By: Vanessa Mavie Hofer
Do you ever find yourself thinking about your future job and have absolutely no idea what it will be one day? You are not the only one! In a world full of so many different opportunities, settling down on one single job for the rest of your life is nearly impossible. And almost nobody does that. According to Chris Kolmar’s article “Average Number of Jobs in a Lifetime”, the average person changes jobs 12 times in their life, so don’t be afraid to try out different ones throughout your career. However, you definitely have to start somewhere. If you are completely clueless about where to start, take a look at the following 10 career paths you might have never considered from Electra Michaelidou’s article “The 40 Weirdest Jobs You Wouldn’t Believe Are Real”. And trust me on one thing: you probably didn’t even know some of these jobs existed!
Dog food taster
Since there are approximately 90 million pet dogs only in America, and none of them can speak, the only way to find out whether or not their food is good, is to let humans sample it. If you maybe have a weird taste for food, and/or a very strong stomach and you like to eat, that job might be something to consider! With an earning potential of $45,000 per year you would definitely not be off to a bad start in your career.
- Pet psychologist
We are staying with animals here, so if you have a big heart for dogs, cats or other pet animals, this could be interesting for you. Even though we don’t know nearly everything about the animals that share the planet with us, we do know that house pets, especially the ones that have lived with us human beings for a long time, sometimes show signs of depression or anxiety. They can also experience trauma just like we do. Unusual behaviors or the loss of interest in their favorite activities can be common signs for depression or anxiety. Pet psychologists are meant to make a diagnosis and find ways to help the affected animals. The earning potential stands at $52,000, which makes the job for an animal lover even better!
- Professional cuddler
Some people have a high demand of physical touch, while others try to avoid it at all costs. However, studies have shown that physical touch and intimacy lead to a release of oxytocin, which is a hormone that regulates stress and promotes feelings of wellness, ultimately boosting our wellbeing. Unfortunately, some people that enjoy and crave physical touch, are lonely and don’t experience it in their daily lives. Luckily, you can hire professional cuddlers! If you are someone who enjoys physical touch and you are open to give it to anyone who needs it, this job might be it. With being able to earn $40 – $80 per hour, it can also just be a proficient side hustle for you.
- Professional queuer
Do you think you are super patient and you enjoy standing? This job might not be for everyone but if you are interested in making money by literally just waiting, here is your chance. Professional line standers are starting to be demanded more and more since the routines of professionals are becoming busier. Working professionals and working parents do not have time to wait in lines for the bank or the post office and are hiring people to do that for them. Just by standing in line for someone you are able to earn about $25 per hour.
- Fake wedding guest
Weddings are something so beautiful, but while having one requires a lot of money, solely attending one also does. It involves buying an outfit, getting transportation to the venue, buying a gift for the married couple and so on. Imagine you could attend weddings and be part of the magic while not spending a single dollar. Instead you are earning money. Guess what – you can! A fake wedding guest gets hired to make the crowd seem bigger and livelier. Personally, I would take that job without thinking twice!
Professional sleeper
Who does not enjoy sleeping? Well, I definitely do and if I could get paid for sleeping, I would be rich for sure. So, try your luck if you think like me. Several different companies like mattress manufacturers, or hotels hire professional sleepers to test their products or ensure that hotel rooms provide the conditions for a good night’s sleep. Furthermore, many sleep-related studies will also compensate you for sleeping on demand. How easy it can be to make money – you just have to sleep!
- Iceberg mover
Have you ever felt like you could move mountains? Here is your chance to do so. As an iceberg mover, you relocate icebergs that are in the way of ship’s routes. Professional iceberg movers use tugboats and cranes to move icebergs and make sure passengers and crew members of the ship on the route stay safe. You can earn up to $25 per hour and on top of that you probably get to see places that not many people have been to before!
- Movie watcher
If you ever consider working for Netflix, you should definitely try out their job called “editorial analyst”. Being an “editorial analyst” basically means watching, rating, tagging and annotating shows and movies made by Netflix. The earning potential varies but who wouldn’t want to get paid for watching movies?
- Paranormal guide
If you are fearless and interested in the paranormal, this job is just the one for you. As a paranormal guide you earn money with guiding groups of people around abandoned mansions, castles, hospitals, prisons and more and are seeking out the paranormal activity that is going on there. It may sound like a movie, but it is a real job that has an earning potential of $30 – $40 per hour. It might come with some scary experiences, but if you enjoy adrenaline shocks, it is absolutely worth it.
- Online dating ghostwriter
With the world of online dating growing like it is nowadays, investors and developers discovered the great potential of a new business idea behind it. As an online dating ghostwriter, you help individuals create profiles and present themselves in the most intriguing and positive ways possible. If you view yourself as someone who enjoys presenting people on the internet and on top of that are good with your words, you should give it a try. I am convinced you will have some interesting experiences and possibly might change some lives!
Sources
Michaelidou, E. (2024, December 16). 40 Weirdest Jobs in the World (+ what they pay). 40 Weirdest Jobs in the World (+ What They Pay). https://www.careeraddict.com/strange-jobs
Average Number of Jobs in a Lifetime [2023]: How many jobs does the average person have. Zippia. (2023, June 28). https://www.zippia.com/advice/average-number-jobs-in-lifetime/
