By Gary Bennett
This article appears in the Spring 2026 edition of Frederick News-Post’s “Prime Time” magazine.
I’ve gained a new appreciation for blue-collar workers ever since becoming one myself. Retirement has a way of opening your eyes that way.
It’s not that I didn’t appreciate what they do. I’ve heartily thanked the folks who come to my home and make my life better — electricians, plumbers, HVAC workers, carpenters, exterminators and painters. I’ve marveled at how quickly construction workers can raise up buildings. I’ve admired the grace and dexterity of heavy equipment operators. I’ve respected from afar the work of warehouse workers, baggage handlers, truck drivers, store clerks and more.
It’s just that I’ve always told myself that I’m perhaps a little smarter and planned ahead a little better than they did, especially when I see them toiling away in the elements, in someone else’s home or in a retail environment. You can call me naïve or arrogant for feeling this way, but I did.
The truth is, however, I secretly admired and was always intrigued by them.
What are their days like, I wondered? Does the physical work and fresh air make them healthier than me? Is their hands-on work more meaningful than my more esoteric work? Do they get paid better than me? Would I have the stamina to do the work they do every day?
It wouldn’t take me long to find the answers.
When I retired from my white-collar career in 2020, I suddenly had an empty slate. I knew I wanted to eventually continue working in some capacity. It’s not that I necessarily needed the money — of course every little bit helps — but I wanted to make sure I was busy and filled my days with meaningful tasks.
I suppose if I had a hobby I wanted to pursue with a vengeance or an aging parent I needed to take care of, I would have done those things. But that wasn’t the case for me.
For me, a fun, part-time job seemed like just the ticket for a happy and healthy retirement. I’m not alone.
WHY WORK IN RETIREMENT?
According to AARP, 20 to 25% of all retirees work part- or full-time in retirement. For new retirees — those mostly in their 60s like me — the percentage rises to about 33%.
In the future, it is estimated that the number of Gen X and Millennial retirees continuing to work will begin to approach 50%. Or as my 40-year-old son recently told me, “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to retire.”
It’s no wonder. Today, the working-in-retirement trend is driven largely by financial necessity. Social Security is not enough to get by on, and many folks spend every cent just surviving. They are unable to save for retirement.
But even if they have the money, retirees have other good reasons to continue working. Many want to maintain good emotional and social connections. Others wish to continue feeling useful. Still others want to keep exercising their brains to help ward off mental dysfunction.
I was able to retire early from my high-pressure, white-collar job at age 62. I had a decent 401(k), a paid-off home and good health. I was OK with taking minimum Social Security.
So, as a brand-new retiree, I began doing interesting things that filled my hours. I exercised in earnest, volunteered all around town, provided regular childcare for grandchildren and began writing. I even did a little traveling like new retirees are supposed to do. But for me, it still wasn’t enough. After about six months, I started to get the bug to work again.
I knew I didn’t want to continue in my chosen field, but I also knew I wanted to keep active and contribute to society in some meaningful way. Like a lot of older Americans, I see retirement as a flexible phase to do all those things I always wanted to do. To me, that meant a new job, albeit a fun and part-time one.
I had fantasies about what it would be like to work a blue-collar job that paid reasonably well but didn’t incur much stress or come with mountains of homework. To me, the folks working blue-collar jobs seemed happy and knew what they had accomplished at the end of the day. For me in my marketing and communications job with its demanding and high-powered clients? Not so much.
I didn’t have the stamina or mechanical ability to be a plumber, electrician, or construction worker. But I could drive! I fantasized about driving a big, 18-wheeler, heading out on the open road for weeks at a time with important cargo to deliver entrusted just to me. I would be my own boss. I would see the country.
Then reality kicked in.
Driving a big rig takes lots of training, means lots of responsibility and takes you away from your family for long stretches of time. After the romance wore out, I reasoned, the job would even be kind of lonely.
So, what kind of job could I do and what kind of an organization would want me anyway?
