Steve Bentley's last stint in the lifeguard chair was more than two decades ago. But on Sunday, the out-of-work purchasing agent pounded sand alongside the usual gaggle of bronzed teenagers, taking the chilly seawater plunge for the annual Huntington Beach city lifeguard tryout.
In this down economy, 43-year-old Bentley could use the $16-an-hour job. And he's not alone.
As the recession drags on and white-collar jobs vanish, adult professionals and retirees with depleted savings are applying for jobs typically reserved for the adolescent set -- parking cars, serving food or keeping an eye on swimmers from a lifeguard tower.
But if the run on teen-friendly jobs by people in mid-life is a reflection of the nation's grim financial state, it's also an opportunity for some to recapture a bit of youth.
"Working as a lifeguard, the idea is to have a job that doesn't feel like one," said Bentley, a record-setting internationally competitive swimmer from USC.
His advantage in the 56-degree water? "Because I'm not 155 pounds anymore and skinny . . . the extra weight will help."
Out of work since August, he interviewed for more than a dozen positions; many recruiters labeled him too experienced. Living on unemployment with a bit of family help, Bentley, who is not married and has no kids, took in two roommates at his Huntington Beach house to make the rent.
"Basically, I'm just shooting to finish," Bentley said. "If I finish, great. If I make the cut, that's a bonus for me."
So there he was Sunday, thundering into a relatively calm sea against muscle-bound teens who weren't yet born when Bentley first worked as a city lifeguard.
Huntington Beach's grueling physical test -- a roughly 1,000-yard swim around the pier and a 500-yard ocean sprint, followed by a nearly mile-long run-swim-run -- is one of the earlier lifeguard tryouts across the region. "Traditionally, we used to get a lot of the high school kids and college kids," said Claude Panis, a marine safety officer for the city, where lifeguards star in their own reality show. "We may be getting some people that are older, out of work."
"Employment opportunities are not what they were," said Huntington Beach Marine Safety Lt. Mike Baumgartner. As a result, the city will pay lifeguards during training, now scheduled on weekends for convenience.
