Are you ready for a career change? Have you decided to re-enter the workforce after being a stay-at-home mom? Maybe you want to add more money to your retirement savings account. Keep reading, because I have some of the top work from home careers for people over 50!
Did you know Martha Stewart was a stockbroker in her 30s before she built her homemaking empire?
Vera Wang didn’t design her first wedding dress until she was 40.
Julia Child didn’t write her first cookbook until she was 49.
Hoda Kotb quit working at the Today Show, wrote a book, and launched her app at age 61.
Grandma Moses didn’t start painting until she was 77.
It’s never too late to pursue your dreams.
Whatever your situation may be, you’re likely in the perfect spot to transition to a work at home career after all, you have years of work experience to draw from. With kids out of the house (or nearly there), more confidence, transferable skills, and wisdom, age 50 and above is prime time for an encore career!
If you’re interested in a career change, full-time employment, or a part-time side hustle, and you’re over 50, check out these great ideas for middle-aged and older adults.
1. Bookkeeper
If you’re experienced in managing office finances, are comfortable with numbers, and enjoy administrative work, becoming a Bookkeeper is a good option for working remotely.
Many Bookkeepers work independently, setting their own hours and working with clients of their choice. As a Bookkeeper, you can find full-time and part-time jobs that you can do from home with companies like BELAY, Robert Half, Supporting Strategies, and Intuit.
If you prefer complete control over your schedule and earnings, consider starting your online business. Taking an online course, like Bookkeep Launch, can teach you the relevant skills and knowledge to start and run a bookkeeping business from home.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Bookkeepers earn an average annual salary of $49,210 or $23.66 per hour, but if you go out on your own, you can earn around $60 per hour.
Not sure if bookkeeping is the right career path for you? Sign up for the free self-assessment and informational webinar from Bookkeepers.
2. Content Creation
Perhaps you view content creation primarily as a career path for Millennial or Gen Z influencers. The truth of the matter is that anyone, regardless of age, can start creating content online, whether it’s in the form of a blog, podcast, newsletter, or social media content. Even though I started creating content in my 30s, I’m now in my 50s, and I’m still loving what I’m doing.
One nice thing about content creation is you don’t need to be a technical wizard (I’m not). All you need is a love of creating, whether it’s written, filmed, or audio, and a passion for the topic you are covering.
Content Creator Jennifer Connolly of A Well Styled Life started her blog to help women over age 50 discover their personal style and fashion. She writes with authority due to her experience as a Principal Fashion Buyer for boutiques in Northern California and her training as an Image Consultant and Personal Stylist. Find a niche you enjoy and have experience in, and start creating content.
Not sure which platform to use? Here are some excellent options:
As a Content Creator, you can monetize your content through a wide variety of income streams, including paid sponsorships, affiliate marketing, advertising, creator programs, or selling merchandise, courses, subscriptions, printables, e-books, and even events. Your earnings as a Content Creator will vary based on several factors, including your following size, monetization methods, time invested in your side hustle, your niche, and the platforms you use.
3. Coach
Coaches use their professional experience and training to help others achieve their goals in a wide variety of areas, from better time management to career coaching, life coaching, business coaching, and even sleep coaching for new parents. If you have achieved personal or professional success in a specific area, consider sharing your knowledge to help others. Of course, taking an online course or joining a professional coaching network can help you achieve your career goals in this new field.
While there are companies that hire Health, Wellness, and Psychological Coaches, many of these positions require a professional degree and an active license. Most people who want to go this route end up starting their own home-based business, as they can do so without as much formal education. If you’re interested in becoming a Certified Coach, consider iPEC and its range of online training programs.
4. Crafter
Perhaps you’ve spent years working behind a computer and are now ready for a new career path that doesn’t involve sitting at a desk all day. Many creative individuals find financial stability by making and selling handicrafts and artistic creations.
If you’re a quilter, seamstress, knitter, potter, or you possess other crafty skills and talents, sell your handicrafts on a platform like Amazon Handmade, Etsy, or MakerPlace. More into graphic design or painting? Join one of the many print-on-demand (POD) platforms, and sell your designs on T-shirts, tote bags, coffee mugs, and phone cases!
Starting a home-based crafting business allows you to spend your time doing something you enjoy, while making money on a flexible schedule.
You can also follow the lead of retiree, Carolyn Wainscott, and diversify your offerings to include online tutorials through YouTube, as well as selling patterns on Craftsy.
