Do You Need to (or Just Want to) Continue to Work as You Age?
Coronavirus Revelations

The Old Fogey Freelancer

OnYourOwn Multi-tasking-2840792_1920When you were growing up, you probably remember the nasty term "old fogey." Some of us may have even used it to deride our elders. Nowadays, you may not hear that specific term much, but its meaning still exists. That's because ageism is alive and well in American society.

Ageism is particularly evident in the workplace. In the March 2020 issue of the AARP Bulletin, CEO Jo Ann Jenkins cited a new AARP study conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit that indicated "the U.S. economy missed out on $850 billion in 2018 from the loss of 50-plus workers' contributions." The loss was due to "biases against older workers" and was attributed to a combination of involuntary retirement, under-employment, and unemployment.

American companies certainly don't help matters when they arbitrarily toss out more expensive but more experienced older workers. Meanwhile the current law against age discrimination is empty and virtually unenforceable. It is no surprise, then, that some seniors who want to earn an income turn to menial, low-wage jobs. Others, however, have discovered the benefits of self-employment through freelancing. This is one reason the "gig economy" is a legitimate and growing sector (despite the fact that it has been battered of late by the coronavirus pandemic, just like the rest of the economy).

Generally speaking, as a freelancer, experience (which often equates with age) is an asset, not a liability. Ironically, the same companies that find it expedient to fire older workers seem to be perfectly willing to contract older freelancers. Bonnie Nichols, writing for The Freelancer by Contently, says she began freelancing when she was laid off from a corporate job at age 50. She has applied her journalism background and experience as a corporate communicator to obtain freelance assignments that take advantage of her skills. Nichols writes, "I’ve learned to recognize a good client from a bad one. Over time, I’ve been able to raise my rates. The good ones hire me for my experience, and they’re willing to pay for it."

Nichols admits to facing such challenges as learning about new subjects and wrestling with new technologies such as video conferencing, but these things haven't impeded her ability to get work. In fact, she has had opportunities to return to the traditional workplace since she began freelancing full time in 2014 but she says "I have no desire to return to corporate life. ...My goal for the past two years is to do work I love and give the rest away. So far, I’ve been pretty good at that.

"Freelancing just fits my lifestyle. It allows me the flexibility to take longer vacations with my spouse, be on call for my aging mother, and indulge my hobbies of playing in a band, swing dancing, and volunteering. It’s also the most reliable way to support myself as I head into 60."

Bonnie is just one of scores of mature workers who have leveraged their professional experience into freelance work. Nowadays, freelancing is a viable income opportunity in many fields, not just creative endeavors.

During the coronavirus crisis, freelancing can be an even more attractive option since you can work from home. Maybe this would be a good time for you to consider becoming an "old fogey freelancer."

HappilyRewired.com is a Top 75 Baby Boomer Blog.

Image: Pixabay.com

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Comments

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Julie Gorges

Great article extolling the benefits of freelancing for boomers who often find themselves out of work - a problem exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. As a freelancer myself, I agree that it can be a great alternative.

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