Working After Retirement

Craig Whitehead | Member, Pension & Financial Wellness Committee, ARTA

We enjoy watching trees change with the seasons. They bud and leaf out in the spring, and turn into beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow in the fall.

In the winter, we watch as the frost gathers on the branches. The trees cannot control the climate, disease, or insects that may damage them.

Just like the trees, we also go through changes. We attended university, began our careers, and had high hopes of putting enough resources aside for retirement. But some of us have also faced situations beyond our control. We wanted to put our money into RRSPs and TFSAs, pay off mortgages, own new vehicles, and travel. However, life happens — we may have faced illness, the death of a spouse or child, poor investments, or aging parents or children who needed financial help. We may have started working later in life or removed our money from our pensions before we reached 55 years old — and the investments have not grown like we expected. If this sounds familiar, what can we do now that it is time for retirement?

How Do I Supplement My Income?

There are many ways for retired professionals to earn some extra money. While it might not sound ideal to start working again during your retirement, consider these options as a temporary step to get you back on track financially. Who knows, maybe you will find something you enjoy doing long-term, even after you have reached your financial goals.

To continue working on a flexible, part-time basis, consider working as a substitute teacher, tutoring, or applying to a nearby university or college to teach a course.

If you love golf, check out the needs at the local golf course. You may be able to get a job on the grounds crew, as a starter, or as a course marshal. By working there, you may get free or discounted rounds of golf.

Apply to work with the parks department of your town or city. These seasonal jobs could give you the time and money to spend a holiday overseas or down south and possibly provide employment insurance.

Do you prefer to travel in the summer months? Consider working as a school bus driver or a janitor during the academic year.

If you enjoy driving, check out local car dealerships. You may be able to work as a shuttle driver or picking up new vehicles and bringing them back to the dealership to be sold.

Enjoy working with your hands building a project? Check out the local hardware stores; you may be able to get a job selling building supplies and learning the tricks of the trade.

Retail jobs at a local store can be a great option if you are a social butterfly and enjoy interacting with people.

Try a big box store or local retail store for a job packing or unpacking supplies, where you can ask for flexible hours.

Run for your local school board or town council, which would both give you additional income and help make a difference in your community.

If you retire early, you have the option of starting a new career, which will give you extra time to earn money to put aside.

So, Now What?

Once you have decided how you want to supplement your income, it’s time to update your resume. The internet can be a great tool for job hunters — there are resume tips and templates galore. You can begin researching the questions you anticipate will be asked in an interview, since it has probably been a few years. Many job postings can also be found online now via websites like Indeed.com or LinkedIn. If you are not where you want to be financially when you retire, don’t give up! You can still accomplish your goals.


Craig Whitehead taught grades 1 to 12 over twenty-four years in the Livingstone Range School District. In retirement, after some subbing, Craig became — and continues as — a school trustee. Otherwise, golf, travel, and seventeen grandchildren occupy much of his time.