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30 Jobs People Actually Do That You Might Not Have Thought Of, As Shared By Folks In This Online Group
The rise of automation (don’t stress it, I’m not talking about Skynet!… not yet, at least) has allowed humans to get away from the more manual, menial tasks and specialize in ways that make work rather interesting.
So, it should come as no surprise that if there is something that is very specific that needs to be done and someone is paying good money for it, it will certainly become an actual job.
Well, turns out, there are still loads of jobs that are so niche, odd or just plain bizarre that nobody would probably ever think of them actually being a thing. And Redditors have been sharing such jobs that many of them were actually doing at some points in their lives.
Scroll down to read some of the most interesting jobs and experiences people have shared on Reddit here, here, and here, and while you’re out there, leave a comment, or smack that upvote button cause we appreciate it.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I'm a prop shopper for a popular tv show. Basically I show up to work, the designer will tell me that the show needs a specific prop for the taping and it's my job to go buy or rent it. It's a fun job because they ask you to get ridiculous stuff sometimes and it's a challenge to find it.
#2
Once got paid for a month of 40-hour work weeks for sitting at a gate and watching to make sure no cows got out. I was a "Bovine Identification and Exit Prevention Specialist." Never saw a f@#$%g cow. Read some good books, though.
#3
In Japan my wife got a job as "Designated Foreigner at Weddings". Apparently they like the idea of foreigners at their weddings as it makes the photos more interesting. She used to earn up to 20,000 yen a day. Also met a Canadian guy there who had a job as "Designated Foreigner at Bar". He used to get pissed and make conversation with salary-men.
#4
A few years ago my job was to timestamp Netflix videos for the "Skip Intro" button.
It was the single best job ever until they stopped allowing remote work for what I was doing. I would wake up, login to a special page and have a list of videos/series, etc. to timestamp.
#5
I used to build hiking trails. A lot of people assume they just are naturally formed or something, but that's the goal of a good trail builder.
#6
You know those fire evacuation maps that are entirely useless because no one's gonna stop and look at a map on their way out of a burning building?
Yeah, I design those.
#7
I used to make fake children's art for a TV show set in a kindergarten classroom. Every episode had new, themed art. Real kids aren't good enough artists. Sorry kids.
#8
I work as a falconer, using birds of prey to keep other birds away from train tracks, airports, farms, you name it. it's like being a bird bounty hunter.
#9
Stimperonovitch answered:
A person who travels around checking that gas stations actually pump one gallon of gas when the pump shows that one gallon has been pumped.
plcwork responded:
Ah, the department of weights and measures. Unsung heroes of the consumer.
#10
aziraphale60 said:
I attempt to read addresses on mail that machines can't.
way_fairer responded:
So basically you take those CAPTCHA tests all day long and get paid for it?
#11
When certain, highly expensive pieces of jewelry are sold to buyers in different countries (say a $300,000 watch, for example), often times the company selling the watch will send someone to wear it on the plane over to said buyer country, since to import it would cost them a lot in taxes, but to pay for someone to wear it as their own watch costs significantly less.
#13
My mom is a horse braider, not a breeder but a braider. She braids horses manes and tails for horse shows, it’s quite lucrative as people who own horses know, everything to do with horses is expensive.
Otter 3 years ago
I know a couple of horse people, and they do their own braiding. Where does your mom live where people outsource this?
Oopsydaisy 3 years ago
I am hopeless at braiding, and when I used to do a lot of shows my best friend did all the braiding for me. Seriously, if I could have afforded this service, and my friend wasn't available, I would have used it.
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Jaguarundi 3 years ago
When I worked for professional horse trainers there was always a girl or two following the circuit to do braiding for hire. There was never enough time for me (the groom) to get the horses ready for classes, unsaddled, re-saddled and ready to go in time. The girls only did manes and tails for the intricate braids for the English riding classes. They did fantastic work and took a ton of work off of me! I just had to unbraid, spray, comb out and get the horses ready for the next round of Western classes. They made very good money for the season.
Stoopham McFernybabes 3 years ago (edited)
Well, I just went down a 30 minute horse braiding rabbit hole thanks to reading that….
Anna Tribe 2 years ago
Anyone else think the horse looks sad? Maybe it wanted a different style of braid but noooo nobody asks the horses opinion
Susan Wilson 3 years ago
Everything you do with horses is expensive because people know that people who have horses have money.
