In the first part of this article Third Age – Second Career, we considered the possibility of finding your dream job in your Third Age.

For many we suspect, their only option will be self-employment or setting up their own small business. While older employees have much to offer, in a country in economic decline there are simply not enough jobs to go around.

Much will depend on an individual’s reasons for wanting a Second Career. If it is financial, to top up an insufficient pension for instance, then we are convinced that sooner or later many companies will follow B&Q’s excellent example. Such jobs offer modest pay perhaps, but they also offer flexibility in terms of being able to work part time, and a relatively low commitment level. Having finished your shift for the day or the weekend, you can walk away and forget about work until the next time. Unlike many management jobs for example where people rarely forget about work even when they’re not actually at work.

If you want but don’t need to work, then your Second Career options would seem to be considerably greater. If you don’t actually need the income then you can offer your services for free or for a nominal sum in order to gain experience in a new field, one that might offer you more job satisfaction than in your First Career if considerably less financial remuneration.

Then there is voluntary work. Charities and local community organisations all over the country are always desperate for assistance at every level. If you feel the desire to ‘give something back’, your experience and commitment will always be welcomed.

But with a burgeoning older generation of Third Agers such as ourselves, it would seem to us that the greatest Second Career opportunities stem from something you probably know more about than anything else. Getting older! While you could undoubtedly put your years of experience to good use educating the young, the fastest growing demographic right now is the Third Age market – the Over 50s. Yes, it might necessitate self-employment or setting up your own small business, but the Third Age market strikes us as one of the few expanding areas right now.

And if all else fails, you could always write for us. Admittedly the pay’s non-existent, but if you don’t need the money and want to make a contribution, your experience and input will most certainly be welcome!