An information guide, not a recruiter
Emploipoursenior.com is an independent information guide. It does not advertise vacancies, it does not pass your details to employers and it earns nothing from your applications. Its job is more modest and often more useful at the start: to help you understand the ways of working that exist, spot the kinds of work that fit your experience and avoid common mistakes before you apply for anything.
Nothing here promises a job, an income or a timescale. Rules on combining pensions with earnings, on tax and on benefits depend on your own record and change over time. We describe them in general terms only. Always confirm the detail with the right organisation, and you will find a short list of first-contact bodies further down this page.
Four ways into the guides
The guides are arranged around the question you are actually asking, not alphabetically. You can start from any of four entrances.
- Working arrangements: part-time, fixed-term, temporary agency work, casual jobs, seasonal work, working from home or self-employment. This entrance asks how you would like to work.
- Jobs and trades: six families of work, from home and local services to consultancy, showing where long experience counts for most.
- Personal circumstances: age, income, caring duties, disability, transport or digital confidence. It asks what is realistic given your life right now.
- Countries: for anyone thinking of working or settling abroad, with the checks to make country by country.
The entrances overlap on purpose. Many readers begin with their circumstances, move on to a working arrangement and then open a guide to one particular job.
Where to begin: five honest questions
Before you open a guide, spend ten minutes on the questions below. They will steer you better than any list of vacancies.
- Why do you want to work? Extra income, company, a chance to pass on skills or a change of direction each suggest a different pace.
- How much time, and when? A few hours a week, a season, one-off assignments and a proper part-time post all need different preparation.
- What are your physical limits? Standing, lifting, driving and awkward shifts are best named at the outset.
- What status suits you? Employee, self-employed or paid volunteer each brings different paperwork, contributions and effects on a pension.
- What about people and transport? A distant job without a car, or a rota that clashes with caring for a relative, quickly becomes unworkable.
Write your answers down. They will help you compare guides and prepare for a conversation with an adviser.
Working arrangements: comparing the ways to work
Many readers think they need a particular job when the real question is the shape of the arrangement. The guides in this entrance compare part-time and half-time work, fixed-term and permanent contracts, agency work, seasonal work, working from home, casual jobs, freelancing and even jobs that come with accommodation. One guide looks at executive search firms and how to approach them.
What differs from one arrangement to another
- How steady the income is and how far ahead you can see.
- The paperwork involved: a contract to read, invoices to send, returns to file.
- How well it fits alongside a pension you already receive or are about to claim.
- Whether you can turn down work or change your hours.
A short contract suits people who want to try something without committing. Self-employment offers freedom but means finding your own customers. Read the relevant guides with a pen in hand and mark what appeals and what worries you.
Jobs and trades: six families for your experience
The job guides fall into six families: local and home services, education and mentoring, transport and retail, reception, culture and tourism, nature and crafts, and consultancy and management. Each guide explains what the work involves, how people get started, what to watch for and what to ask before committing.
The range is wide. You will find care and companionship at home, exam invigilation, mentoring young entrepreneurs, meal delivery, museum reception, garden centre advice, translation and interim management. Some roles need a qualification or a licence; others build on know-how gathered over a career.
To choose, start from what you can really do, not from the title of your last post. A former office manager may feel at home in reception, a retired teacher in mentoring, a skilled tradesperson in passing on a craft. Then compare two or three jobs from different families and notice which one draws you in.
Personal circumstances: age, income and constraints
Looking for work at sixty, seventy or eighty raises different questions. This entrance groups guides by age but also by context: no pension, a long break from work, no formal qualifications, debt, a career change, a second paid job, or searching as an older woman or man.
It also covers practical limits: little confidence with computers, no driving licence or car, limited availability because of caring for someone, or living with a disability. These subjects are often skipped even though they decide whether a plan works.
The guides do not replace tailored support. They help you put your need into words, see which general schemes exist and prepare your questions for a meeting with a public service or a charity.
Working abroad: an entrance to approach carefully
A general guide sets out what to examine before working outside your home country late in a career. Country guides follow, gathered into four regions: north-west Europe, central and southern Europe, the Americas, and Asia and Oceania. Countries covered include the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Canada, Japan and Australia.
The checks are always similar: the right to stay and to work, recognition of qualifications, social protection, the effect on your pension, tax between two countries and the language you will need. Rules depend on your nationality and circumstances. Consult the authorities of the country concerned before you decide, and be wary of any offer that asks for money upfront.
Cautions to keep in mind while you search
- A genuine employer never asks you to pay in order to be hired or to buy a course presented as compulsory.
- Read the contract or agreement before you start, even for a short assignment.
- Check how earnings could affect your pension, benefits and tax before you sign.
- Be sceptical about promises of quick money or guaranteed income from home.
- Keep a written record of messages and applications.
If in doubt, seek a second opinion from an adviser, a charity or a trusted relative. A week of reflection rarely costs much; signing in a hurry sometimes does.
How the pages are organised and how to read them
Each guide follows a similar pattern: an introduction to the work or situation, points to check, steps for preparing, common mistakes and questions to ask. Pages in the same family are brought together on an overview page that explains how the guides differ and how to choose between them.
Read in whatever order suits you, one guide at a time, and return to this page when you want a different angle. The site exists in French, English, German and Spanish. Each version is written for its own readers and may point to different reference points.
Frequently asked questions about senior employment
Does this site list job vacancies?
No. Emploipoursenior.com is an independent information guide, not an employer or a job board. It explains the different working arrangements, types of work and practical next steps, and it points you towards organisations you can contact to look for real vacancies.
Can I work and still receive my pension?
It depends on the type of pension, your circumstances and the kind of work. Rules on combining the two exist but vary and change. The guides give general pointers; always have your own case confirmed by the pension provider before you start.
Which guide should I read first?
Begin with the entrance that matches your question today: the way you want to work, a particular job, a personal constraint or a plan to go abroad. You can then cross over between guides, because the four entrances are meant to complement one another.
Does the information apply in every country?
No. Each language version is written for its own readers, with its own reference points. The country guides stress that rights, procedures and social protection differ between states, so always check with the local authorities before making a decision that affects your future.
From what age are the guides useful?
They are written for people from around fifty, whether still employed, out of work, nearing retirement or already retired. There are also guides for those who want to keep working in their seventies or eighties, with reference points suited to those ages.
Do the guides replace personal advice?
No. The pages clarify your options and help you prepare questions, but they give no personal legal or tax advice. For any serious decision, speak to an adviser at a public employment service, a pension provider or a recognised charity, and keep a written note of what they say.