Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
There are a staggering number of professions in the world. There is also at least one person for even the weirdest job out there. You might not believe that, but the presence of an underwater pizza delivery guy, a professional sleeper, and expert iceberg movers say otherwise.
Despite all the odd occupations that exist, there are some that many people don’t ever want to do, no matter how much money they are offered. You can find all those jobs in this list, so check it out and let us know whether or not you’d ever do them.
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Putting down unwanted animals at the pound.
Tabitha 3 months ago (edited)
I would end up with a house crammed with all the animals I was told to put down, because I would just nod my head to my boss, then sneak the whole kit and caboodle of them out to my car and take them home. I so much prefer no-kill shelters and campaigning for people to f*****g Neuter and Spay!! Don’t b***h about costs. If you’re strapped for the cost of the procedure at the vet, then call your local shelter and ask when they’re having their next Spay and Neuter Clinic. You take your animal to a designated drop off point, the volunteers take them all to a vet who’s doing a kind of pro bono day of spaying and neutering, then meet them later that day at the same place to pick them up. No cost to you, just a little effort. Hell, there are people who trap feral cats and dogs and have them fixed and either put up for adoption or returned to their feral colony guaranteed not to increase its population anymore. With those resources available, I see no reason why everyone can’t have their pets spayed and neutered except laziness, lack of caring for another living creature, or simple ignorance of available resources.
#2
I’d never be a teacher in public schools. They’re treated like s**t by their own administrators.
KC Lancaster 3 months ago
And kids, and parents, and they need to be paid a heckuva lot more in the USA!
#3
Cave diving jobs. Nothing on earth will ever possess me to travel through a claustrophobic cave and risk my life.
WindySwede 3 months ago (edited)
what work is done in caves? /gen. I can see deep divers working in oceans, seas, lakes etc, but inside caves? edit: 🤦♂️ @ me
Some of the occupations mentioned on this list might leave you baffled. But it’s important to understand why people don’t want to take up these professions. There are certain jobs with high employee fatalities, like working in mines, quarries, or oil extraction. Employees can also get badly injured while doing warehouse or construction work.
It might be shocking to learn that even working in agriculture can be a hazardous job because farmers are oftentimes exposed to dust or animal droppings and even at risk of getting hurt by farm machinery. That’s why certain jobs are considered more risky than others, and folks want to avoid them.
#4
Debt collection for elderly peoples medical bills. Special place in hell for someone doing that.
#5
Scam call center.
Min 3 months ago
My first ever job as a teenager was telemarketing, selling magazine subscriptions. One day, after I'd worked there for about a month, I got to work and the whole place was empty. No furniture, nothing. Amazingly, I did get my final paycheck in the mail. Somehow I doubt if those people ever got their magazines. :/
#6
Those people who have to stand in malls trying to get passersby to sign up for stuff for companies and charities, and stay bright and cheery all day as people ignore their greetings at best and verbally abuse them at worst. I could never do that for long, I’d die inside.
An exciting, adventurous, but also dangerous job that many people shy away from is deep-sea cave diving. A lot of folks cannot handle claustrophobia or the risk of swimming to such depths. That’s why there is a stark contrast in how regular people speak about cave diving versus seasoned experts.
Instructors and professionals love its beauty and often speak about the delicate stalactites, elaborate passageways, and tranquility they’ve experienced. There is so much to love and learn from this profession, but it’s understandable that for some people, the risks might outweigh the rewards.
#7
Cold-calling sales.
Steve Hall 3 months ago
Another one that surprises me since people don't answer the phone anymore.
#9
A friend of mine is an Executive Admin for three C-level executives. I used to be envious of her salary (something like 90k after bonuses) but then I started noticing how her life was not her own. Remember the scene in Devil Wears Prada when Miranda calls demanding her canceled flight get changed during a hurricane? Or when she demanded the newest unpublished Harry Potter book, or rattled off instructions like, "find me that little piece of paper I had in my hand the other day." Multiple that by three, and make at least one of them a huge man-baby millionaire who couldn't operate a coffee maker if you took his hand and pressed his finger on the start button for him. Add another who made multi-billion dollar decisions on the daily but couldn't order socks for himself on Amazon. You get the idea.
