Bridge jobs fill gap between work and rest

Just short of his 60th birthday, Sandy Blovad left his high-powered job in California to move to suburban Lake Worth.

But Blovad isn’t kicking back on the golf course. He’s working.

Blovad, now a teacher, has a “bridge job,” a new name for a new trend in the world of work. Bridge jobs fill the gap between full-time careers and full-time retirement.

After decades of 65 being synonymous with a career’s end, the picture is changing. Many people now phase into retirement, working at jobs that aren’t always just about the paycheck — and often past their 65th birthday.

“Boomers have a different mentality about retirement than their parents,” says Blovad, who turned 65 last month. “They think younger and out of the box. They’re healthier, too. I’m an active guy who runs and plays tennis. As long as I’m healthy, I want to work.”

A slew of studies shows the bridge job trend will mushroom as Baby Boomers — the oldest wave turns 61 this year — march steadily toward Social Security. Those 78 million Boomers, who already changed how America works and plays, will now change how America retires.

As of last year, the number of workers older than 55 reached the highest level ever recorded, 24.6 million, according to Challenger, Gray and Christmas, an outplacement company.

An AARP survey indicates that number will grow with 80 percent of Baby Boomers expecting to work, at least part time, during traditional retirement years.

Increased longevity is part of the reason. Funding 20-plus years of retirement is daunting, especially without traditional pensions and a shaky Social Security system.

In addition, thousands of people from their mid-50s to 60s are forced to find bridge jobs after losing their paycheck to downsizing, mergers and company closings. But money isn’t their only motivation.

“If I stopped working, I’d shrivel up and die inside,” says Carol Ann Liebman, 64, who, with a partner, opened a gift shop in Deerfield Beach after 30 years in the fashion business. “I need to be out, involved and feeling productive.”

Seeking challenges
Many Boomers edging toward the traditional retirement age of 65 agree, and for good reasons.

Compared to their parents, they’re better educated and healthier. After decades of working, some still thrive on a challenge and think they have something to offer.

But Boomers want bridge jobs that work for them, not just jobs that offer work.

Some want less responsibility and more control over their lives. Others seek jobs that tap into personal interests or offer fewer or flexible hours. Some look for a social outlet. Others crave meaningful employment.

“I think many people in this generation are looking for something more substantial,” says Marc Freedman, author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life. “They want to do work they can be proud of and look forward to.”

Take Blovad. As executive director of a California Jewish Community Center, he rubbed shoulders with lots of people, some wealthy and powerful. He made a six-figure salary. Now he teaches mostly Haitian immigrant children at a Delray Beach charter school.
(more…)