7 Great Age-Friendly Second Careers

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Are You Ready for Your Second Act?

A second act career is a new professional chapter after completing a separate primary career of 10 or more years, or following retirement. People take on these roles to seek better work-life balance, pursue long-held passions, or continue or supplement income.

Perhaps you are retired from the military or education field but are looking for a second career. Or perhaps you are burnt out in your current role and want a clean start in a new direction. Here are 7 terrific industries to consider working in where age, wisdom, a strong work ethic and a few gray hairs are seen as attributes. You may have to take courses and certification tests to enter these fields. But they are all worthy of second act careers.

1) REAL ESTATE AGENT

Real Estate is a very popular option as age and life experience are seen as major assets when building trust with clients. Decades of personal home-buying experience, strong community networks, and high relatability with seniors or empty-nester clientele are strong key advantages.

The median age of Realtors hovers right around age 60. It also is quite a flexible job, and one that you can work mainly from a home office. To become a Realtor you would need to:

• Take a pre-licensing course

• Submit your application and fingerprints

• Pass your state exam

• Place your sales license under a Broker who will hold and supervise your license

• Join your local Board of Realtors

• Fulfill your continuing education requirements and keep your license active with your state

Most first-year real estate agents earn between $30,000 and $50,000, though income varies heavily based on local market, personal network, and whether they join a team. Because they work as independent contractors, earnings are entirely commission-based and require upfront business expenses for licensing, marketing, and local association fees.

2) MEDIATOR

Have you always been interested in the law? Consider becoming a mediator or arbitrator. Our court systems are overwhelmed, and many times plaintiffs and defendants are encouraged to sit down with a mediator to negotiate and come to some sort of voluntary settlement resolution prior to their scheduled court date.

Your local county will post openings from time to time for mediators or arbitrators. Your years of experience will be seen as an advantage as resolving legal disputes requires a great deal of patience and high emotional intelligence, traits heavily tied to maturity. To become a mediator, you will need to:

• Choose the type of mediation you are interested in (County Court, Circuit Civil, or Family Law) and complete a 20 to 40 hour state approved certification course. These training programs focus on negotiation, neutrality, ethics, and conflict resolution.

• Meet your jurisdiction's educational requirements. Generally speaking, you need to have at least a bachelor’s degree to become a mediator in Circuit Civil or Family Law cases.

• Complete mentorship and observations. Most new mediators are required to observe seasoned mediators at work, and then work towards co-mediating cases with them. Each state will have its own specific requirements regarding the numbers of cases you need to observe.

• Accumulate points based on education and experience. Again, states may vary on requirements, but in my state you need to earn 100 points through a state-approved point system. Points are awarded based on your education level, professional experience, and mentorship milestones.

  • Mandatory 20-40 hour certification training (30 Points)

  • Education Points (10 to 40 Points)

Doctorate (e.g., JD, MD, PhD, EdD, LLM): 30 points

Ph.D. in Conflict Resolution: 40 points

Master's Degree (General): 25 points

Master's in Conflict Resolution: 30 points

Bachelor's Degree (minimum requirement for Circuit/Family): 20 points

Associate's Degree (County Court only): 15 points

High School/GED (County Court only): 10 points

• Mentorship and Observations (30 to 60 Points)

Observations (5 to 10 points per case)

Co-mediations (10 to 15 points per case)

• Apply with your state's dispute resolution center. Submit your application, training certificates, and proof of education. You may also be required to pass a background check and pay certification fees.

While you wait for job postings, you can begin by volunteering at small local claims courts or community centers to gain experience. The median annual wage for professional mediators in the U.S. is $67,710.

3) INSURANCE CLAIMS ADJUSTER

This field relies heavily on reading people, sifting through fine details, and navigating complex personal and legal situations. Empathy, common sense, and listening are all traits that often take years to develop. Many successful adjusters start their careers in their 50s and 60s.

