By Kenneth Terrell, AARP | Particular Contributor
Summer season celebrations, together with the FIFA World Cup and the nation’s 250th birthday, are creating nice alternatives for part-time and seasonal work for folks ages 50 and up.
These occasions might assist jump-start a job market that has seemingly stalled on the cusp of 2026. In November, the nation’s unemployment fee rose barely to 4.6 %, and 25.1 % of job seekers 55 and older have been long-term unemployed, which means they’ve been in search of work for greater than six months.
The arrival of the lads’s World Cup might increase employment in 11 main metro areas throughout america. Whereas the event doesn’t begin till June, most arenas internet hosting matches have already began recruiting further employees, as have close toby lodges.
Likewise, semiquincentennial festivities are creating job alternatives. Some cities, together with Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., have deliberate actions all year long to capitalize on the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The next 20 occupations are amongst these projected to have hiring will increase in 2026 and past, primarily based on information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and different sources.
AARP centered on roles that may enchantment to older adults as a result of they provide alternatives for part-time or distant work, versatile schedules or might not require intensive coaching to get employed. The record is in alphabetical order. All wage information is from the BLS.
In case you want help along with your job search, AARP and Indeed are collaborating to supply free and discounted providers to older adults, together with a job board, résumé help, interview preparation and profession teaching.
Accountant and auditor
Median wage: $81,680 yearly
The BLS tasks that this occupation will add greater than 72,000 new jobs over the subsequent seven years, progress that may very well be particularly interesting to older employees. Many accountants and auditors work in contract or part-time roles, which suggests versatile hours. Alternatives for distant work are additionally frequent.
One place to seek out these versatile positions is Work at Home Vintage Experts, a placement company that makes a speciality of serving to older adults discover contract work. Different comparable providers are FlexJobs and Upwork.
Amusement and recreation attendant
Median wage: $29,390 yearly
Are you prepared for some soccer? In case you’re a fan of worldwide soccer, the reply seemingly is sure. From June 11 via July 19, 2026, the FIFA World Cup performs out throughout 104 matches within the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Within the U.S., matches will happen in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas Metropolis (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Space and Seattle. In every of these places, venues are hiring ushers and different forms of attendants to assist followers benefit from the spectacle. In case you’re curious about a paid or volunteer function at areas, parking venues or close by amenities, don’t wait to use — most of those positions will probably be crammed nicely earlier than the event kicks off.
Chief human assets officer
Median wage: $140,030 yearly
If there’s one executive-level function that sits on the intersection of the challenges enterprise might want to navigate in 2026, it’s the top of the HR division. Financial uncertainties complicate choices on what number of employees a enterprise can afford. Comparatively low unemployment makes it more and more tough to rent expertise. And the rise of generative AI in the workplace requires chief human useful resource officers to redefine their workers’ roles.
These elements appear to be contributing to excessive turnover charges on this function, which in flip feeds demand. In response to an August 2025 report from the Expertise Technique Group, 30 new chief human assets officers have been appointed at Fortune 200 firms in 2024. That’s a 15 % turnover fee, up from 11 % the earlier yr.
Customer support consultant
Median wage: $42,830 yearly
In case you’ve ever dialed a customer support line and requested for a “consultant,” you perceive how useful these employees might be.
The long-term outlook for customer support brokers isn’t promising, as AI continues to enhance at understanding callers’ wants. However within the brief time period, job alternatives are plentiful. The BLS says there are greater than 380,000 vacancies on this subject every year due to a continuing churn of employees — and so they typically include versatile or part-time hours and the potential to do business from home.
Supply truck or van driver
Median wage: $42,470 yearly
On-line companies rely on supply drivers to get merchandise to your entrance door, and that dependence is rising. The BLS tasks there will probably be a further 118,700 jobs for supply drivers by 2034. With current experiences that Amazon might cease utilizing the U.S. Postal Service and broaden its personal nationwide supply community as a substitute, there is perhaps much more supply driver jobs than the BLS tasks.
Relying on the kind of car you’ll be driving, you may have the ability to begin working with a regular driver’s license (though some jobs would require a Class C business driver’s license). You may additionally be anticipated to do some loading and unloading of packages,
Driver
Median wage: $35,420 yearly
If bodily calls for or business license necessities are an impediment to turning into a supply truck driver, there are many different alternatives to work behind the wheel.
That doesn’t need to imply a gig for Uber, Lyft or different ride-share apps. Automotive service businesses, like limos or airport shuttles, generally is a higher-pay, lower-pressure various. However whether or not for an company or app, you’ll have entry to part-time work with an choice to work solely if you want or need.
Monetary examiners
Median wage: $90,400 yearly
Demand for monetary examiners is spiking due to elevated laws and compliance necessities within the banking trade. In response to BLS projections, demand for these employees is predicted to extend by 19 % over the subsequent seven years, including hundreds of latest jobs.
Typical duties contain reviewing financial institution data and assessing mortgage dangers, so that you’ll want a watch for element. A school diploma in enterprise or related expertise within the subject is required to land one in every of these jobs.
Grounds upkeep employee
Median wage: $38,470 yearly
The BLS estimates there may very well be as many as 176,000 jobs open every year on this occupation, primarily due to a labor scarcity. The work might be bodily demanding, because it entails helping landscapers with the set up and upkeep of greenery. However in the event you get pleasure from being outdoor and simply want principally seasonal work to complement your financial savings, this function is perhaps a match.
Listening to help specialists
Median wage: $61,560 yearly
Greater than 44 million Individuals age 20 and older have some stage of listening to loss, and that quantity is projected to develop to 63 million by 2040, in accordance with the buyer information and opinions platform ConsumerAffairs.
