Work Beyond Retirement...

The word “retirement” seems the end is near, some say… Do you really want to withdraw from your lifelong activities that defined who you are…? Perhaps you feel you’ve earned the benefit of lifelong hard work and now is the time to enjoy the privilege of your labor. Would you, however, feel sad to lose that lifelong identity...? And, what if you lose the purpose of life just taking up space and time, not being productive…? Now, there is a new type of retirement that is evolving and growing for seniors to continue to work. Think of it as changing career, perhaps... For some holding on to the purpose of life and being relevant may help their mental and physical wellbeing. It may also accommodate the evolving phase of meaning in life… And, a steady and continued financial position may allow you to be more generous, useful, and engaged. Perhaps, for some, continue working may help them stay emotionally, physically, spiritually healthy in their golden years...

Finding a job during the pandemic and recession may require you to be innovative and analytical, and strategic. Many jobs will be gone forever, and some career fields are creating large opportunities such as e-commerce, delivery services, health services, software programmers, delivery driving/managing, physical and internet security, alternative energy management/sales... So take a close look into jobs in demand, evolving career fields, and match your interest and skills (learn new skills) for your future. Be very proactive now.

‘SMS’ Highlights of the week of 2020 (September 13 – September 19, 2020) 

Working Beyond Retirement Age…         The retirement meant the “end” for many… Well, while most of us look forward to giving up work in our later years, there are many who love working so much they never plan to retire. Look at some of the famous faces who have postponed a leisurely retirement and carried on doing their jobs well into their golden years. Carmen Dell’Orefice, 89, one of the world's oldest working models, she still parades down catwalks and appears in magazine editorials. At 89, she appeared on the cover of American Vogue at the age of 15, so she's been modeling for an astonishing 74 years. Warren Buffett, 90, investor extraordinaire he still rises at 6.45 am on weekdays and spends a full day in the office, reading mostly. Buffett devotes 80% of his working day to reading everything from newspapers to financial reports. Sir David Attenborough, 94, legendary nonagenarian naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who shudders when he hears the word 'retire', continues to present nature documentaries for the BBC. And the pandemic has not held the 94-year-old broadcaster back as a new documentary series Extinction. Betty White, 98, though she is best known for her role in The Golden Girls, a comedy series about retirees sharing a house in Florida, 98-year-old Betty White has zero plans to retire.  

Jobs Grow During Pandemic, Recession.      Chinese Wuhan virus Pandemic has irreversibly changed consumer and business behavior. Lockdown and pandemic fear have driven digital, e-commerce, delivery services, home-based business activities to a new height never seen before… Though it’s uncharted territory, statistics kept by the federal government and by employers suggest some kinds of jobs may be more recession-proof than others. Promising! Some companies are aggressively hiring to cope with a surge in demand though, some jobs are gone forever… Online commerce has surged, and companies like Amazon and Walmart are scrambling to meet demand and expand capacity. And, delivery drivers, warehouse and construction workers have been among the most in-demand positions since the recession began. Some of the Pandemic and recession-resistant jobs are (Median annual salary in parenthesis): Delivery Driver ($32,020), Construction Worker ($36,000), Information Security Analyst, ($99,730), Software Developer ($105,590), Physical Therapy Assistant ($48,990), Personal Care Aide ($24,060), Registered Nurse ($73,330), Grocery Store / Retail Worker ($25,440), Food and Beverage Service Workers ($21,750), Logistics and Warehousing and, Forklift Operator ($35,000), Freight or Warehouse Manual Laborer ($28,710), Alternative Energy and Marketing are Growing, and Solar Panel Installer ($44,890), Market Research Analysts ($63,790). Obviously, 2020 has been very disruptive so any long-term projection should be viewed with some skepticism. Jobseekers can, however, target these in-demand occupations and industries. 

Pandemic Serious in Europe.         Very serious situation’ unfolding in Europe, WHO warns, as cases rise dramatically. There are growing concerns in Europe at what is being seen as an alarming rise in coronavirus cases. “More than half of European countries have reported a greater-than-10% increase in cases in the past two weeks. Of those, seven countries have seen newly reported cases increase more than two-fold in the same period,” WHO reported. Spain, which has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Europe at 614,360. Meanwhile, in France, last Wednesday reported (9,784) was among the highest ever reported in the country. The U.K., which has the third-highest number of cases in Europe, at 380,677 has seen an alarming rise in cases across various parts of northern England in recent weeks. Italy, which was the epicenter of Europe’s first coronavirus outbreak in February but now has the fourth-highest number of reported infections, at 291,442 to date. Germany, which was seen as a poster-child for its handling of the first wave of the coronavirus cases, having managed to keep its death toll low compared to its number of cases, has seen a slight rise in cases. However, as schools reopen and more indoor activities are held, the increase of cases comes as a reminder that the pandemic is not over, the ECDC warned, as it reminded the public to continue basic measures to prevent the spread of the virus, including handwashing, face masks and self-isolation when feeling ill.

Global Coronavirus status as of 9-18-2020:  30,320,000+ cases; 948,500;  US cases: 6,713,200+; US Dead: 198,410+  Details @: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

9/18/2020:   DOW-27,657; S&P500-3,319; NASDAQ-10,793; Gold $1,957.10; Oil: 40.98;    US 10-Year: 0.697% 

Mahalo. I welcome and value your thoughtful comments, “like” and “share” of this publication. 

~ S. Vincent Shin

    www.dhirubhai.net/in/vshin

“Stay Curious” and “Think for Yourself” and always decide on your own term. This is my research and analysis of the highlights of the events that shake, move, and shape the market and people. Perhaps you should take a closer look at them, do additional research and analysis if these are interesting to you. This “SMS” weekly Highlights is presented for general knowledge, the resource for management, and perhaps as a tool for career development, and building wealth.

References and Image credits to Bloomberg News, The Wall Street Journals, Getty image, AP Photo, Reuters, CNBC, NBC News, Auto Spies, Honolulu StarAdvertiser..., and special thanks to Image & Visual Consultant @U.Y. All references, news, and images are from open source and public domain.