5. Financial Planner
As an older job seeker, you may be interested in switching careers and wondering what career paths will allow you to use your current bachelor’s degree. One such occupation is that of the Financial Planner.
To become a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), you must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline. You’ll need to complete CFP coursework through a board-registered provider and pass the CFP Exam. Online courses in this field usually take 12 to 28 months to complete.
As a Financial Planner, you’ll create individualized strategies to help clients meet their financial goals, so you should have excellent analytical skills, communication skills, and attention to detail.
According to Indeed, the median annual salary for a Financial Planner is $85,720, with some earning as much as $181,908. Some Financial Planners work as independent contractors with companies, while others are W-2 employees. To find remote work as a Financial Advisor, check out wealth management companies like UBS or Edward Jones, or explore job boards like FlexJobs and Indeed.
6. Personal Trainer
Another career that doesn’t require you to sit behind a computer all day is that of a Personal Trainer. If you enjoy being active and helping others meet their fitness goals, this might be an excellent work from home career path for you!
While some Personal Trainers may have a degree in kinesiology or sports medicine, all you need for this occupation is a high school diploma or GED, certification through an accredited program, and your CPR and AED certification. As a Personal Trainer, you can work in-person at a fitness center, gym, or park, you can offer online training, or even turn your garage into a workout space.
One well-known Personal Trainer is Jillian Michaels, who began her fitness and wellness journey because she was overweight as a child. Having obtained numerous certifications, Jillian Michaels monetizes her business with a fitness membership app, podcast, DVDs, books, public speaking engagements, and more.
Of course, you can also get certified in other areas like yoga, Barre, weight lifting, core training, Fit4Mom, and others! According to Indeed, the average annual salary for a Personal Trainer is $47,650, with some earning upwards of $93,000.
7. Pet Sitter
If you’re active, love animals, or simply want to connect with people and their pets, pet sitting is a rewarding and flexible career that pays more than you might think! Pet owners may seek a Pet Sitter to watch their pets while they go out of town, walk them while they’re away at work, or simply to check in and play with them occasionally. Pets with special needs may require medication, special feeding, or other care, and owners are often thrilled to find a trustworthy and reliable Sitter.
You can easily find pet sitting jobs online, on sites like Care.com, Wag, or Rover, or through your neighborhood bulletin boards. Check with your local community center and vet offices, too. You can explore more information at the Pet Sitters International website, which offers a free guide to getting started in the pet sitting industry.
According to Indeed, the average Pet Sitter earns $26.01 per hour, with top Sitters earning $48.93 per hour!
8. Project Manager
As an adult in midlife, you likely possess strong communication, leadership, and management skills, complemented by top-notch organizational and critical thinking abilities. If you have these soft skills, a work from home career as a Project Manager could be your ideal fit.
Most project management jobs will require a bachelor’s degree, but generally, you can break into this field with a degree in any discipline. To help you transition into this field, consider taking an online certification program, which is typically self-paced and can be completed in a few months.
As a Project Manager, you can work in a wide variety of industries, like consulting and professional services, engineering and tech, healthcare, finance, among others. Some top companies that hire remote Project Managers include Amazon, CVS Health, HubSpot, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
According to Indeed, the average annual salary for a Project Manager is $94,339, with top earners making $148,000!
9. Proofreader
Do you have a great eye for catching grammar and spelling mistakes? Then perhaps a work at home career as a proofreader is your calling.
Working from home as a freelance proofreader offers flexible scheduling and a job you can do almost any time, setting your own hours and pace. With so much content online, the demand for proofreading is greater than ever. Unlike editing, which involves rewriting and revising work, proofreaders mainly review work for errors in grammar, spelling, syntax, and formatting. Proofreaders earn, on average, $56,668 per year, depending on hours worked and the number of clients they help.
If this sounds like an interesting career path, check out this free webinar session from Proofread Anywhere to learn if this path is ideal for you.
10. Recruiter
Another great home-based career for people over 50 is that of the Recruiter!
Suppose you have industry-specific knowledge in a field like education, healthcare, tech, IT, manufacturing, or sales. In that case, you may be the ideal candidate for becoming a Recruiter. As a Recruiter, you will find qualified job candidates for companies that have openings that need to be filled.
