Do you see working past retirement as a seamless transition from the stressed-out, time-pressed workaday world to something more enjoyable?

Will a post-retirement job keep you lively and engaged and provide some income while letting you spend more time with family and friends and in leisure pursuits?

Or do you look at the whole prospect as a longer sentence in the gulag?

Today more than 300,000 Canadians are working past retirement age - and 17 per cent of them are more than 75 years old, according to Statistics Canada data garnered from the 2001 General Social Survey.

Although the number of seniors increased by 11 per cent between 1996 and 2001, the percentage of them working jumped 20 per cent.

And the trend is upward.

Median retirement age fell to 60.6 in 1997 from 65.1 in 1976, but by 2003 had climbed to 61.8, due partly to the end of mandatory retirement in most provinces and partly to financial havoc wreaked when careers were derailed in the cutbacks and downsizing of the '90s.

Given the chance, most workers polled by Statistics Canada said they would retire early if they could, but about 18 per cent said they don't intend ever to retire.

Whether you work past retirement age by choice or necessity, there's more than financial considerations involved, says Jerry Stilson, a partner in career consulting firm Cenera Inc. in Calgary.

"The sooner you start planning, the better," says Stilson, who has clients in their 40s who have broached the topic with employers.

"Thinking that far ahead gives the manager the message that 'here's someone who's going to make a long-term commitment.' " Begin by exploring why you want to work past retirement age, suggests Stilson, who teaches post-retirement career planning.

"Many people think of retirement as just another transition," he says, one that brings freedom from stress and time pressure. "For these people, the long-term goal is to work significantly less - but to work."

Others may need to work full time to make up for financial reverses in their mid or late careers.

"The worst off are the ones who surprise themselves," he says. "The ones who get to 63 or 64 and are looking forward to retirement, but look at their finances and say: 'I can't retire now and don't foresee how I can.' " About a third of workers who would like to retire early won't be able to afford it, according to Statistics Canada.

Retirement planners advise workers to plan on replacing 70 to 80 per cent of their pre-retirement income from their own assets (employer's pension plan, RRSPs, investment income). Maximum Canada/ Quebec Pension Plans and the Old Age Security payments now total under $16,000 per year.

Only 40 per cent of Canadians have employer pension plans, and RRSPs and investments have taken a kicking in the last decade.

Adding to the financial squeeze is the fact people have to fund a longer retirement. In 1927, when the first old-age pensions were paid to citizens 70 and older, life expectancy was about 60. Now it's 80, and government pensions kick in at 65.

"If retirement is not an option, the sooner you can know that and plan for it, the better," says Stilson.

Next, determine what you're going to sell. Do you want to continue what you're doing now, and for the same company? Do you have transferrable skills? Do you want or need to retrain?

"Start with what you've got to sell right now. Then ask: 'When I'm 55, 60, 65, 70, what will I have to sell then?' "It's really about experience," says Stilson. "And it's experience companies want."

Then think about who you want to work for: Your current employer, a competitor, yourself or a not-for-profit agency.

If you want to stay with your current employer, tell them well ahead of time. It may be possible to ease into retire-ment, to retrain for different responsibilities, to take on a role as mentor or head up special projects.

In the current job market where employers are having trouble attracting and retaining people, your suggestion may be welcome.

If it's not, "then it's all open doors," says Stilson. "I have yet to find anyone who isn't employable. It's a matter of marketing what you've got."

Don't be intimidated by a job search after retirement. And don't undersell what you have - years and years of experience.

But, Stilson notes, it is important to talk to people and see who would hire you. Many employers like to hire retirees - it costs money to recruit and train people, and they get a faster return on that investment when someone has lots of experience.

And don't forget your skills are transferrable from one business or one industry to another. For instance, if your career was built on management consulting in the oilpatch, those skills are just as valuable in the manufacturing or the retail sector.

The not-for-profit sector is also an option, but not necessarily on a volunteer basis as your skills are worth something. "It may not bring in big bucks, but it will keep your hand in," says Stilson.

If you do your job search well in advance of retirement, when it's time to let go of one rope, another is to hand. The transition will be much less stressful.

Once you've found your post-retirement employer, a frank talk about expectations is necessary.

"Say up front you don't want to work 40 hours a week or eight hours per day," he advises. To many companies, even the company you currently work for, that may be welcome news. Many organizations can't afford someone with your level of experience full time, but are happy to bring you in as a consultant on contract, as a part-timer, for special projects or on retainer.

Take a cue from the recommendations of the Aging Workforce Research Project of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, targeted at employers who want to attract and retain older workers.

They identified issues concerning compensation, working conditions, new roles and respect that should be part of every worker's post-retirement career planning.

Compensation includes pay and incentives, improved benefits, more vacation time or additional time off, improved pension plans.

To determine how much you need to be paid, review your pension plans. Decide if you will start collecting your Canada pension at 65, or defer it.

If you defer, benefits will be higher when you do start collecting, but you will be collecting them for a shorter period. Apply for Old Age Security six months before your 65th birthday - these payments cannot be deferred.

Will you dip into your RRSPs, or continue contributing until age 69 (when the plan needs to be converted to a registered retirement income fund or annuity)?

Can you continue to contribute to your company pension plan? Can you top it up?

Will you continue to be covered by your employer's group health and dental plans and insurance coverage? If not, can you pay for continued coverage?

Working conditions you might like to discuss include flexible work schedules, phased-in retirement or call-back options, performance appraisals, opportunities for training, promotions and transfers.

Respect and appreciation of your contributions are important to you, but not even on the radar of a 30-something manager. Talk about how you are going to be recognized for your accomplishments, knowledge and expertise.

"The financial is generally all people think about," says Stilson.

Yet most people who plan to work beyond traditional retirement age are doing so for other reasons: Companionship of co-workers, a continued sense of purpose and job satisfaction.

"You have to ask 'What's going to give me meaning and purpose?' " says Stilson.

"Most of the time people don't die because they haven't got enough money - but they do die because they don't have enough purpose."

(Sharon Adams can be reached at sharon@businessedge.ca)