Great Seasonal and Temporary Jobs for Older Workers

Did you know there are jobs that open every year for only specific periods of time? If you know where to look, you can get first in line for these opportunities. And if they are a good fit, you can turn to them every year for a little extra spending money.

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This article is going to cover:

• 5 reasons why seasonal and temporary jobs can be a great fit for 50+

• 7 genres of seasonal work that are lower-stress and fun

There are many reasons why companies hire seasonal and temporary employees for just a short period of time. The easiest example? Retail stores in the last quarter of the year. Black Friday is just that, the season when stores make the most revenue. They need all hands on deck for six weeks or so and then things quiet down again. There are many types of seasonal work that don’t involve working with the public in a retail environment.

5 Reasons Why Seasonal and Temporary Jobs Fit For Ages 50+

1) THEY ARE A GREAT MOONLIGHTING OPPORTUNITY

Many seasonal and temporary employers understand the need to be flexible with their short-term employees. They offer schedule options that include evenings and weekends that allow you to keep your regular work schedule and bring in extra money on the side.

2) LEARNING NEW SKILLS MATTERS

If you have been in your current work role for some time, it can be refreshing to learn something new. Changing up your routine and picking up a new skill can be one of the most rewarding — and healthiest — things you can do.

• Brain Health and Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is when the brain forms new pathways. New connections can be built at any age and studies show that challenging yourself by learning a new job or skill is healthy for your brain. Staying fresh and being open to new experiences can improve memory and cognitive function in older adults.

• Build Confidence and a Diverse Skill Set

When you show up for the first day on the job, it feels slightly uncomfortable. You are being pushed outside of your familiar routine and it puts you into a more vulnerable position. You have a learning curve ahead of you and a new environment to work in.

It is important to realize that these signs of discomfort are not a failure of any kind. They are markers that your mind and skill set are growing. You have a new challenge in front of you and your body is reacting to it. Confidence is built step by step working through discomfort and trusting your ability to learn.

3) IT RESETS THE FRAMEWORK OF HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF

Resetting the framework of how you see yourself—often called your self-concept or identity—requires actionable strategies to break old habits. Some workers at the end of their careers stay in the same role with the company. It can be challenging to find a new job over the age of 50 so you stay right where you are for as long as you can.

When you take on a new role in temporary or seasonal work, it changes your internal dialogue. You get to see yourself in a new light, in a new environment, with new co-workers. It can reinforce the idea that you are not just ‘David in Accounting’ or ‘Stephanie in Customer Accounts’. If even for a short time. you are separated from your title at your full time workplace. It is important to stretch your identity limits now, especially if you know you may have to pick up work in retirement. At the end of the job, you have a renewed sense of knowing that you can handle anything you set your mind to.

4) YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU WILL MEET

The longer I am on this planet, the more I believe that things happen for a reason. You can look back at how certain events worked out and see in retrospect why they did. When you take on a new role, even a short-term one, you never know how it may impact your life after retirement.

Who will you meet? What new skill sets will you pick up? How may this be something a future employer will see as a positive? Group learning experiences bring people together. From classroom discussions to interactions with customers, these environments create natural opportunities for friendship and connection.

5) IT IS LOW COMMITMENT

When you take on a seasonal or temporary position, it can last anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks. Even if the job is not a good fit, you can still fulfill your commitment to your employer as it is so short term.

What Are Some Of The Best Temporary and Seasonal Job Ideas?

What is the difference between seasonal and temporary work? Seasonal work follows a predictable pattern and happens at roughly the same time every year. Temporary work happens any time of year. No matter which option you choose, the position would have a range of specific dates that you will need to commit to. After that you regain full freedom and flexibility in your schedule. Imagine a mental door sign flipping to ‘Gone Fishin’ when the project is complete. Let’s explore some options.

WORKING THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS

Starting in October, retail and delivery companies begin recruiting seasonal workers to support increased business during the holidays. The work usually lasts 6-8 weeks and could be either full-time or part-time work.

You could be working on a curbside order pick up at Walmart, stocking shelves with seasonal merchandise at Target, or wrapping presents or working a register at the mall.

Depending on how much gray hair you are sprouting, you may even be a recruit for a Mr. or Mrs. Claus for photo ops at the mall! I know my Gen X friend, this may be a shock for you to think about…but we are getting up there in age.

Another angle is from the delivery side of things. There is so much online commerce these days, FedEx, UPS, USPS and Amazon are looking for seasonal help. Depending on where you live, you may find work at a distribution hub or they may want you in a delivery truck. Again, the work could be full-time or part-time but it has a definite end date.

