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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.

“I realized I wasn’t going to be the big cheese anymore,” Blovad says about his career move. “But at that stage of my life, status no longer mattered. I’m getting something else in return. Working with these kids is so gratifying. I count the small victories each and every day.”

On a wall in Blovad’s office hangs a poignant essay from a student who’d lost his father.

“I’m a father figure to him,” Blovad says. “Money can’t buy that.”

In contrast, Dianne Sammons, 64, of Lighthouse Point, wanted a no-stress job that allows her time to volunteer and travel with her husband. After careers in human resources and real estate, she now clerks two days a week at a gift shop.

“This works for me because I’m a people person,” she says. “I like getting out of the house and going somewhere.”

Transferring jobs
Moving successfully from a long-time career to a bridge job means getting realistic. Expect a pay cut. Know that many jobs, especially part time, don’t offer benefits such as health insurance. It also helps to look where the jobs are.

Broward and Palm Beach counties, in need of teachers, offer fast-track programs to get people into classrooms. An aging population means more jobs in health care.

Retail jobs are available, too, and some businesses seek 50-plus workers who can relate to their customers, who are also older.

“Older people are also dependable and take pride in what they’re doing,” says Stephen Wing, director of government programs for CVS pharmacy, which recruits older workers. “They have great customer-service skills and are good examples to younger folks.”

Three years ago, CVS started a snowbird program to accommodate older employees with multiple homes. Workers transfer from a CVS store, say in New Jersey, to one in Florida where they spend winters. The jobs, from cashiers to pharmacists, include health insurance, whether workers are full or part time.

There’s a practical reason for businesses welcoming people seeking bridge jobs. With so many Boomers heading toward retirement age, a labor shortage is predicted. And if they’re working, they’re still paying into the beleaguered Social Security system.

Earlier this year a bill was introduced in the Maryland legislature to create a Baby Boomer Initiative Council to study ways to keep Boomers active and involved. That includes working.

“We have to encourage them,” Wing says. “We need them.”

Life changes course
For Boomers interested in a career change, more schooling might be necessary. But for this highly educated group, a classroom feels familiar.

“Another Boomer trademark is their interest in constant education,” says Mary Beth Franklin, who writes about retirement for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. “All along they’ve taken classes — in how to invest, how to make jewelry. Today, you can find a course in anything.”

After 32 years with IBM, John Sammons, Dianne Sammons’ husband, went to school to get his boat captain’s license. Now he does day charters and teaches sailing classes, turning a long-time hobby into a bridge job. Though he turned 67 last month, Sammons plans to keep working.

“Unlike with IBM, I control this,” Sammons says. “I only teach a few classes and make enough money to maintain the boat. I don’t want to turn it into a real job.”

Some people use contacts from their old careers to launch new ones. After three decades in international trade, Sarah Deben, 57, of Miami, wearied of long hours and constant travel. With a partner, she started a business organizing international trade shows and conferences.

“I know people my age who’ve gone into other fields like real estate,” she says. “But that takes years to build contacts. I thought it would be easier if I stayed in my field.”

Though Blovad moved into a new job, he’s glad he did.

“I could leave the JCC and know it would survive,” he says. “But if these kids didn’t have this school, I don’t know what would happen. I feel like I’m doing something that matters.”