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I retired from a 38-year engineering career with a large electric power generation company on September 5, 2023. On September 11, 2023, I began an encore career—part time, on-call—with a small engineering firm. In the winter, I worked very few hours. Some weeks I only logged a single hour. I felt like a retiree and started to self-identify as one. As we moved into spring, more contracts came in and I started working more hours. For the past several months, I’ve been working as many as 20 or more hours a week. I expect this pace to continue.
I’ve really enjoyed the work in my encore career. I find it challenging, but not stressful. I love working with my team to solve problems and exceed expectations of clients. In many ways, it feels like an engrossing hobby I happen to get paid for. Still, when I work 20+ hours a week, it doesn’t seem much different from when I had a salaried job and lots of PTO.
I get a pension and rely on retiree healthcare. At the same time, I’m doing a significant amount of paid work. Is it accurate to tell people I’m retired? Is it more accurate to simply say I work as an engineer? Or am I semi-retired? And if so, what does that term actually mean to people? Inquiring minds want to know.
LOL, this reminds me a bit of a schtick my husband does. He retired from a state agency in 2016. He took his pension and retiree health insurance (which also covers me and is a better deal than my own workplace plan) and then went to work 10 weeks later (paid weeks because he had vacation time accrued) for a private firm for whom he still works today.
He sometimes tells people that he’s “retired” (which is literally true, but a bit confusing). Then he’ll go on to say that he’s “retired but has a very lucrative hobby.” By now I’m rolling my eyes. Just say what you do, for Pete’s sake! 😂
Thank you all for your responses. It’s interesting to consider the different perspectives, all of which are valid. I definitely like Dan’s take on the issue. I guess my “label” (unnecessary, as Rick points out) can change based on context and who I’m communicating with. Not having a definite endpoint other than “I’ll quit when it stops being fun” is another factor…I could be transitioning to full retirement for years.
WRT to the “engineer label”. Over her 40+ years of nursing, my wife felt she could identify an engineer patient in about 3 questions.
That’s kind of sad, actually. I once read a ‘Dear Abby’ column all about different people complaining about engineers. It wasn’t pretty, but I definitely knew what they were talking about. I’d like to think you and I are a bit more sociable and don’t conform to all the stereotypes, Rick. After all, we’re in breakfast clubs.
It was always interesting doing an engineer’s tax return. Precise attention to the way their documents were presented to me. One guy would scrutinize every word and checkbox on the return, and I knew I’d get at least 3 phone calls from him immediately after his appointment. Two other engineers were near genius in managing their portfolio; somehow always being in the right place at the right time, which I also attribute to an engineer’s attention to detail. Still another guy always did his return by hand before his appointment…. And he was always correct. I loved them all, even the guy that pestered me following his appointment!
Having sold my business when I was 54, and attending my “retirement” party at 56, my definition of retirement is based on time.
I considered myself retired because I was in total control of my time to do anything or not, work, travel, golf, read, sleep, mentor, coach, play, hobbies, etc.
BTW, I have an engineering degree, but I never worked as one. To be good, it helps to be smart.
Ken, I would define your situation as “working on your own terms” because when you wake up each morning you know that you can walk away from the job anytime you like. I know firsthand how nice that feels.
Lots of ways to describe this. I’d say you are transitioning into retirement.
Ken, as a man equally adroit with both words and numbers, I’m sure you’re bothered by the term semi-retired for those weeks when you don’t work exactly 20 hours. What about the 10 hour weeks? Are you a three-quarters-retired?
I suggest you shift focus from the work hours to your off-time. Tell folks you’re “practicing retirement “ or making a dry run, or whatever term nukes use for such things.
I would say you’re semi-retired, but I’d also say if you want to call yourself retired I won’t argue.
As for me, I am definitely retired, at least right now. I’d be open to some work but don’t see it happening anytime soon.
I like to self describe my un-retirement work as part time & seasonal.
Working part-time is my definition of semi-retired. I used it to ease into retirement, financially and emotionally. Enjoy!
Hi Ken. I went through a similar situation when I stopped working full time. But I had some great consulting opportunities the first few years and enjoyed them. Covid slowed things down, and part of me misses the intellectual and (truth be told) and financial stimulation. Enjoy it while you can, don’t worry about the label. You will always be an engineer.
Spouse is in the same situation you are. They say they are retired. They don’t like it when they work 20 hours a week. LOL! Luckily it is not often. Chris
20 is the new 40, for sure.