While some companies may require a bachelor’s degree in HR, business, or psychology, some companies will hire based on your industry-specific knowledge. For instance, many insurance companies and hospitals hire Recruiters to fill nursing vacancies. As an RN, you have inside knowledge of what makes a great nurse, and working as a Recruiter would be a natural fit. To increase your chances of breaking into this field, consider obtaining a professional certificate as a Recruiter; some can be completed in as little as three months.
According to Indeed, Recruiters earn an average of $63,802 annually. One thing to consider with this occupation is that in some positions, you’ll earn a base salary, plus commission for each successful placement you secure. Top Recruiters can earn upwards of $141,000 annually. If Recruiting sounds like your dream job, check out this list of companies that hire Recruiters.
11. Transcriber
Whether you’re retired and looking for a part-time job or want to earn some money on the side, consider working as a freelance transcriber. There are three common types of transcription: general, legal, and medical; the latter two fields require extra knowledge, expertise, and understanding of terminology. As a transcriptionist, you’ll need fast, accurate typing skills, good grammar, English language proficiency, and excellent listening skills. Transcribers listen to audio files and convert the audio into a text document. As long as you meet your deadlines, you can usually work anywhere at any time. According to ZipRecruiter, Transcribers earn an average of $20 per hour, depending on their productivity and experience.
To find freelance Transcription positions, check out CrowdSurf, Daily Transcription, Rev, and TranscribeMe.
12. Tutor
If your background is in teaching or you excel in a subject matter like math, science, or a foreign language, there are plenty of online opportunities for qualified Tutors. As a Tutor, you can instruct students in a variety of subjects, either in your home or online. Some opportunities, like working with Cambly, involve helping non-English speakers practice their conversational English skills via webcam. With other gigs like Bundle and Cafetalk, you can teach people new skills like yoga, photography, music lessons, and more.
To get started, you can check out this massive list of companies that hire Tutors. With these opportunities, you will need to provide proof of your expertise. According to Indeed, the average hourly pay rate for a Tutor is $25.99 per hour. Most tutoring opportunities offer flexible hours, but you should consider your target audience. If you’re instructing school-aged children, you’ll likely need to work after school or early evening hours, as the kids will be in class during the day.
13. Virtual Assistant (VA)
Another great career for people over 50 is that of a Virtual Assistant. With its varied nature in terms of tasks you’ll complete, you may have all the right skills to jump into this remote occupation. Depending on the company you work for, you’ll likely handle tasks such as calendar management, email communications, scheduling meetings, and booking travel. However, in some administrative roles, you need specialized knowledge in an area like marketing, writing, bookkeeping, or project management. Of course, you’ll need basic computer skills and knowledge of standard software programs like Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
As a VA, you can work full-time, part-time, as a W-2 employee, a 1099 freelancer, or you can go out on your own and start your own business. If you’re interested in the latter, check out this free training, Become a Booked Out Virtual Assistant.
According to Indeed, Virtual Assistants earn an average of $27.12 per hour. If you’re ready to jump into a VA role, check out BELAY, Boldly, InboxDone, and Zirtual.
14. Writer
The field of writing is vast, encompassing many different types and niches that you can focus on.
As a Writer, you can work on a variety of projects, including advertising copy, magazine articles, resumes, online content, and technical writing assignments. There are also options to self-publish your work, with your own blog or on a platform like Medium or Vocal. You can even pursue your dreams of writing a book. In fact, many famous authors didn’t begin their careers until their 50s and beyond.
The great thing about writing is you don’t need a college degree to begin. To get started, take a course in an area you’re interested in, and start writing. The more you write, the better you become.
Case in point, me. My background is in anthropology and nursing. To break into the field, I decided to start my own blog. I learned everything I know through online courses, reading books, trial and error, and writing, almost every day.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average earnings for a Writer are $72,740 annually. No matter which type of writing you want to do, you can find job openings on this massive list of jobs for writers.
Best Work at Home Careers for People Over 50
Not finding the perfect fit? Check out my friend Leisa’s site, Powerfully Purposed for Success, where she helps older individuals find meaningful freelance careers later in life. AARP also has a great list of career resources for people over 50! Lastly, we have a list of companies that hire older workers.
Remember, it’s never too late to pursue your dreams, and there’s certainly no age limit when it comes to work at home job options. Explore the great career paths you could take, whether you’re age 50, 60, 70, 80, or beyond!
Are you a retiree? Have you taken on an encore career? We would love to hear about it!