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IN MY EARLY 50s, when retirement began looking like a viable option, I started thinking seriously about what my life might look like after I stopped working as an engineer at a nearby nuclear power plant. Earlier in my career, I’d imagined living off my pension and not working at all. But by my 50s, I wasn’t so sure. I felt retirement could be a time to explore other work opportunities.
My favorite hardware store is less than a mile from my house. At one time, a retired teacher—who’s a friend from church—worked there. I enjoyed chatting with him about his experience. I was attracted by the idea of being able to help people, without the stress of meeting deadlines for a multi-million-dollar project. Mentally, I put the hardware store on my short list.
I looked at classified job ads in my local paper. With money no longer a prime consideration, I figured I could explore all kinds of possibilities. I thought about working at a hospital. Maybe I could find a job that involved caring for cats or dogs. Whatever I chose, I wanted to be able to work in a pleasant environment and make a meaningful contribution.
Last year, when the time came to actually retire and settle on an encore career, it seemed prudent to pick something closer to my current profession. I’d spent 38 years developing specialized skills. Fortunately, those skills turned out to be in high demand. Once I changed my LinkedIn profile to “Open to Work,” recruiters started contacting me. I ended up doing several interviews. The process was great fun. Since I didn’t really need a job, there was no reason to be tense in interviews, and I spoke my mind freely.
One attractive opportunity had some travel in its job description. I told the recruiter I wasn’t interested in doing any work-related travel. Undeterred, she went back to the hiring manager with my no-travel demand, and he decided he was still interested. I was impressed by the director and manager who interviewed me, and ended up accepting their job offer.
The company is significantly smaller than my old employer, with a headcount that’s less than 3% of my former company’s workforce. There are more diverse opportunities—not just nuclear. As a fully remote employee, the opportunity for engaging in “water cooler” conversations is limited. Still, I’m getting to know my coworkers. Almost all are seasoned professionals, and there’s been no hint of drama.
I averaged 15 to 20 hours a week through 2023’s last four months. This allowed me to avoid dipping into savings as I waited for my pension to start in January. So far this year, I’ve worked fewer hours as the company waits for new contracts to get inked. I’ve filled some of the free time by working on my other part-time job—writing for HumbleDollar.
Most of my friends from the plant also retired around age 60. Few have elected to continue working in the traditional sense, and they all seem to be enjoying their retirement.
One exception is my good friend, Gopi, who only started working in nuclear power when he was 60—his own encore career. He’d designed the first television made in India and personally presented it to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during a news conference at her residence. After moving to the U.S. many years ago, he enjoyed a successful career in electronics. He holds seven U.S. patents.
When Gopi joined my old employer, he was only planning to stay five years. But he found he enjoyed the work and the people so much that he ended up making it 12. As he closes in on age 80, he still does a bit of consulting and overseas work travel. I admire Gopi’s work ethic—but I’m pretty certain my encore career won’t last nearly so long.
Ken Cutler lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and has worked as an electrical engineer in the nuclear power industry for more than 38 years. There, he has become an informal financial advisor for many of his coworkers. Ken is involved in his church, enjoys traveling and hiking with his wife Lisa, is a shortwave radio hobbyist, and has a soft spot for cats and dogs. Follow Ken on X @Nuke_Ken and check out his earlier articles.
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Congrats, the whole article is about explaining why it fits your situation.
I’m retired over 6 years now and it’s the best job I have ever had.
I used to have the best, easiest job that paid well too. I loved my work, I worked from home (or anywhere I wanted), zero commute anywhere, hardly ever meetings, very low pressure, officially I worked 40 hours and got paid fully but I actually worked maybe 10.
I never had a job like that or knew anyone who had this…and I left because I reached a portfolio that should last to death. My wife, friends and coworkers didn’t believed I would retire but I did. Retirement means a complete option to do what I want when I want it.
Life is more than work, you can die tomorrow, there is no do over, find something you like, preferably with humans and enjoy it.
Suppose I have one week to live and my kids ask me, what are the things you regret not doing more during your life? WORK WILL NEVER BE MY CHOICE.
Ken:
Maybe it was because I worked until 73, but I have no real desire to engage in anything with a schedule, now that I’ve retired. I might change my mind, but I doubt it.
I do think about ways I can contribute in other ways, and I just might explore that more, in the month’s to come.
Like Garrett said, I am experiencing a sense of freedom that I haven’t felt before, in my life time. From the time I completed my service in the US Army, including a tour in Viet Nam, I have been working and going to school.
6 degrees, 23 professional designations, a 50 year marriage (this Jun 23rd) and two college educated kids, without student debt, kept me pretty busy during my 57 years in the work force. Now…no student emails, no committee work, no papers or articles to write, no books to author/edit/update, no more academic politics, no more racist misandry to deal with, and in the words of Beldar Conehead, of the movie Coneheads, “Life on Earth is Good!”
As wonderful as it feels, however, “FREEDOM is not Free!” You earn it. I did it first as a Veteran, and secondly by putting in the years of work, to qualify to enjoy it, and I fully intend to.
Great Article. Thanks for writing it.
Kevin, thanks for reading and commenting. After 57 years in the work force, I’m sure the freedom of retirement is a welcome change. And thank you for your service to our country. I salute you on both counts.