Family
Help! I'm a Retired Workaholic
Should I go back to work or work on my tennis swing?
Tara Jacoby
“New jobs match your preferences!” announced an email from a career site I registered with some years ago. Another recent email claimed, “Your background in communications could be a great match for these opportunities,” while yet another asserted, “Your strategic skills align with these job requirements.”
Are these somewhat flattering outreach efforts trying to tempt me back to the workplace? I’m glad some bot thinks my resume aligns with a company’s list of keywords, but would they really want to hire me now that I’m past the traditional retirement age?
I was always a devoted and eager employee who enjoyed working. I often miss collaborating with colleagues who shared not only their projects but also the ups and downs of our daily lives. I even miss getting “constructive” feedback from bosses I didn’t always agree with.
Should I succumb to these email invitations that suggest I should update my profile and add recent work experience? Probably not, since the skills and responsibilities I use for babysitting grandchildren aren’t going to count.
While I’m sure my resume doesn’t disclose age-related information like my decades-old college graduation date, I’m aware there are gaps in my employment history, especially when I was home raising children. It also lacks many of today’s in-demand digital skills. I reassure myself that those dancing TikTok videos I don’t understand can’t really be relevant to the workplace. And before it replaces people like me, could someone please explain what it means to have artificial intelligence as a core productivity multiplier?
Just what would happen if I responded to one of these openings and got called for an interview? Would I have to dress fashionably and professionally for a Zoom meeting, or would I reveal my wrinkles and streaks of gray in person, hoping not to teeter in the high heels I no longer wear?
Would my pantsuit lapels be outdated? Can you imagine my embarrassment if the slower word retrieval that comes with age failed me in response to a question? I can still picture that cringe-worthy interview scene in “The Intern” with Robert De Niro’s hesitation when asked, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”
Even if the interview went well, it’s doubtful I’d get past a human resources manager, who would review my application paperwork, note my age and worry that my health care claims would raise the group’s health insurance costs. The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College reported that employer-provided health insurance costs are a suspected barrier to hiring and retaining older workers. After all, I do have a lot of doctor appointments these days, and my own insurance premiums do keep going up.
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Speaking of human resources, I’ve unfortunately witnessed “reorgs” or “downsizings” that seemed ageist because long-term employees with institutional knowledge were targeted for layoffs. I was once a victim, and it was sad, painful and discriminatory to realize that older employees would not be utilized as mentors for intergenerational collaborations.
What if I had been offered a buyout rather than being part of a “reduction in force”? To cut costs, some companies may offer severance packages to get people to leave their jobs, especially older workers with higher salaries. If you’re thinking of retirement, this could come at a good time, or you may gamble that you could get laid off down the road without an offer. Whether you decide to retire or are pushed into a decision, there are questions related to income and whether health care benefits will be extended.
When deciding to continue working or returning to work, it’s also important to be aware that age and income can affect Social Security benefits. And if you are on Medicare, the Part B premium can be affected if your income is above a certain level.
It seems unlikely that anyone, any time soon, is going to make me a job offer I can’t refuse. Maybe it’s time for me to unsubscribe from these job alerts and take up a hobby, join a book club, volunteer, travel, take an adult education class or even restart tennis lessons. I hope my family will be happy to see more of me. I must admit that when I look out the window and see the morning traffic piling up in the distance, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to face an alarm clock or a commute.
Though our identities are often defined by what we do, work certainly isn’t our only defining role in life. Though I hope not to be perceived as an “old lady,” a label I would hate, I enjoyed reading a line in a recent New York Times essay where author Roger Rosenblatt wrote, “The old ladies I know are almost always looking forward,” and he added, “Moxie, confidence, charisma — old ladies have those in spades.”
And cheers to Anna Wintour, who, after 37 years as editor-in-chief of Vogue, said, “I like my age. I feel as alive, excited and aware as ever.” I couldn’t agree more with what she said in an interview at age 76: “I feel age is actually an advantage.”
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