Gabby M 3 years ago
K I have to disagree there. My daughters passion was horses when she was young. I am NOT rich, I agreed to lessons and explain that we aren't rich so the money we invest in her passion (proper clothes, boots so on.) had to be from Clearance, Second hand etc. When it was time for a saddle that too was 2nd hand. I DO happen to live in a very rich town with many horse related events, polo, shows, racing. But that doesn't make everyone interested in this sport rich. I need to add my daughter now grown eventually got a job as a Vet Assistant for our track & FL.& NY & Kentucky. Fulfilling her passion.
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#14
I sell private murder mystery events.
I learn about your event (birthday party, corporate event, holiday party, etc. ) and then I send out trained actors to perform an interactive murder mystery.
It's literally such a killer job.
#15
I work as a stand-in bridesmaid. Basically: If a bridesmaid decides not to arrive at a wedding you can hire a stand-in bridesmaid. Stand-in bridesmaids do everything a normal bridesmaid does except you pay them and they usually do it better since it’s their job. It’s a lot of fun going to a wedding as a stand-in bridesmaid, even if I don’t know anyone there. A wedding I attended had an open bar and the real bridesmaid bailed LAST SECOND because she apparently just realized she was worried things would get too crazy with the open bar. Her loss. The people there were really great, and the bride just told everyone that I was the one who encouraged her to start dating her (now) husband. Me and the bride ended up actually becoming great friends and we are still in contact to this day. They (the bride and groom from the wedding) are now happily married and have a beautiful daughter.
#16
I walk up and down city streets inspecting trees planted and/or maintained by municipalities for damage, risk factors, condition, diseases, pests, and structural issues. I get to talk to a lot of homeowners, homeless people, a few cops, a few hookers, and generally every other order of mankind considering I walk about 4-6 miles each day from tree to tree spanning any neighborhood in whatever city I get assigned to for my company (usually 1-3 month travel assignments with one long weekend a month to fly/drive home that gets paid for). I can identify about 300 species of trees and woody shrubs, most of which are native to eastern North America.
#17
Service to drive people with a fear of bridges over the bridge in their own vehicles...
#18
Not any more, but when I was a kid, I had a job where I'd wander around llama pastures and scatter their s@#t out. They have a habit of pooping in communal piles, which, if you don't scatter them, get quite large and end up nitrogen burning the grass. Then the grass around them grows really well, but they won't eat it, because it smells strongly of their poop. So, instead, you go out with a snow shovel and scatter the poop and all the grass in the pasture grows really well and none of it smells too much like poop for the llamas to eat it.
TL;DR: I'm not too fond of llamas.
#19
I caption telephone calls In real time for the deaf and hard of hearing as my part time job.
To those who are worried my job is in jeopardy because of automation etc. this is my part time job not my career. I do this because as I learned more about the deaf community, I wanted to do everything I could to help them. They are a truly amazing community who do not get enough support from the government or the hearing community. I want you all to think of the last phone call you made. Now imagine you can’t hear the other person. How much more difficult would your life be? Thanks for all the comments!
#20
I compose music and design sound effects for slots. I live in Vegas, but still, few people outside of the slot industry know my job exists. Makes for a bit of interesting conversation.
#21
Essentially I watch TV all day.
It's actually digital archiving of old video tape, but it's for major networks who have massive tape libraries of stuff like BETA, VHS, umatic, 1" and 2" tape and anything else in between. All the old magnetic tape is starting to expire so they ship pallets of tapes to the company I work for and we record them in real time then send back the files.
It takes years to completely digitize a tape library. Some of our older big clients have been sending us pallets every month consistently for the past 5 years, and there's still roughly another 5 years left.
Its pretty interesting, and I never knew about it before getting into the field, so if anyone has any questions I'll be happy to answer.
#22
I program simple video games for monkeys, complete with a joystick and pellet dispenser.
#23
If you’re white and happen to be in China, you can do "white monkey gigs".
That’s the term used to describe jobs in which white people are hired by Chinese companies to do random jobs to enhance its image.
Foreigners = international = connection = money.
These jobs include:
- Pretending to play instruments in a fake band at gigs.
- Being a fake emissary of Barack Obama.
- Pretending to live at a luxury apartment complex.
- Posing as the company director at a ribbon cutting ceremony.
- Nodding and smiling at business meetings.
#24
I program the moving/vibrating seats in 4d movie theaters. My official job title is "motion designer."
#25
I’m a commercial diver, I do underwater construction/ salvage /inspection. People don’t think about it, but pretty much any job that requires something be done underwater we get a call. It’s loads of fun and the pay is great!!
#26
Planetary Protection Officer.
Sounds like a kinda awesome job title, even if it's only about making sure that we don't contaminate other planets with Earth microbes when landing or crashing spacecraft on them.
