Working Retirees on Maui? (Hilo: real estate, insurance, mortgage) - Hawaii (HI) - City-Data Forum

MaybeMaui · 10-21-2007, 02:16 AM

I'm retiring next year after a career as an east-coast law enforcement officer. I've been contemplating and researching moving to Maui for my retirement. The mortgage on my house will be paid off in 2009 and I'll be receiving a government pension around $60,000 in addition to various other investment income. So financially, I'm not too worried about things. I'm single with no dependants.

My question basically involves how transplanted retirees in their early 50s are looked upon in the job market. I've been a scuba instructor for years and wouldn't think that I would have a problem landing a job with one of the many dive operators as long as there really isn't any overt discrimination by age. During my many trips to Maui, however, it always seemed as though the vast majority of the employees in most of these service oriented jobs are quite young. I can't help to wonder if this is because of the amount of young people who move to Maui temporarily vastly outnumbers the amount of retirees out there.

Do any of you think it will be difficult to land such a part-time job as a retiree from the mainland? I also do some traffic crash reconstruction consulting on the side and due to several factors I don't think I'll have any problem landing that type of work on Maui.

Also, how's the social climate for the 50+ crowd on Maui? Is there a decent amount of people in that age group on the island, or do most of them leave for the mainland before they reach retirement age?

Jungjohann · 10-21-2007, 04:27 AM

Isn't working retiree a bit of a contradiction? Anyways, I doubt if you'll have any problem finding work, even with perhaps the MPD, many of their new guys end up working on the mainland, lower cost of living, better pay. And isn't 50 the new thirty? That makes me, oh.. 35 and change........

Aloha and best of luck

whynot? · 03-20-2009, 08:40 PM

I/we kind of fit your description. Except for the looking-for-PT-work part. (We're the kind who are REALLY retired.) But we came over in our mid-late 40s and are now -- by Jungjohann's calculation -- in our mid-late 30s.

Seems to me that people really don't discriminate so much against middle-aged people here -- especially for diving and other sports that are more fitness-oriented, or experience-oriented. Most of the dive instructors I see at our local park are middle-aged. (Don't know so much about the dive boat business.) I think the snorkel/whalewatch boat business is mostly a younger thing, but I have good friends on several boats who are from their late 30s to late 50s.

Overall, the age thing is a real mash-up, too. Almost 20s/50s/70s tiers, with younger kids doing the service thing, a few early retirees, and lots of people who retired here a long time ago. It's always hard to meet people in a new place if you're not working, but we mustered a reasonable group of acquaintances in our first couple of years and now (8 years later) have a solid base of lifetime friends here. Like any smallish place, you gravitate to people with your interests and expand from there. Lots of interesting people on Maui, trust me.

mdand3boys · 03-22-2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaybeMaui

I'm retiring next year after a career as an east-coast law enforcement officer. I've been contemplating and researching moving to Maui for my retirement. The mortgage on my house will be paid off in 2009 and I'll be receiving a government pension around $60,000 in addition to various other investment income. So financially, I'm not too worried about things. I'm single with no dependants.

My question basically involves how transplanted retirees in their early 50s are looked upon in the job market. I've been a scuba instructor for years and wouldn't think that I would have a problem landing a job with one of the many dive operators as long as there really isn't any overt discrimination by age. During my many trips to Maui, however, it always seemed as though the vast majority of the employees in most of these service oriented jobs are quite young. I can't help to wonder if this is because of the amount of young people who move to Maui temporarily vastly outnumbers the amount of retirees out there.

Do any of you think it will be difficult to land such a part-time job as a retiree from the mainland? I also do some traffic crash reconstruction consulting on the side and due to several factors I don't think I'll have any problem landing that type of work on Maui.

Also, how's the social climate for the 50+ crowd on Maui? Is there a decent amount of people in that age group on the island, or do most of them leave for the mainland before they reach retirement age?

You may want to contact some of the local PD's directly - I did recently see that the Hilo District was hiring several additional patrol officers although that is not Maui. There may be some consulting opportunities available. You never know unless you inquire.

alohakat · 03-22-2009, 01:08 PM

Congrats to you! Don't you have a limit on the number of hours you can work to still collect your pension? I know it's that way with some I know retired from law enforcement here in California -- I'd think that MPD would love to have your experience a couple of days a week, or an insurance company for investigations, or perhaps even...is there an Academy in Hawaii somewhere? And I'd also think the biz owners there would love your dependability -- they'd know you'd show up for work! And that they don't have to worry about you doing anything that crosses the line legally....I'd think you'd be highly desired! And just get active with the community to meet folks! Good for you --

