You’ve been working 30 or 40 years, and now in retirement you want to find meaningful work that loves you back.

If you’ve worked all these years at a job you hated or felt apathy for, retirement is the time to do something that sets your heart aflutter. And let’s face it, with dwindling or non-existent company pensions these days, it doesn’t hurt to earn a few extra bucks while turning your passion into a rewarding part-time gig.

“Retirement gives you the freedom to do what you love,” says Jodi Kasten, managing director at Indeed Canada, the country’s largest online job search site. “But it can also be the right time to go after a job you love – one that gives high levels of both happiness and satisfaction – and it likely won’t even feel like a job at all.”

“Encore jobs” are resonating with retirees for a number of reasons. Some work because they need to but many because they want to. According to the Toronto Star, 3.6 million Canadian workers are over 55. That represents 20 per cent of the nation’s workforce. And as life expectancies increase there’s more time to pursue a job you’ve always dreamed of.

“Your passions are a great place to start when considering a new job after retirement,” says Kasten. “Jobs like dog walker, cake decorator or research assistant are popular hobbies or passions that can be quite lucrative and fun.”

Click through to see which job might be perfect for you in your golden years.

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