#27
I was talking to a dad in my scout troop a few years back who said that one summer while he was in college he got hired by the government to drive along freeways and verify that mile markers were accurate. They paid for his gas and lodging, so he basically just road tripped with with two of his friends for the whole summer and earned a profit.
#29
Trucking companies employ people whose job it is to recover abandoned trucks and cargo. Apparently truckers will just be like "f@#k it" and leave their trucks and trailers on the side of a road. These companies pay pretty well and you are on call 24/7. But they fly you all over the country to retrieve their stuff and pay well. Sounds kinda neat really.
#30
I get paid to be a living mannequin. No, not a model that poses in pictures, gets her make up done, and gets put in magazines. I'm a completely different type of model. I work behind the scenes, in the warehouse- designers for huge chain stores will use my frame to show of their looks to the CEO of the company who approves or rejects the looks. Clothing on a mannequin looks totally different on a real person.
What do you think ?
martin734 3 years ago
As well as working in healthcare, I also do Braille transcription. I convert text documents into Braille documents. It can be anything from a bus timetable or restaurant menu, to a novel or educational textbook. One of the most fun things is creating the tactile pictures in the Braille document, I basically make a 3d model of the picture you see in the text book.
Carrie de Luka 3 years ago
Are braille printers any quieter these days? Used to work in a room that had one and, wow, LOUD!
Load More Replies...
Magoomba 3 years ago
In 1971, before the internet, I had a job as a document courier. Every Friday afternoon I would take a briefcase of documents from Mpls to NYC & take another one back with me Monday morning. I could have done both trips on the same day but my company let me do it that way because I wanted to spend weekends in NY with friends. Pretty sweet deal while it lasted.
Brandy Grote 3 years ago (edited)
One year as a temp I proofread the entire Denver phonebook, back when those were needed. I was a waffle cone cook, a dog washer, and a file clerk for a patent attorney. Spent my days reading the books from USPTO, and once was asked to compile a checklist of all known Beanie Babies. I was an art model, sitting nekkid under a heat lamp holding poses. That was physically demanding. I was a cashier at a gun store. I worked in property management when the 94 earthquake hit, that was a learning experience. I was a helicopter avionics mech in the Marine Corps. Now I'm a certified antiques appraiser and music librarian for a famous community chorale.
Bobby 2 years ago
Always have a backup plan, aye. Stenographer, typist, mechanic, roughing in electrician, stagehand, USN ASW avionics instructor, 2M instructor, children's advocate and social worker. Also: Thank you for your service, Marine. Be safe.
Load More Replies...
Treessimontrees 3 years ago
I tested power tools until they broke (in a controlled environment - i.e. a boat load of safety gear...) Anything with a motor that made a "neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyaaaaawwwwwwwwwww" type noise for sale between 2002-04 was tested by me.
Bobby 2 years ago
Ha! That's the best job description to ever fit on a resume.
Load More Replies... 
Patti Vance 3 years ago
i recorded the counted and sized melons. also, it was the graveyard shift as this grower shipped all over the world so i also had to get the faxes for order.
Sergio Bicerra 3 years ago
My friend told me his first job was to sit in a computer, take a pile of 3.5 diskettes, and write their contents on a list and label them. All day long. It was for the archives of a big bank in my country.
Ellen Ranks 3 years ago
I once got a government job counting passing cars. After every hour of counting we had 2 hours (fully paid) rest because it was supposed to be very mentally tiring work. Best job I ever had.
Ellen Ranks 3 years ago
Oh and I also spent 3 months putting stickers on medication for cow mastitis (udder infection).
Load More Replies...
april jenkins 3 years ago
i used to test ptototype games for microsoft back in 2001 in japan. was flown there, given an apartment with 4 huge screen TVs and consoles for different games other than microsofts. amateur programmers would submit me their games for me to test and if it is good or fun i would mark them as potentials for microsoft to produce. others are chucked in the bin. i also have to play competitors games for research purposes to feedback. basically, get up when i get up, log my time and game i am playing, log report, on to another game. take break whenever and log back in rince repeat until i do about +-8hrs, five days a week. as long as i clocked 40+ hours a week then i am good. i get overtime pay in cash or time in lieu. if i need a new motherboard, joystick, headset or a particular thing to help with my gaming, i order and they pay for it. had to give up the job after i got married lol
Bobby 2 years ago
Wow. Do you still game or did you burn out on the activity?
Load More Replies...
