Getting a Flexible Work From Home Job in Your 50s

Flexible work from home jobs have countless benefits. The Office for National Statistics found, for example, that midlifers who switched to remote employment had an improved work-life balance. Other perks include increased productivity, fewer distractions and better job opportunities.

Plus, with the state pension age predicted to increase again in coming years, flexible work from home jobs offer the potential to earn some extra income to boost your pension pot.

In fact, trends show that many are making this switch – or even deciding to make a return to work. A reported 32% of people said that flexible job opportunities are the biggest catalyst in them considering rejoining the workforce.

If you’re among those who are looking for a more flexible work from home job, you’re in the right place.

In this article, we’ll highlight some tips to help you get started, so you can find the right job for you.

The Struggle of Building a Portfolio Career

A portfolio career is where you have multiple job roles across different sectors. For instance, you may work as a writer for one company, and as a consultant for another.

Starting a portfolio career opens you up to multiple income sources, more variety in your work, increased control over your workload and ultimately allows you to get more flexible work from home jobs. It’s also an opportunity to utilise the significant career you already have under your belt.

Portfolio careers can also be very lucrative. You may not recognise it yourself, but your experience can be incredibly valuable to companies – people will spend more cash on your time.

It doesn’t need to be limited to paid jobs, either. Skills, hobbies or experiences can also build up your portfolio career. For example, you could add hobbies such as gardening or photography to your portfolio and get paid gigs in these areas.

Find out more about how you can turn your favourite hobby into a professional career in our Ask the Expert interview.

However, this path isn’t right for everyone. Juggling various jobs can be difficult, so staying organised and self management is key.

There’s also money to consider. When working various jobs, income can be irregular, and you’ll be in charge of making sure your employers pay you correctly and on time.

You’ll also need to stay in charge of your own finances, and handle tasks such as calculating your tax. If this isn’t your strong suit, then it may be worth hiring someone to look after this on your behalf.

Why Should You Work With Our Age-Accredited Employers?

Many businesses are now making a cultural shift towards hiring people in their 50s over the younger generation.

Hiring and retaining the over-50s means companies don’t need to provide extensive training, as workers already have all the experience they need. Plus, businesses have noticed that older workers don’t tend to ‘job hop’ as much as their younger counterparts.

As a result, businesses are taking more steps to attract older workers into their workforce and tailoring roles to meet their requirements – such as offering remote work.

Curious about what age-inclusive work opportunities are available for you? Have a look at our flexible work from home jobs portal to find out more.

You can also reach out to age-accredited employers we work with to discover new opportunities.

Finding Flexible Work From Home Jobs That Are Right for You

Decided to make the leap into a flexible job where you can work from home? When you’re in your 50s, there’s plenty of options at your fingertips – here’s some ideas that might interest you.

Flexible Jobs for Over 50s That Make Use of Your Current Experience

Do you have a lot of experience in a particular sector? Think of how you can use those transferable skills in other industries or roles. For instance, you may want to consider taking this to the next level in one of these flexible work from home jobs:

Consultant: Provide expert advice to others in your chosen field, such as science or law. Consultancy generally pays well, so you don’t need to work many hours to make it worth your while.
Trainer or instructor: Offer training and development opportunities to share your expert knowledge and help others advance in their career.
Mentoring: Reflect on your past experience and use this to advise others. You can mentor for a variety of topics, such as running a business.

Thinking about becoming a mentor? Here’s everything you need to know.

Lateral career moves are another possibility. Rather than change industry completely, there might be an opportunity to refocus within your existing specialism. For example, you might move from being a chief marketing officer, a role that’s largely strategic, to head of content, which allows you to focus on your passion for writing.

Work From Home Jobs for Over 50s That Don’t Require Experience

It’s quite common to want to work in something new in your 50s, but many midlifers believe that getting a job with no experience is impossible. However, this simply isn’t the case.

More often than not, you will have a bank of transferable skills that can be used across a variety of roles. If you feel at a loose end with your job search, here are some ideas for flexible work from home jobs that require no prior experience:

Virtual assistant: A virtual assistant takes on responsibilities such as answering emails and phone calls, scheduling appointments and conducting online research.
Librarian: If you’re a booklover, then being a librarian might be a good career choice for you. Requirements to become a librarian tend to include previous experience in a library, or an undergraduate degree.
Teaching or tutoring: Teaching others can be incredibly rewarding, and is a popular choice for a career change as a result. There is no formal qualification required to be a tutor, but you will need to obtain Qualified Teacher Status.

