Retirement doesn’t mean you have to stop working

Some people work their whole lives looking forward to retirement. But some retire and can’t wait to get back to work.

Luckily, there are opportunities for people regardless of age.

“When we help an employer and job candidate match skills to a need, that’s a double whammy,” HR Office Inc. co-founder Jeffrey Krauss said. “The employer gets a great candidate, and for the employee there’s nothing better than to be accepted. It can change a person’s life.”

The State College-based HR Office Inc. has matched job seekers to employers since 2003 by asking a few questions, including a person’s professional experience, skills, education and interests, to an employer’s need. A person’s age is not of interest.

“It makes no difference to us what a person’s age is,” Krauss said. “And people (55 and older) begin new careers all the time.”

Krauss said people tend to work more later in life compared to several decades ago due to a variety of reasons. Some may work out of necessity, and others do it for enjoyment.

“We know a lot of people who are fortunate to have maintained a good level of health and enjoy working, so why not,” Krauss said. “I can tell you that’s what I’m doing. I really enjoy what I do.”

There are also volunteer opportunities for people 55 and older through the Centre County Office of Aging’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. Some seniors enjoy the Pen Pals program with local youths, and others help fellow retirees through Apprise, a Medicare counseling program. RSVP volunteers also completed more than 1,400 tax return forms for local families who needed assistance.

“Many people have had successful careers doing work and developing skills, and they may be looking for something today that harnesses their abilities that is worthwhile,” CCOA Director Ken Pendleton said. “So, maybe they want to give back a little bit, and we have a lot of opportunities for them. I’m very proud of the work they do.”

This story was originally published September 29, 2017 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Retirement doesn’t mean you have to stop working."