Jayoti Lahiri keeps a busy schedule. Her work as the Secretary General of Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) involves interacting with several people everyday, sending out mails, looking for various engagements for the organisation and getting new members on board. Nothing unusual, you might think. Except that Lahiri is 81 years old and yet to hang up her boots.
“I can’t sit at home and do nothing. I would rather work in the afternoon than opt for a siesta,” says Lahiri, a Delhi resident and mother of two over 50-year-olds. “The 15 to 18 hours that one has in a day can be utilised judiciously. Working post retirement keeps our minds sharp and reduces the chances of getting dementia or Alzheimer’s,” she adds.
Lahiri retired from Xerox Corporation in 2006 and within a few months took up the role at PRCAI. “I wasn’t from the public relations field. I learnt everything hands-on, while on the job,” she says.
There are several reasons to retire from work, but age, shouldn’t be one of them How many politicians or artistes retire post 60? While corporations have a cut-off age for employees to retire it hardly means that you should quit working altogether. You could continue to practice your current profession or choose something that gives you joy – consider a second vocation that is your true calling.
Like Lahiri there are many more.
Securing a job post retirement may sound like an herculean task. But don’t worry. There are several organisations that help seniors find work in their silver years.
Take for instance HUM, a social initiative launched by two engineers, Ramesh Vij (79 years) and Kritarth Malhotra (24) in 2017. “We strive to support retirees and ‘senagers’ (the 50+ age group ) in their second innings by creating a community-based digital platform,” Malhotra says. This Delhi-based organisation connects senior citizens with employers in search of skilled and experienced people.
Senior Recruiter Network (SRN), the recruitment vertical of HUM Communities, puts employers in touch with candidates who have more than two to three decades of experience in their core areas. HUM has over 70 customers like Akamai Technologies, Societe Generale, Berger Paints, British Council, Dalmia Group, Eagle Group and Bajaj Capital, to name a few. “They hire senior talent with over two decades of experience in the public/private sector — on either project (part-time) or full-time basis– as per requirements,” he adds.
There are several things that you could do sitting at home – like starting a home kitchen or a retail business. Online tutoring is also catching on fast. If documentation is your forte, pick up projects which pay you on an hourly basis. If you enjoy mentoring, channel your creativity to guide people with your rich experience. Some of the job portals, like Naukri and Monster India, have a section for post-retirement jobs. Register with one of them and explore opportuinties that best suit your skills. You could even make cold calls on job portals or register with professional networks.
With increased longevity and varied career options, more people are choosing to work after retirement. “You will find a job the second time around too—all it requires is a lot of patience, a desire to learn and some planning,” says Lahiri. An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Even if the devil isn’t there let the mind not stay idle. Age is just a number.