Just a few decades ago, most people entering the workplace could be fairly confident that they would have a job for life. They would work their way up the ladder with a few promotions along the way, but they’d likely be working for that company until retirement (or a major economic collapse causing layoffs).
Times have changed significantly since those days, though. A 2017 article in the Financial Times recommends that people should plan for having five different careers (not jobs), with many people changing later in life. Research by Investec shows that more than 50% of Brits planned to quit their job within the next five years.
Recent graduates are expected to change their jobs four times in their first ten years in the workplace. This is partly because they are looking to find a job that they enjoy, they’re looking for a purpose.
With that in mind, if you are still searching for meaning in the workplace, here are some lesser-known options that you can consider.
Professional Poker Player
While to many, poker is a fun way to relax with friends in a casino or online, to others, it is a full-time career. Professional poker players make their living playing in high stakes tournaments, online, and in live cash games. It’s not as simple as playing cards, though. Professional players must spend a lot of time honing their craft and taking care of things like bankroll management and the psychology of the game.
The most successful will find themselves travelling around the world, playing in major tournaments in cities like Barcelona, Las Vegas, Prague, London, and Sochi. Some also receive sponsorship or endorsement deals from major online poker brands, just like athletes in other sports receive sponsorship deals from sportswear brands.
Professional Pusher
If you think your morning commute on British public transport is terrible, try doing it in Japan. Japanese trains are packed so tightly that railway companies have to employ professional pushers to squeeze a few extra people onto the trains. They work on both the Japanese national rail network, as well as inner-city mass transit systems.
Without these crucial workers, the doors of the trains simply wouldn’t close, meaning people would be late for work. Videos of the professional pushers regularly appear on YouTube, so do a quick search if you’d like to see this crazy job in action.
Professional Queuer
No one in the world can queue as well as the British. It’s something Brits love doing almost as much as moaning about queuing. So why not also get paid for it?
It is a trend that started in Japan, where freelancers will wait in line for whatever it is you want, for a fee, of course. So you can go about your day, working or relaxing at home while you’re hired queuer holds your place in line for the latest phone or tickets for that show you want to see.
These professional queuers made headlines during the height of the popularity of Apple products as people wanted to get their hands on the latest iPhone or iPad but didn’t want to spend three days camped outside the Apple Store in a tent.
Pet Food Taster
While people may not usually eat pet food, manufacturers still need to understand whether their products taste ok. You wouldn’t want your furry friend to be eating disgusting grub, so a pet food taster’s job is to make sure the food is edible. They typically spit the food out, though, as with many food tasting jobs.
It’s not just the taste that’s important. Pet owners don’t want their homes smelling bad, so the pet food taster checks whether it has an acceptable odour. This isn’t a job for just anyone though, as you’ll typically need a background in food science. It’s also helpful if you’re a supertaster (a person with more taste buds on their tongues than an average human).
Professional Zombie
While there are currently no reported incidents of zombies roaming the streets, the US Centre for Disease Control has a section on its website dedicated to zombie apocalypse preparedness.
Although it’s unlikely that the events of Shaun of the Dead will ever really play out on our streets, you will find zombies in places like the London Dungeons and on movie sets. Therefore, there is a demand for professional zombies.
While the zombies in the Shaun of the Dead film were paid just £1 per day each, other roles can pay as much as £30,000 per year.
Ostrich Babysitter
Ostriches don’t typically look like they need looking after. After all, they’re very dangerous, can run very fast, and will peck you very hard.
However, baby ostriches don’t quite have the same level of control as their elders and can be prone to pecking each other or running away. Therefore, an ostrich babysitter is needed to break up any incredibly cute fights and to stop the birds from bolting. Thankfully, they can’t fly, so it shouldn’t be too hard.
Bicycle Fisher
The city of Amsterdam is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world, with more than 881,000 two-wheel vehicles thought to be used by locals and visitors alike.
With such a large number, it’s no surprise that quite a few of these end up in the city’s canals, particularly since it also has a lot of waterways. Therefore, there is a demand for bicycle fishers, who use a special boat to pull out more than 14,000 rusty bikes from the canals every year.