The variety of jobs for listening to help specialists, who assist administer listening to checks, help folks in selecting units and ensure the aids match correctly, is projected to develop simply as quickly. The BLS estimates an 18 % enhance in employment alternatives between 2024 and 2034. When you have expertise with listening to aids, that information might translate right into a job alternative.
Dwelling well being aide
Median wage: $34,900 yearly
Demand for dwelling well being aides is so excessive that there are already 4.3 million folks working on this function, and the BLS tasks there will probably be greater than 730,000 further jobs created over the subsequent eight years.
The demand is fueled by an growing old boomer inhabitants that’s each in want of help and prefers to age in place. There may be additionally excessive turnover on this job, which creates a gradual want for added employees.
Resort, motel and resort clerks
Median wage: $30,790 yearly
Fourth of July celebrations will probably be further festive this summer season because the nation celebrates its 250th birthday. Cities related to the nation’s founding are planning occasions that stretch all year long in anticipation of better tourism.
For instance, a research from visitphilly.com estimates that visits to Philadelphia in 2026 might generate $1.3 billion to $2.5 billion in financial influence. The District of Columbia has already seen an 8 % enhance prematurely lodge bookings for the 2026 Independence Day vacation, in contrast with 2025, in accordance with a report from Key Information. These guests will want educated clerks to clean their stays and share native info. Many lodge clerk jobs provide part-time work and versatile hours.
Info safety analyst
Median wage: $124,910 yearly
Analysis agency Cybersecurity Ventures estimates that cybercrime induced $10.5 trillion in harm worldwide in 2025, underscoring the excessive demand for info safety analysts. The occupation is projected to see a 29 % progress in jobs by 2034.
Most of those jobs require a bachelor’s diploma in pc science or a associated self-discipline, in addition to a number of years {of professional} expertise.
Insurance coverage gross sales agent
Median wage: $60,370 yearly
No hurricanes made landfall within the continental United States in 2025, the primary time that’s occurred since 2015. However December flooding in Washington state and varied wildfires all year long are reminders of why employment demand has been excessive within the insurance coverage trade. Rising premiums, pushed largely by the impacts of local weather change, are main folks to buy round for extra reasonably priced insurance policies, fueling demand for insurance coverage gross sales brokers.
You don’t want a university diploma to use for many of those roles, however related enterprise expertise is mostly most well-liked.
Medical and well being providers supervisor
Median wage: $117,960 yearly
These directors assist hospitals, nursing houses, group medical practices and different well being care suppliers deal with their enterprise operations. Because of the trade’s total progress, the BLS estimates there will probably be 62,100 openings yearly for well being service managers.
These jobs typically require candidates to have a bachelor’s diploma in well being care administration or 5 years of expertise in enterprise administration.
Medical assistant
Median wage: $44,200 yearly
Medical assistants sometimes work in outpatient clinics, performing varied roles that assist medical doctors and nurses in offering affected person care. Duties vary from taking your blood stress and gathering samples to updating medical data and scheduling appointments.
These jobs require an affiliate’s diploma or completion of a medical assistant program. You additionally should cross a certification examination.
Operations analysis analyst
Median wage: $91,290 yearly
These analysts make the most of information to assist companies make knowledgeable choices that enhance efficiency. Well being care, logistics, protection and finance are a few of the industries during which operations analysis analyst jobs are frequent.
In response to Glassdoor, main employers for these analyst roles are the U.S. Air Power, the U.S. Division of Protection, Lockheed Martin and Delta Air Strains.
Private care aide
Median wage: $34,900 yearly
If the occasional bodily calls for and lightweight medical duties of a house well being aide function are uncomfortable for you, serving as a private care aide is perhaps extra appropriate. Private care focuses extra on purchasers’ nonmedical wants. For instance, private care aides typically assist with making ready meals, working errands and lightweight housecleaning.
Safety guard
Median wage: $38,390 yearly
The BLS estimates there will probably be 162,300 job openings yearly for safety guards, making this a task with constant employment alternatives. The job sometimes requires extra training than a highschool diploma, and in some circumstances you could want a license.
The work often just isn’t bodily demanding as a result of most guards are anticipated to look at and report somewhat than intervene instantly. You must, nevertheless, be ready to spend time in your toes.
Translator
Median wage: $59,440 yearly
Whereas AI translation expertise is enhancing, it hasn’t eradicated job alternatives for actual folks. Even the place AI is used for preliminary translations, multilingual people are important for verifying the accuracy of what the machines produce, notably in technical fields reminiscent of drugs, science and regulation.
In response to Certainly, the languages most in demand for translation work, as of December 2025, are German, Mandarin, Arabic, French and Japanese, in descending order.
Tutor
Median wage: $40,090 yearly
The BLS estimates there will probably be 37,100 openings yearly on this function, principally due to turnover. Not like full-time instructing (and a few substitute instructing roles), tutoring isn’t topic to a neighborhood certification course of, but it surely does typically require a bachelor’s diploma associated to the topic you’ll be instructing.
Most tutoring roles are remote-work positions.
In case you want help along with your job search, AARP and Indeed are collaborating to supply free and discounted providers to older adults, together with a job board, résumé help, interview preparation and profession teaching.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kenneth Terrell covers employment, age discrimination, work and jobs, careers, and the federal authorities for AARP. He beforehand labored for the Training Writers Affiliation and U.S. Information & World Report, the place he reported on authorities and politics, enterprise, training, science and expertise, and way of life information.
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