Don’t forget about Halloween! It is a close second to Christmas in participation and spending. Starting in September, seasonal work starts at pumpkin patches and autumn harvest celebrations, haunted houses and scare trails, and of course those pop-up Halloween costume stores. You may be very busy for a short period of time, but when the season is over you get to reclaim your time with extra cash in your pocket.

SUMMER CAMP

Many families have both parents working to make ends meet and must rely on sending their kids to various day camps throughout the summer to keep them occupied. Some camps are held by school districts, some by cities, some by retail businesses (ie. karate camp, dance camp, coding camp), and some by organizations (Girl Scouts of America or churches).

These camps are pricey and can afford to hire seasonal workers for administration, food prep, accounting, counselors, drivers for field trips, etc. They start to recruit right around March and April for summer camp positions.

SPRING TESTING SEASON

Have you taught in the education field or have a college degree in a core subject (English, math, history, science)? Public schools give students achievement tests each spring as a way to determine how well students are doing academically as well as assess how the school curriculum meets standards.

Most of the testing can be scored digitally but there are some questions that require human eyes to score. There could be full page essay answers to test English writing skills, plotting points on graphs to test algebra, drawings to explain answers to a science question.

Educational testing companies such as Pearson VUE, Educational Testing Service (ETS), and Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) hire temporary employees to grade student responses. All of the work is done remotely from your home using your own equipment.

Some projects require full-time Monday through Friday commitments anywhere from a couple of weeks to five or six weeks. Other projects are more flexible with only a minimum 20 up to 40 work hours per week within specified hours of operation.

The hours of operation are quite broad and easy to fit into your schedule. For example M-F 7:30 AM to 11 PM and Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM. You can apply anytime of the year to get your name in the hiring pool. A survey will be sent out to you in Nov./Dec/Jan. to ask if you are available and interested in the upcoming season. If selected, you will be given notice of your project sometime in February or March. The busiest scoring season is in April and May.

SPECIAL EVENT WORKER

Companies that manage special events, concerts, sporting events and the like often hire temporary workers for set up/pull down, ticket takers, ushers, security, and crowd management to ensure the event runs smoothly. The venues differ - stadiums, arenas, convention centers, golf courses, concert halls, theaters.

Keep an eye in your area for professional sport teams, festivals, parades, or any other regular special event. There are many, many companies nationwide that manage these types of events, so it is best to ask someone working there the name of the hiring management company. You can search on Indeed or ZipRecruiter under Special Event Jobs or Event Staffing for local opportunities. Some event hosts frequently use apps like Instawork and PeopleReady to fill shifts.

ELECTION WORKER

The Supervisor of Elections in your local county is always looking for election workers to help conduct fair and accurate elections. Full training is given and the work could be one day in length (Election Day) or up to fifteen days in length if you are supporting Early Voting (each state has its own laws regarding how long Early Voting lasts).

Temporary election workers can also work in-office answering phones in a call center environment, opening mail in ballots, sorting and counting ballots in post-election audits, processing petitions for future ballot contests and initiatives, and any other clerical task in support of upcoming elections. It is best to contact the Supervisor of Elections office in your county for an election worker application and what type of positions they are recruiting for.

CENSUS WORKER

The Constitution mandates a count of all U.S. residents on April 1st, every ten years ending in a zero. The U.S. Census Bureau will collect demographic and housing data in 2030 but preparation and hiring begins in late 2029.

Local field positions will offer flexible hours, and it is a great way to serve your area. Most field hires will be supervisors, crew leaders and enumerators (counters) that will follow up on addresses that may or may not exist, may or may not have people living in them, or if there is a resident do a manual count in the case the person did not turn in their census form. There may be a temporary Census office set up near you and in that case office jobs are also recruited for. Check out the U.S. Census Bureau Careers page for application and additional information.

TOURIST SEASON

If you live in an area with attractions for tourists, you know when the busier months are just by observing the increased amount of traffic on the roads. There will always be a need for restaurant servers and cashiers. Dig a little deeper to see if there are lower stress, fun seasonal roles in your area. If there are campgrounds, you could be a park attendant assisting visitors, maintaining grounds, or leading nature tours. If you have a zoo or an aquarium in town, you could work part-time in retail, guest education, or behind the scenes maintenance for a season. You could be a pie baker for retail or restaurants, or a ski lift operator. Think outside of the box to get extra cash and have a good time simultaneously.

Would you like to find out more about short-term jobs that people have reported as fun? Read on!