As it turned out, lots! In my case I used a connection my wife had and got a job delivering prescription medications two or three days a week for a local pharmacy. The hours are great — roughly 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — so I still get to have leisurely mornings and stress-free evenings.
Along with helping other people by bringing them something they want and need, I get to be my own boss (pretty much), drive around town in a sporty Ford Focus and get a little sunshine and exercise, too!
After four years of college, a master’s degree, a few awards and 40 years of increasing responsibility and experience as a white-collar professional, I am now a dyed-in-the-wool, blue-collar worker, and I love it!
JOBS FOR RETIREES
Being a delivery driver is not for everyone, of course. But I can tell you there are lots of opportunities out there for older workers. So, if you’ve been thinking about getting back in the job market, go for it!
But be careful. When choosing a job after retirement it’s important to consider your interests, skills and goals. You also want to make sure the job fits your lifestyle and schedule.
Thankfully, AARP has done the research.
Employers with the 15 jobs listed below alphabetically have high regard for retirees and stable, older workers. All offer part-time opportunities without requiring a college degree or a lot of experience. Most will train you. The average wage is in parentheses.
• Administrative assistant ($22.82 per hour)
• Customer service representative ($20.59 per hour)
• Data entry clerk ($20.22 per hour)
• Home health aide ($16.78 per hour)
• Nanny ($23.71 per hour)
• Pet groomer ($16.28 per hour)
• Real estate agent ($28.35 per hour)
• Receptionist ($17.90 per hour)
• Retail clerk ($20.50 per hour)
• School bus driver ($23.26 per hour)
• Secretary ($22.82 per hour)
• Security guard ($18.46 per hour)
• Shuttle driver ($17.62 per hour)
• Tutor ($21.55 per hour)
• Web designer ($45.85 per hour)
So, what have I learned?
You don’t have to be embarrassed by working in retirement. Chances are good your unemployed, retired friends will envy you. Your mind and body will thank you. And it’s a great time to reinvent yourself.
When looking, consider the solid benefits blue-collar work has over white-collar work. (These are generalities, of course.)
DESIRABLE TRAITS OF BLUE-COLLAR JOBS
• It’s easy to see what you’ve accomplished at the end of the day.
• There are not many people problems. That’s for the boss, right?
• People want to do a good job and heartily support others.
• There are no business trips. You can go home every evening.
• Getting light, physical exercise is good for you and a part of the deal.
• You must clock in, but when you’re done for the day, you’re done.
• There are no or little budgeting or bottom-line worries.
• You wear a uniform that is provided so there are no worries about clothes.
• The work does not have to be stressful unless you make it so.
• You mostly work near customers or in the great outdoors.
• There are no social worries. Just get the work done!
• You receive hourly wages, which are often quite good.
• Artificial Intelligence probably can’t take your place any time soon.
UNDESIRABLE TRAITS OF WHITE-COLLAR JOBS
• It’s hard to see what you’ve accomplished at the end of the day.
• If you’re the boss, people problems can wear you down.
• So many people seem to be overly concerned with getting ahead and getting credit.
• The business trips that seem fun at first can wear on you.
• There’s no clocking in — you can come and go as you please (pretty much) but you always have to be “on.”
• There are continuous budgeting and bottom-line worries.
• You must dress for success. That can be expensive.
• The work can be stressful.
• You must strike a fine balance between getting the work done and being a pleasant and available schmoozer.
• You receive a salary, which may not pay you all that well for the hours you actually work.
• Artificial Intelligence could absolutely do your job one day.
NEXT STEPS
As a vital, young retiree, you can get out of your comfort zone, reinvent yourself and try something different. Working in retirement can be fun. If you’ve been a white-collar worker your entire career, try a part-time, blue-collar job in retirement. You won’t regret it.
If you are a retiree in Maryland considering a new part- or full-time job, there are numerous available resources for you. You can contact your local senior center, your state’s Department of Aging or a staffing agency. Additionally, if you live in one of the many retirement communities in Maryland, the staff there may have resources to help you find a job that is right for you. And don’t forget your connections. Chances are they know of available jobs that are looking for someone just like you.
Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.