I'd love to hear what you decide and how it makes out!

tropicalMauiGirl · 05-21-2012, 05:32 PM

Hi, I am TroicalMauiGirl,
You know 50 years old is only in your head. yes I suppose they look at age but they really can't. Being that you have the background you have I really think you would be an asset to any service program they had. Remember all of Maui's scuba,Fishing etc... are Tourist oriented and they need people they can trust. I would send off letters to all the scuba companies and just ask, see what they say before you decide. Hey, I am in the same boat as you, I will be going to Maui to retire soon as well, I LOVE Maui, I had 4 houses there and of all the places I went I loved Maui the most. It is where I want to live the rest of my life. If you ever need a hand over there, I am into all water sports and very athletic. I love the weather, sunsets and just the Locals are really nice and laid back. I have never met a mean person there. I wanted to sell time shares over there being that my industry has been in finance. I have been thinking about doing this too very soon. Maybe we can touch base and chat about it with the Pro's and Con's. My Name is KellySue

whtviper1 · 05-21-2012, 05:41 PM

TropicalMauiGirl - I suspect since the original poster hasn't been here in almost 5 years on this forum - and posted exactly 1 time - it isn't likely we'll hear from him.

spankinztine · 06-06-2012, 02:07 PM

Good for you brother, I'm retiring California Corrections in Oct, 2012 and have been planning the same move. My wife just got her R.N. and as far as part time work for me is concerned, I'm not the least bit worried. I'm not a dive instructor, but am rescue certified, and plan on doing anything that looks like fun. Seriously, after 20 years locked up with a bunch of california's finest, the last thing I want to wear to work is a badge. Thinking more along the lines of my Sanuks, and a T-shirt as required clothing.

I have to agree that just having a background of showing up everyday for an entire career and getting out with your health and more importantly, your humanity in tact is something many future employers would LOVE to see walk through their door. I was just telling my wife yesterday while looking through the jobs on Craigslist in Maui how I couldn't wait to go interview...lol. I mean how can you not hire someone who just can't wait to do the job? Who wakes up grinning everyday like he just hit the lotto? And doesn't need to make a grip of money to get by cause he's already getting a pension? I'm thinking if he's not a fat slob, and better yet if he or she is youthfully fit, that they go straight to the top of my hiring list. Anyway, just my two cents, I'm months away, not a care in the world about finding work or meeting friends, I/we can't wait! See you in October!

OpenD · 06-06-2012, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spankinztine

I mean how can you not hire someone who just can't wait to do the job? Who wakes up grinning everyday like he just hit the lotto? And doesn't need to make a grip of money to get by cause he's already getting a pension?

I know that sounds logical to you, but honestly, Hawai'i is different.

Not everywhere, but to a degree I have never seen elsewhere, employment in Hawai'i is determined less on attitude than on ohana... the concept of extended family that permeates Hawaiian culture. Ohana, by name, is even featured as a provision of Hawaian real estate law.

What it means, from a practical viewpoint, is that in many cases jobs are filled on the basis of relationship over experience or training or any of the other usual criteria. Who your Auntie is turns out to carry more weight, in general, than what your resume looks like.

Then you have to recognize that until you've lived in the islands for a couple of years you'll be considered kind of a temporary worker, since so many people give up and go back to the mainland within that timeframe, so why hire you when Tita Filona has a grandson who needs a regular gig now that his girlfriend is pregganun?

Not meaning to discourage you with this, just hoping to align you a little better with reality. At least with a decent pension you can hang out with unemployment longer than most.

PaliPatty · 06-06-2012, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spankinztine

My wife just got her R.N.

Which places her squarely on the bottom of the hiring preferences regarding nurses in the state of Hawaii. New grad RN + malihini = no hire.
Again, a nursing license is no longer the golden ticket to employment anywhere in the US but especially in Hawaii. All islands, all hospitals.
As Open D spoke about, any new grad position is going to go straight to the daughter, son, niece, nephew, grandchild or in-any-other-way-connected-to-someone-who-has-influence new grad nurse.
I personally know many LOCAL new grad RN's who graduated six months or more ago who consider themselves very lucky to have snagged jobs as nurses' aides or ward clerks with the hopes that it will lead them into RN positions. Some finally give up and take any new grad position on the mainland that will give them some RN experience that they can bring back with them and will give them a better chance at getting a position here....eventually.
This has been going on for at least a few years now and I do see some of them coming back home with some good experience to put on their resumes.
So the chances of a new grad from the mainland beating out any of the locals here for an RN position are pretty much non-existant.
But you've got that pension going for you so that's a definite plus!