There was no reason to believe your retirement dreams wouldn't go as planned. But if you are one of the many older workers whose nest egg has shrunk and are wondering how you will live, you've got more choices than just flipping hamburgers at McDonalds.

We need you. It's a good thing for the national economy that fewer older workers are leaving the work force, says Robert Samuelson, columnist for The Washington Post and Newsweek magazine.

The proportion of people over 65 is increasing; roughly 13 percent today. By 2030, it will be about 20 percent. "And that means that if we all begin retiring earlier and earlier, we won't have as many workers basically to support the needs of society," said Samuelson in a recent National Public Radio interview. "We won't have as many teachers, engineers, lawyers, accountants, fast-food workers," he said.

We need your experience, your work ethic and your wisdom. So look around to see how you can spread it. Here are some ideas and resources to get you started.

- If you are still employed, talk to your company about getting trained in a new, growing area. If they don't offer training, see if they'll pay for it somewhere else.

- What are your hobbies? What do you love to do that you can turn into a source of income? One former teacher I know starting a tutoring business. A retired health care worker with a passion for psychology is getting his counseling degree and is thinking about starting a business that advises people about alternative medicine.

If starting a business is your thing, check out a resource such as SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) for free advice on starting and running your own company. They're at www.score.org or 800/634-0245.

- The national, nonprofit group Experience Works, Inc. offers training, employment and community service opportunities for mature workers. They have a staffing service that places older workers in temporary or temporary-to-permanent positions and training that includes technology, home health care, security, customer service, agriculture and small-business development. Contact them at 800/901-7965 or www.experienceworks.org.

- If you are an artist or craftsperson, check out Geezer.com, an e-commerce Web site that provides senior artisans a nationwide market for unique, handcrafted goods.

- As a mature person, what products do you use? You might target the companies who make those products, and use your status as a customer who understands the product as a benefit in hiring you. What services do you use that could use older workers who tend to be more patient?

When looking for a job, keep in mind that at this point in life, you probably don't need the prestige nor want the level of responsibility you once had. So be open to taking a position you will find interesting, but not necessarily as high paying and prestigious. I know older workers who have become customer service representatives, security guards and sales representatives. They enjoy the flexibility of the job and putting in fewer hours.

Some companies are wising up to the benefits of older workers, instituting hiring policies that target workers 55 and up. A lot of states have programs that train and match jobs with older workers. In Missouri, the annual Outstanding Older Worker contest is held to recognize contributions of older adults and encourage employers to hire them.

Check out AARP (www.aarp.org/bestcompanies) for a list of employers with older-worker-friendly policies.

Age discrimination does exist. But over the next 10 years, the U.S. workforce will have 10 million fewer workers than jobs available, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The good news is that companies need you as much as you need them.

© by Andrea Kay