ResumeBuilder.com, a leading resource for professional resume templates and career advice, has published a new survey report looking at the employment status and plans of U.S. residents ages 65 to 85.
According to survey findings, a portion of retired seniors may soon be returning to the workforce, driven by various financial and personal factors. The survey reveals 13% of retired seniors say they’re likely to re-enter the job market next year. Key reasons behind this decision include increased cost-of-living (69%), boredom (42%), rising housing costs (39%), and the need to pay off non-medical debt (34%).
“For many retirees, adjusting to this stage of life involves much more than financial considerations,” says Stacie Haller, Resume Builder’s chief career advisor. “I often work with individuals eager to return to work in ways that fulfill long-held passions or offer new opportunities they’ve never had time to explore. The freedom of retirement presents an exciting change to break out of routines and try something new, which combats the boredom that can come from suddenly having more unstructured time.”
The survey also finds that 22% of senior are already employed, and among them, 39% have “unretired,” returning to the workforce after initially stepping away. In contrast, 61% have continued working without ever retiring. For those who have unretired, the cost-of-living increasing more than expected (51%), boredom (40%), and insufficient retirement savings (37%) are cited as top reasons for going back to work. Similarly, most seniors who have never retired attribute their decision to either enjoying their work or not having enough saved to retire comfortably.