To become an insurance claims adjuster, you must obtain the necessary state license, master industry-standard software, and apply to either an insurance carrier as a staff adjuster or an Independent Adjusting (IA) firm as a contractor. You typically only need a high school diploma or GED. To get started you will need to first earn your Adjuster License. Each state will have it’s own licensing requirements. Generally speaking, you must:

• Take a 40-hour pre-licensing course. You can fulfill the education requirement through state-approved online providers like AdjusterPro.

• Pass the state exam.

• Get licensed in your state. Some states (like Pennsylvania, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, and Tennessee) are non-licensing states, so depending on where you initially get licensed and where you end up working, you may need to apply for a Designated Home State (DHS) license to legally work and process claims in other states. By doing so, you gain reciprocity across multiple states thereby increasing your overall income potential.

• Once licensed, you can apply for reciprocal licenses in other states to expand your work opportunities, which is important especially for catastrophe or storm deployments.

Once you are certified, you will need to start training on the industry-standard estimating software, Xactimate. Taking a Level 1 or Level 2 Xactimate certification is highly recommended to prove your technical skills. There are field training courses offered by AdjusterTV or CAT adjusting schools that will teach you how to inspect damage, estimate repairs, and read insurance policies. Completing these additional steps in your training will make you more competitive in the job market.

Which path will you choose? You can be a Staff Adjuster working directly for a specific insurance company (e.g., State Farm, Progressive, Geico) with a salary, benefits, and a steady, predictable workload. Or you can branch out on your own as an Independent Adjuster, an independent contractor who works for various independent adjuster firms (e.g., Crawford & Company, Pilot Catastrophe). In this role you would be deployed on an as-needed basis (often for catastrophes), and your pay is typically a percentage of the total claim. The median annual wage for insurance claims adjusters in the U.S. is $76,790.

4) BOOKKEEPER

If you are seeking stable, detail-oriented work that can be done remotely or part-time, consider becoming a bookkeeper. It only requires short-term certification rather than a full accounting degree.

• Before touching accounting software, you must understand the basics of double-entry accounting, debits and credits, and how to read an income statement and balance sheet. You should be highly proficient in platforms like QuickBooks Online and spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel. You can access free self-paced training for professionals via QuickBooks Online for Accountants.

• While not legally required, certifications demonstrate your expertise to potential employers or clients and provide a massive resume boost. One option is through Intuit Academy which offers a free bookkeeping certification. The American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers offers the Certified Bookkeeper (CB) credential, which requires both work experience and an exam. The National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers (NACPB) offers the Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB) designation.

• Start taking on clients or applying for entry-level jobs to build your resume. Search for jobs like Accounts Payable/Receivable Clerk, Junior Bookkeeper, or Accounting Assistant to learn internal workflows.

Once you have your skill set you can freelance or start your own business. Consider offering your services for free (for a time) to local nonprofits or small businesses to build your portfolio and gather references. After that free promotional period is up, many businesses will see your value and start paying you for your services. Bookkeepers make a median salary of $49,210 per year.

5) LIFE COACH

Coaching is about active listening, powerful questioning, and empowering clients to find their own solutions, rather than acting as a therapist or giving direct advice. A successful coach helps mentally healthy individuals move from their current state to their desired future goals.

The life coaching industry is unregulated, meaning you can start immediately. To start this profession, you should choose a specific niche (career, wellness, or relationships), master the core coaching skills, and complete an accredited training program.

• Don’t be a Jack of all trades, master of none. By choosing one specific niche, you can more easily market your services to your specific audience. Each specialization has its unique pain points that you will want to focus on: executive coaching, health and wellness, finance, or major life transitions are just a few options.

• Although no license is legally required to practice, proper training builds your confidence and significantly boosts your credibility with prospective clients. You can find reputable training programs accredited by industry standards, such as the International Coach Federation or the International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches. An Associate Certified Coach requires 60+ hours of education and costs $2400-4000. A Professional Certified Coach required 125+ hours of education and program costs range from $3300-8000.

