Secure jobs for 55 and older

[Opti]

msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-3015-Job-Info-and-Trends-14-secure-jobs-with-a-high-percentage-of-workers-age-55-plus/?SiteId=cbmsnhp43015&sc_extcmp=JS_3015_home1

Too bad all except for a couple seem to require significant college education.

I guess my goal of writer/author is a good choice if I get published.

[Deleted]

Yup. You don't see "Roofer" or anything like that on there. I tell my sons that doing those types of jobs when they are young might seem great but when they hit 40+ , climbing up ladders to nail shingles might get pretty tough so you do need to consider the longevity of any potential career.

But, dang, too late for me to become a Physicist!

[Opti]

Exactly. Here's the list.

Here are 14 secure jobs with a high percentage of workers age 55-plus:

1. Clinical, counseling and school psychologists
Percent age 55 and over: 41.9
Median annual salary: $67,880*

2. Psychologists, all other
Percent age 55 and over: 41.9
Median annual salary: $90,010

3. Chief executives
Percent age 55 and over: 35.5
Median annual salary: $166,910

4. Physicists
Percent age 55 and over: 33.8
Median annual salary: $106,360

5. Urban and regional planners
Percent age 55 and over: 33.8
Median annual salary: $64,100

6. Management analysts
Percent age 55 and over: 32.3
Median annual salary: $78,490

7. Education administrators, elementary and secondary school
Percent age 55 and over: 32.2
Median annual salary: $87,470

8. Education administrators, postsecondary
Percent age 55 and over: 32.2
Median annual salary: $84,280

9. Education administrators, all other
Percent age 55 and over: 32.2
Median annual salary: $76,730

10. Administrative services managers
Percent age 55 and over: 31.9
Median annual salary: $79,540

11. Instructional coordinators
Percent age 55 and over: 31.9
Median annual salary: $59,280

12. Writers and authors
Percent age 55 and over: 31.9
Median annual salary: $55,870

13. Transportation inspectors
Percent age 55 and over: 31.3
Median annual salary: $62,230

14. Social and community service managers
Percent age 55 and over: 30.8
Median annual salary: $58,660

*Salary figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

[ktunes]

and here i thought no jobs were secure anymore...

[cronewitch]

The trouble with this list seems to be it is all move up jobs like CEO because it is based on percentages. Other jobs like CPA you can start at 22 or so so even if all worked to over 60 they won't make the list, but move to CFO or CEO at 50 or so and you have a huge percentage over 55.

[Deleted]

You might find the MSN article a little more helpful:
www.moneytalksnews.com/2012/06/08/the-10-best-and-5-worst-careers-to-pursue/?utm_source=Money+Talks+News+Updates&utm_campaign=email-2012-06-10&utm_medium=email

The system admin area seems positive in this article, so maybe you just need to get some certs in the current "popular areas" to refresh your skill set to what is needed in current jobs?

[zibazinski]

I can so see this with a psychologist. I'd want someone mature to talk to, who had experienced life, not someone 25.

[Deleted]

Nothing is "secure"! I can see a common thread running through all of the above, though- don't let yourself get stale. The CEO-types have been moving up steadily and (one hopes) getting better at leadership. Psychologists are leveraging maturity and years of experience. I think the real job market losers in the 50+ group are the ones who coasted along for decades getting regular raises because that's what companies did, while not upgrading their skills. (Sometimes, of course, the employer did nothing to encourage or support upgrading skills.) They lose their job and are competing with people who have less experience but the same skill sets, or maybe even better.

A sad exception to my general observation is the educational areas, where mediocre performers can still have pretty secure jobs thanks to the tenure system.

[TheOtherMe]

My 82 year old uncle is still working his construction job! He says if he retired, his wife would make him work harder than his boss does and he is probably correct.

His boss doesn't allow him to work on roofs any more. From what I'm told, he does everything else still. He's still in amazing shape.

A few years back now, the boss threw him a surprise party for being there for 50 years.

[Deleted]

Although teaching was only indirectly mentioned (a lot of the jobs were school administrators), I will say it is fairly friendly for older people. Lots of older people start teaching here as a second career . . . we have a former textbook rep, a former Dean of Students, an orthopedic surgeon, etc. We get some of the younger crowd, too, but this is definitely a step up for most teachers. We have had multiple Teachers of the Year, etc.

What struck me about most of the positions listed is that they were jobs where you would naturally have a lot of older people working there because they would get a job they really liked and not leave. Also, several required advanced degrees. (You can't be a school administrator without an advanced degree.)

Also, most of them didn't pay that well for the amount of time it probably took to get to that level and the amount of education.

Just my two cents.

[Deleted]

Jun 10, 2012 10:18:44 GMT -5 Opti said:

I guess my goal of writer/author is a good choice if I get published.

Opti - MSN did an interesting interview with an author on self publishing & marketing. It was very enlightening.
www.moneytalksnews.com/2012/06/08/the-10-best-and-5-worst-careers-to-pursue/?utm_source=Money+Talks+News+Updates&utm_campaign=email-2012-06-10&utm_medium=email