Many people look forward to the time when they can retire and pursue hobbies or spend time with grandchildren and families. But for many people, retirement isn't such a rosy picture, either because they don't like the idea of not working, or they simply don't have the funds to live off of without being employed.

Consider these statistics: 75% of people age 50 have less than $5,000 set aside in the bank for their retirement.  And worse, at 65, 45% of Americans depend on relatives to sustain them, 30% depend on charities and only 2% are self-sustaining.

And while the financial picture isn't that bleak for all of today's seniors, many want to continue working because it gives them a sense of purpose and self-reliance.

The bottom line is that many of today's "old-timers" have to, or want to work past the age of retirement.

Roadblocks to Employment

It goes without saying that, when it comes to experience and know-how, old-timers are among the best resources young employees have to learn from. School and textbooks are okay, but nothing beats experience. However, while many of today's seniors are better educated and trained than old-timers of the past, many companies don't recognize that fact. It's common for seniors to be employed performing menial and repetitive tasks.

In addition, companies today are constantly cutting back their workforces due to outsourcing as well as foreign competition. Many of these companies have either lay off employees or forced workers as young as 40 into early retirement.

Ask anyone looking for a job and they'll tell you that competition is tough and for seniors it's even tougher. They not only have to go up against a young workforce, many of whom are willing to work without health benefits, but they also have to compete against other seniors too. And if the competition wasn't bad enough, many old-timers have trouble finding jobs that accommodate their hours.

While the employment news for old-timers might seem grim, there are a few statistics worth knowing.

• Americans 65 and over make up 12.7% of the US population, which translates to about one in eight people.
• In 1997 seniors made up almost 3% of the nation's labor force.
• Not only are old-timers the fastest growing demographic in the US, but they're also the fastest growing consumer group. Approximately 7.6 Americans age 50 and older are buying computers and getting online.
• According to polls and surveys taken among human resources managers, most view older workers as loyal, dependable, experienced and service minded.

Because people are living longer, healthier lives after they retire, many of them are able to continue working. The demand for employment services by older workers is expected to increase over the next 20 years as the baby boomers continue to age.

So, What Can You Do?

While it is tough out there in the job market for everyone, you don't have to start out flipping burgers, unless you want to. There is a wealth of options for people with your knowledge and experience.

Take a look at your current career. While you may be forced to retire, there's no reason you can't consult. There are many Americans with half of your experience earning big money by consulting. Just think how much more valuable you would be to a client.

As mentioned before, old-timers represent a large portion of the consumer population and many of these people are online. Online businesses are growing every year, which means there are many opportunities to target this market with a product or service specifically for them.

If you have sufficient funds for retirement and money isn't an issue, there's always the need for volunteers. Every city has charities that need help in organization, leadership and public awareness.

The point is, you're not old, you're just more experienced than most. And if you truly want to work beyond retirement there are options available if you're willing to look. There are a number of online resources that can help you in your search. The Senior Job Bank at www.seniorjobbank.org is a great place to start as well as the US Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration at http://www.doleta.gov/.