7 job ideas to help you get back into work after a break

Have you been away from work for some time? Maybe you have retired from your job and found you weren’t ready to stop working, had a break to look after family, or have been unemployed looking for work for a little while now. No matter the reason, we have some tips to help you to get back into employment. Below are 7 ideas to get you thinking about different ways to get back into a job.

1. Pet sitter

There are now a number of websites looking for pet sitters daily, or even overnight.

If you are looking for a rewarding role dealing with animals, and you have the time and patience for pets, this job might be for you.

1. Small business

If you have the talent and access to supplies, you can turn a hobby into a small business. Explore your photography skills, get into woodworking, look into selling your knitting masterpieces—you’ve honed skills over the years, and now you have the time to see where they can take you. You can create your own website or open an Etsy store—you don’t need to have a physical storefront to start a business. If you’re up for a challenge, starting your own small business that engages your skills and your passion can be a rewarding way to fill your time while you make extra money in retirement.

1. Consultant

You likely amassed tons of knowledge from your former career. You can leave it behind and forget it, or you can use your experience to do consulting work. In the tech industry, for example, retirees often return as consultants to use their knowledge of code writing—because the technology has changed so much, consultants with this type of knowledge may be vital to the industry. Consulting in your former industry is a way to employ your skills while keeping your work schedule more flexible.

1. Teacher or tutor

Have you got a skill that you can teach someone else? Could it be another language, or a musical instrument, perhaps a cooking class? Put your skills to good use by teaching others. You can self-promote using local channels like a supermarket noticeboard as a good starting point.

1. Retail

Perhaps your local supermarket, fruit shop, bakery or even shopping centres are looking for retail workers. If you have basic customer service skills, confidence to talk to people and don’t mind being on your feet, a retail job is a great way to get back into the workforce. Often the shifts are on a casual basis, meaning you can have some flexibility with the hours you work.

1. Working in the arts

Love art? Movies? Music? Working in the gift shop at a museum or as a docent can be a great way to share your interest that may not have been part of your full-time job before retiring. You can work at a theatre and take tickets or become an usher at your local concert hall.

1. Local sporting clubs, community centres etc.

Often local clubs are looking for staff in both voluntary and paid roles. Do you or any of your friends/family have connections to a sporting club or community centre? You can start here and see what opportunities might be available from bookkeeping to game-day canteen sales.