Not feeling inspired by any of these flexible work from home job ideas? Consider having a look at our Purpose Finder, which you can use to help you decide what direction you want to take.

Start Your Own Business

If you have a passion project or want to find a solution to a common problem, then starting your own business could be a great option to consider.

Some midlifers think that it’s too late to start a business in your 50s when in reality there’s no better time. You’re likely more financially secure than when you were younger, you’ve already got a lot of life experience behind you, and may have more time to spend on your new venture.

If you need a lump sum of money to get going, try looking at funding opportunities at Innovate UK or the gov.uk website. You can also check out our finance page to learn about mortgages and loans that are right for you.

Considering starting your own business? Learn how Redefiner Dave Woods started his own business in a new industry, and what advice he offers to those looking to do the same.

Four Tips for Applying to Flexible Work From Home Jobs

1. Make Your Application Stand Out

Completing an application for a flexible work from home job is slightly different to an in-person job, as you’ll also need to demonstrate your experience working remotely.

As you may not have prior experience working from home, you will need to showcase some experience using remote-specific software and tools. These can include:

Google Workspace: Is a collection of online apps and tools that promote team productivity and collaboration, even when they’re not in the same office. All their tools allow you to work with your team in real-time, and you’re able to track who’s making what changes and when.
Project management tools: Whether it’s monday.com or Trello, these tools allow you to communicate virtually with your colleagues in real time and easily see the progress of all your projects.
Virtual meeting platforms: If you’re applying for a remote job, you can expect your interview to also be held remotely on a virtual meeting platform. From Zoom to Microsoft teams, you should feel comfortable using any of these platforms.
Team communication tools: Utilising online communication tools such as Slack will help you keep in contact with your team, so most employers will expect you to be familiar with this kind of tool.

Even if you haven’t used these tools in a work environment, demonstrating your familiarity will do wonders in your interview.

Using these tools can be very daunting if you’re not familiar with them, but thankfully there’s plenty of support out there that can help you get more comfortable with using them. Here are some places you can get started:

2. Look At Websites That Are Specifically for Flexible Work From Home Jobs

If you’re looking specifically for a remote job, then you may find yourself scrolling endlessly through freelance jobs or one-off gig roles that aren’t the right fit for you.

Thankfully, we’re here to help. Our Jobs/Redefined website includes hundreds of remote working opportunities with age-inclusive employers – have a look at what’s currently available here.

3. Do Your Research on the Company

Picture your interview prep as if you’re revising for a test. Have a Google of the company, and check out their website and LinkedIn page. Take note of anything that seems of importance, such as their mission statement or top clients, and remember to mention them during your interview.

Then, you should consider how your experience will help the business, and what you can bring to the table. If you’re applying for a marketing position, for example, they may ask how you think they can improve their website or social channels.

For more advice on how to prepare for your job interview, check out our article here.

You should also check Glassdoor for the company reviews. If anything pops up that looks like a red flag, then you should strongly consider whether you actually want to apply or whether to go back to the drawing board. It’ll also give you ideas about the culture that you can refer to in the interview.

4. Prepare Answers to Common Remote Job Questions

While most of your questions will likely cater to the actual job role, you should also expect some questions about your capabilities in working remotely. Common questions include:

Why do you want to work remotely?
Do you have previous experience working from home?
Do you have a home office? If not, do you have a quiet space to concentrate?
How do you minimise distractions when you work from home?

As the saying goes, you’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you. So, you should always prepare some questions for what you’re looking for from your employer too. This could be how they’re planning to support you in a remote working environment.

Resources to Help Find a Flexible Work From Home Job in Your 50s

Jobs/Redefined portal: A jobs portal for age-inclusive and flexible work from home jobs for midlifers.
Life/Redefined Online Training courses: A selection of free online courses to help you develop your skill set.
Life/Redefined careers: Advice and resources to help you make a career change.
Work/Redefined Age Pioneers: Learn more about how ageism may come into play during your job search, and how to overcome it.
Government information: Includes all you need to know about flexible working, and how to request flexible work from your current employer.

Are you considering a career change? Look no further. Our article on jobs to help you navigate the life-changing next step in your career gives you all the information you need to make the leap.