Nicholas Kramer 3 years ago
NASA created a string of beads that can be placed in a filter which turns urine into drinkable water. You'd never guess that they paid a group of teenage boys $12/hr for 8 hours each Saturday to sit in a room to watch TV and play video games. But when anyone had to "go", we went into the lab, went in a beaker, tested the ph level, then ran it through the filter and tested the ph afterwards. Once done, it was disposed of in a 55gl drum which you had to open and dump into. My God I can still smell that.
Bobby 2 years ago
Now that's a job description I've never seen. Must have been quite the experience, with or without that 55 gallon drum.
Load More Replies... Robert Thompson 3 years ago
My dad does barcode proof reading. He has a huge data base of all the barcodes his clients use (new ones every day) and he checks to make sure the description matches the item. As a rule, any time we buy something, it has to travel though his home office to "get scanned". All grocery trips, birthday presents, impulse buys, nothing is exempt.
Jane Alexander 3 years ago
My friend was an egg-breaker. Yep, broke eggs at a big restaurant, that's all he did.
Kayla J 3 years ago
Eons ago, I temped for a guy who made labels for folders for other people in the office. They'd send him an e-mail or give him paperwork saying what they needed on the folder/folders and he'd make the labels. For a week, I answered the phone, listened to the radio, and put labels on folders.
Chich 3 years ago
I once timber cruised (assessed the amount and quality of timber in an area for harvest) as well as did seedling surveys on reforested land. All this mainly so that city people who don't like logging would have paper to wipe their bums.
Robert Thompson 3 years ago
I remember learning about this in college. It was a forestry class.
Load More Replies... Sergio Bicerra 3 years ago
I have another form a friend: she watches movies for a streaming service and looks for glitches or drops, then uploads them to the server. Latelly they,ve asked her to do some other stuff, but minnimal scince she works at home. It's great 90% of the time, but has to watch some really boring movies and obviously can't fell asleep during them.
Higgleton 3 years ago
I tested the DVDs sent to movie award judges to check they worked eg no scratches on the discs. Had 16 DVD players set up in front of me, boxes of discs, and spent the evening loading them up, fast forwarding, and throwing out any duds. Took two weeks, easy money, but monotonous!
Dani_has_arrived <3 3 years ago
I'm just going to say that historians years and years and years into the future would love this post
Sergio Bicerra 3 years ago
I was hoping someone telling "I design 2d animations for super villians to explain their world-conquering plans. Also help hack tv signals to warn the givernment about the consequences of not seizing power over to them"
Jo Choto 3 years ago
I love reading these. You read so much about people hating their jobs and having to spend their whole lives being unhappy at work. I love my job. It's continually interesting and educational. I work from home and can work anywhere in the world with an internet connection. I've been doing it for 17 years now and it's the best job I've ever had (I've had a lot). Find jobs that you love!
martin734 3 years ago
As well as working in healthcare, I also do Braille transcription. I convert text documents into Braille documents. It can be anything from a bus timetable or restaurant menu, to a novel or educational textbook. One of the most fun things is creating the tactile pictures in the Braille document, I basically make a 3d model of the picture you see in the text book.
Carrie de Luka 3 years ago
Are braille printers any quieter these days? Used to work in a room that had one and, wow, LOUD!
Load More Replies... Magoomba 3 years ago
In 1971, before the internet, I had a job as a document courier. Every Friday afternoon I would take a briefcase of documents from Mpls to NYC & take another one back with me Monday morning. I could have done both trips on the same day but my company let me do it that way because I wanted to spend weekends in NY with friends. Pretty sweet deal while it lasted.
Brandy Grote 3 years ago (edited)
One year as a temp I proofread the entire Denver phonebook, back when those were needed. I was a waffle cone cook, a dog washer, and a file clerk for a patent attorney. Spent my days reading the books from USPTO, and once was asked to compile a checklist of all known Beanie Babies. I was an art model, sitting nekkid under a heat lamp holding poses. That was physically demanding. I was a cashier at a gun store. I worked in property management when the 94 earthquake hit, that was a learning experience. I was a helicopter avionics mech in the Marine Corps. Now I'm a certified antiques appraiser and music librarian for a famous community chorale.
Bobby 2 years ago
Always have a backup plan, aye. Stenographer, typist, mechanic, roughing in electrician, stagehand, USN ASW avionics instructor, 2M instructor, children's advocate and social worker. Also: Thank you for your service, Marine. Be safe.
Load More Replies... Treessimontrees 3 years ago
I tested power tools until they broke (in a controlled environment - i.e. a boat load of safety gear...) Anything with a motor that made a "neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyaaaaawwwwwwwwwww" type noise for sale between 2002-04 was tested by me.
