Forty-six weeks out of the year, Bob Dunn is just an older man with a white beard. But around Thanksgiving, he transforms. At the Sooner Mall in Norman, Okla., they call him Santa Claus.

Dunn greets lines of eager youngsters and their parents. It isn’t always easy. Kids have thrown up on his velvet suit. Some of his customers come wearing reeking diapers. Dunn puts it all in perspective.

“I’m a people person,” he told IBD. “The job is pure joy.”

Another driver: a sweet paycheck. The average Santa actor pulls in $10,000 to $15,000 a season.

Dunn is one of several older workers Kerry Hannon interviewed for her new book, “Great Jobs For Everyone 50+.”

Today’s retirees know they can probably expect to live a lot longer than previous generations of retired folks. They want to build savings, Hannon says.

There’s also a dream factor.

“A lot of people hit a stage in their 50s or 60s,” she said, “and they ask, ‘What’s next? What really resonates with me? How can I leave a legacy? How can I find meaning in my life?'”–CONTINUED…

Read FULL ARTICLE NOW At IBD: http://news.investors.com/management-leaders-in-success/121012-636462-older-workers-build-skills-contacts-for-employment.htm#ixzz2EnXZJejh

By Amy Alexander, For Investor’s Business Daily

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