Dear Savvy Living,

What resources can you recommend to help retirees find a job? With the economy in the tank and my nest egg dwindling, I've had to cut back my monthly withdrawals to keep from running out of money. Now I need to find a job to help make ends meet. What can you tell me?



Dear Looking,

Unfortunately, the economic downturn has forced many retirees back into the workforce. To help you job hunt, there are a variety of resources available today that cater specifically to older workers. Here are some to try.

Web Resources

Whatever your skills or working interest (full-time, part-time, temporary or seasonal) there's a growing array of online employment networks that can help you connect with companies that are interested in hiring seniors. Some top sites to visit are:

• RetirementJobs.com: This is the largest and most comprehensive career site for people over age 50. It offers a job search engine that lists more than 30,000 jobs nationwide from companies that are actively seeking older workers. It also provides job-seeking tips and advice, help with resume writing and allows you to post your resume online for companies to find you. Other 50-plus job seeking sites worth a look are seniors4hire.com, workforce50.com, retiredbrains.com, retireeworkforce.com, wiserworker.com and seniorjobbank.com.


• AARP: At www.aarp.org/employerteam, you can search for a job through AARP's National Employer Team. This is a group of 39 top-notch national companies that are looking to hire older workers in a wide variety of areas. You can also do a job search at the AARP/Monster.com partnership site at http://jobsearch.aarp.monster.com.


• Enrge.us: For retired government employees, this site (www.enrge.us) matches federal, state and local government workers with private companies seeking to fill contract jobs in all kinds of fields. You post your resume on their site where a large pool of potential employers can review it and contact you, if interested.


• YourEncore.com: This is an online recruitment firm that connects retired scientists, developers and engineers with companies that offer consulting assignments lasting up to one year.

Government and Community Programs

Uncle Sam may also be able to help you get a job through their Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, SCSEP offers lower-income folks, age 55 and older, access to training and part time job placements in a wide variety of community service positions such as day care centers, senior centers, governmental agencies, schools, hospitals, libraries and landscaping centers. To learn more or to locate a program near you visit www.doleta.gov/seniors or call 877-872-5627.

Another government resource to tap into is a Career One-Stop center. There are more than 3,000 of these centers located around the country that provide free resources and services to help you explore career options, locate training and find a new job. To find a nearby center, call 877-348-0502 or go to www.servicelocator.org.

In addition, some states, communities and local nonprofits may offer their own senior employment programs. To find out what may be available in your area contact the eldercare locator at 800-677-1116.

Temporary Part-Time

If you're looking for temporary part time work, a great option to consider is the U.S. Census Bureau who's currently recruiting census takers for the 2010 census. This is ideal for retirees looking to earn some extra income and work flexible hours. Pay ranges from $10 to $22 an hour, depending on the region. Thousands of census takers are needed to update address lists and conduct door-to-door interviews. Hiring will begin in February. To apply, call 866-861-2010 to schedule an appointment to take the employment test. And for more information go to www.census.gov/2010censusjobs.

SSA Notes: Retirees who are looking to unretire need to be aware that working can temporarily reduce your Social Security (see www.ssa.gov/pubs/10069.html) if you are currently collecting retirement benefits and are under full retirement age, and earn more than $14,160 in 2009. Also note that some of your Social Security benefits may be taxable too if your adjusted gross income, nontaxable interest and half of your Social Security benefits reach more than $25,000, or $32,000 for married couples. For more information call the Social Security help line at 800-772-1213.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Senior" book. The articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.