The labor market for the elderly: possibilities to work as a consultant

Abstract

Providing consulting services in companies can be an alternative for seniors who wish to remain active in the job market. This qualitative and exploratory study aimed to understand elderly people’s perceptions and attitudes regarding their work as a consultant in enterprises. Participants were composed of eight elderly people who worked as consultants in large companies, selected for the study through the “snowball” technique. A semi-structured interview script was elaborated and applied. The results were analyzed according to thematic analysis and interpreted by psychological theories of elderly development. Older people remain working due to self identification with the activity and financial motivations. Working as a consultant brings challenges like any other job, but is a feasible option for some seniors who want to stay in the labor market. However, this position is not available for all elderly people. Other options of remaining in the labor market and their impacts on well-being still need to be investigated.

Keywords

• professional aspirations
• aging
• professional attitude