• Before taking paying clients, you should register your business with your state, obtain any required local licenses, and purchase general liability and professional liability insurance. You should also set up tools for client scheduling, billing, and video conferencing (such as Zoom or Practice Better).

An Associate Certified Coach or Professional Certified Coach certification charges $100-300 per hour. Pricing can be set up by session or by a monthly or package rate. Start by offering lower price introductory sessions to friends or people you know in your community in exchange for testimonials and referrals. Online business can be easily built through social media and networking.

6)TRAVEL AGENT

Older workers draw on extensive personal networks and vast life experience to offer valuable, highly customized destination expertise. This is an especially good role if you have already seen quite a bit of the world and can use your first-hand knowledge. And you get industry discounts to help fund future trips for yourself.

The fastest and most common approach to becoming a travel agent is to partner with an established host agency as an independent contractor rather than starting a business from scratch. This setup gives you immediate access to booking tools, supplier networks, and credentials without needing to independently reach high minimum sales requirements.

• You do not need a formal degree or state license.

• You must have strong communication and sales skills, a passion for travel planning, and reliable access to a computer and internet.

• Choose your host agency carefully. They provide training, Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance, and accreditation (such as IATA or CLIA numbers) that allow you to book directly with suppliers. You'll want to review different platforms, commission structures (typically splitting commissions 70/30 to 90/10 in your favor), and upfront or monthly fees on sites like Host Agency Reviews. Popular host agencies for new and independent agents include:

  • Fora Travel: Known for modern, tech-forward platforms, community, and structured training programs.

  • Travel Planners International: Offers comprehensive educational resources and marketing support.

• After joining a host agency, take advantage of their educational programs to master the industry's booking systems, vendor policies, and crisis management. As you learn, you can work toward voluntary but highly respected credentials like the Certified Travel Associate (CTA) or Certified Travel Professional (CTP) from The Travel Institute.

To stand out in a crowded marketplace, try to focus on a specific travel niche (e.g., luxury, romantic honeymoons, adventure, or corporate travel). You will need to establish a brand name, a website, a separate business bank account, and market your services to your network and on social media.

7) MEDICARE SALES AGENT

Selling Medicare is a fantastic second career for older workers. You can create your own schedule, leverage your personal experience with the health care system, and quickly build trust with the Senior and Boomer groups you are servicing. There is a potential for strong residual incomes as well; as your Medicare clients renew their plans you can earn easy commissions, $347 per member per year.

Navigating Medicare is notoriously complex; older Medicare agents can act as vital community health advocates by assisting customers understand confusing healthcare jargon and giving them peace of mind. Medicare sales primarily take place over the phone or via video calls, so it is also an ideal occupation for remote work. To become a Medicare sales agent, you must:

• Obtain your Life and Health Insurance License in your state. This involves completing a state-approved pre-licensing course and passing the state exam.

• Complete AHIP Certification. To sell Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plans, you must pass the annual America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Medicare training, which costs roughly $175 per year

• Pass insurance plan-specific exams. You must also take specific product training and exams for each insurance carrier whose products you intend to sell (e.g., Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna). You can then contract with each insurance carrier to sell their policies.

• Contract with an FMO: Consider joining a Field Marketing Organization (FMO). An FMO acts as a support system, helping you with carrier contracts, compliance training, technology platforms, and lead generation.

Medicare agents make an average annual salary of $65,000 to $111,000, but total compensation varies wildly based on whether they are independent or working for an FMO, their geographic location, and their years of experience. While first-year agents may only make $30,000 to $40,000 as they learn the ropes, veteran independent agents with a large client base can easily earn well over $200,000 to $300,000 annually due to recurring lifetime renewals.

Are you still seeking job ideas but on more of a limited schedule or temporary basis? Keep reading.