Hopefully it helps to know that this list of jobs is based on roles that commonly attract and employ older workers. They’re jobs that you’ll be able to thrive in, even without experience. In these roles, personal qualities like a caring nature, great communication, creativity and passion are more important than experience.

You’ll also be able to bring experience from your previous career and impart it in any of these roles.

No matter what your previous employment was, skillset or interests, there are part-time job opportunities for all job seekers over 60 looking to get out and stay active in their retirement. This turning point could be exactly what you need to de-stress and enjoy life.