Bobby 2 years ago
Ha! That's the best job description to ever fit on a resume.
Load More Replies... Patti Vance 3 years ago
i recorded the counted and sized melons. also, it was the graveyard shift as this grower shipped all over the world so i also had to get the faxes for order.
Sergio Bicerra 3 years ago
My friend told me his first job was to sit in a computer, take a pile of 3.5 diskettes, and write their contents on a list and label them. All day long. It was for the archives of a big bank in my country.
Ellen Ranks 3 years ago
I once got a government job counting passing cars. After every hour of counting we had 2 hours (fully paid) rest because it was supposed to be very mentally tiring work. Best job I ever had.
Ellen Ranks 3 years ago
Oh and I also spent 3 months putting stickers on medication for cow mastitis (udder infection).
Load More Replies... april jenkins 3 years ago
i used to test ptototype games for microsoft back in 2001 in japan. was flown there, given an apartment with 4 huge screen TVs and consoles for different games other than microsofts. amateur programmers would submit me their games for me to test and if it is good or fun i would mark them as potentials for microsoft to produce. others are chucked in the bin. i also have to play competitors games for research purposes to feedback. basically, get up when i get up, log my time and game i am playing, log report, on to another game. take break whenever and log back in rince repeat until i do about +-8hrs, five days a week. as long as i clocked 40+ hours a week then i am good. i get overtime pay in cash or time in lieu. if i need a new motherboard, joystick, headset or a particular thing to help with my gaming, i order and they pay for it. had to give up the job after i got married lol
Bobby 2 years ago
Wow. Do you still game or did you burn out on the activity?
Load More Replies... Nicholas Kramer 3 years ago
NASA created a string of beads that can be placed in a filter which turns urine into drinkable water. You'd never guess that they paid a group of teenage boys $12/hr for 8 hours each Saturday to sit in a room to watch TV and play video games. But when anyone had to "go", we went into the lab, went in a beaker, tested the ph level, then ran it through the filter and tested the ph afterwards. Once done, it was disposed of in a 55gl drum which you had to open and dump into. My God I can still smell that.
Bobby 2 years ago
Now that's a job description I've never seen. Must have been quite the experience, with or without that 55 gallon drum.
Load More Replies... Robert Thompson 3 years ago
My dad does barcode proof reading. He has a huge data base of all the barcodes his clients use (new ones every day) and he checks to make sure the description matches the item. As a rule, any time we buy something, it has to travel though his home office to "get scanned". All grocery trips, birthday presents, impulse buys, nothing is exempt.
Jane Alexander 3 years ago
My friend was an egg-breaker. Yep, broke eggs at a big restaurant, that's all he did.
Kayla J 3 years ago
Eons ago, I temped for a guy who made labels for folders for other people in the office. They'd send him an e-mail or give him paperwork saying what they needed on the folder/folders and he'd make the labels. For a week, I answered the phone, listened to the radio, and put labels on folders.
Chich 3 years ago
I once timber cruised (assessed the amount and quality of timber in an area for harvest) as well as did seedling surveys on reforested land. All this mainly so that city people who don't like logging would have paper to wipe their bums.
Robert Thompson 3 years ago
I remember learning about this in college. It was a forestry class.
Load More Replies... Sergio Bicerra 3 years ago
I have another form a friend: she watches movies for a streaming service and looks for glitches or drops, then uploads them to the server. Latelly they,ve asked her to do some other stuff, but minnimal scince she works at home. It's great 90% of the time, but has to watch some really boring movies and obviously can't fell asleep during them.
Higgleton 3 years ago
I tested the DVDs sent to movie award judges to check they worked eg no scratches on the discs. Had 16 DVD players set up in front of me, boxes of discs, and spent the evening loading them up, fast forwarding, and throwing out any duds. Took two weeks, easy money, but monotonous!
Dani_has_arrived <3 3 years ago
I'm just going to say that historians years and years and years into the future would love this post
Sergio Bicerra 3 years ago
I was hoping someone telling "I design 2d animations for super villians to explain their world-conquering plans. Also help hack tv signals to warn the givernment about the consequences of not seizing power over to them"
Jo Choto 3 years ago
I love reading these. You read so much about people hating their jobs and having to spend their whole lives being unhappy at work. I love my job. It's continually interesting and educational. I work from home and can work anywhere in the world with an internet connection. I've been doing it for 17 years now and it's the best job I've ever had (I've had a lot). Find jobs that you love!
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