We were all out on a Saturday around midnight and she got a call from one of them asking if so and so has sent a certain email yet. That's when I realized there wasn't enough money in the world to get me to do it, and even if there was I wouldn't last a week.
Sewer diving is one of the jobs mentioned on this list. The name itself might convey visions of stinky, dark, and dingy places, but there is so much more to the profession. People who work as sewer divers must wear expensive rubber suits that keep them safe from toxic chemicals and wear helmets that weigh almost 36 pounds.
They have to rely on their sense of touch to navigate through strong currents while also battling quite a few dangers. Most folks would be put off by the claustrophobia of it, but there are also other risks, like getting electric shocks or dive-related illnesses. All in all, we should be grateful that there are people out there who actually do the jobs we’re too afraid to do.
#10
Tobacco industry marketing.
kathyberthahazel 3 months ago
When my then-husband was looking for work, I told him I'd support almost anything but tobacco and porn industry.
#11
Any MLM.
Huddo's sister 3 months ago
It amazes me the people who fall for these. My best friend is so smart yet she has sold lingerie and Amway in the past.
Out of the many jobs on this list, being a scam caller is probably one of the worst just because of how unethical it is. A study found that as many as 56 million Americans might have been the victims of scam callers. This job (if you can call it that) involves preying on vulnerable people, and it can cause serious harm to the victims. There is absolutely no need to clarify why someone would want to stay away from such a profession.
#14
Influencer I suspect it destroys your soul if such a thing existed.
Apatheist Account2 3 months ago
If people stopped being influenced, they would disappear and have to get proper jobs.
#15
Door to door sales. I hate sales with a burning passion, and we found the one way to somehow make it even more miserable: jump in s van full of strangers, drive to some random town or neighborhood, then be outside all evening rain or shine, while harassing people while they're trying to have dinner. It's the worst.
Besides fear or distaste, there could be several reasons why people would want to avoid certain professions. According to Resume Help, the most significant reason a person may not want to work in a certain career is if it doesn’t have much value to society.
Their survey also found that one of the most hated professions is politics, which received only a 57% positive sentiment. Other reasons for avoiding particular professions include ethical issues, negative stereotypes, unpleasant work or tasks, and even less prestige.
#16
Slaughterhouse work. I just don't think it's possible to [end life of] animals on an industrial scale every day and it not take a toll on you.
#17
Sewer diving or whatever it’s called. The guys who literally submerge themselves in s**t to fix/upkeep the sewer system. Not talking bad abt em at all, i literally just would NOT be able to handle that.
Donna Peluda 3 months ago
Not sewer but I´ve done industrial water tanks. They need to be cleaned every 2 years
#18
Any job that entails being famous.
For a brief moment in time I was 'internet famous' on another website. I didn't seek it out, it just kind of happened because I liked posting and I was just having fun. But then I started noticing *people talking about me*. They talked about me as though they knew me. They had *opinions* about me, even though I knew absolutely nothing about them.
It freaked me out in a way that I can't properly describe. My 'fame' even followed me onto other platforms where I used the same name(not this one, thank heavens) and *that* freaked me out even more.
I don't know why anyone would want to be famous. It's completely unnerving to me and I am not okay with it.
Only a few of the jobs on this list could technically be considered bad, the rest are good jobs that come with their own set of struggles. If you’re working in one of these careers, then props to you for being able to manage all of the challenges that come with it. We’d love to hear your perspective in the comments.
#19
Prison guard.
Huddo's sister 3 months ago
I've met a few female prison guards. They put up with so much s**t. I also have a friend who was a youth worker in a juvenile detention centre and she loved her job, but one day she was playing football or something and knocked to the ground. Broke her collarbone and got brain and spinal damage which has left her in pain for the last 17 years and she can't work at all.
#20
Not beneath me but above me. Those dudes that free climb and change lights on transmission towers. Pays really well. No, thank you.
Justin Tyme 3 months ago
One of my first jobs was helping build communications towers. I loved the view from them. The tallest one I worked on was 2,000 feet.
#21
At the risk of sounding sanctimonious, pharmaceutical development. I received a summer research fellowship from one of the big pharma companies. They held a little conference for us in the fall to present our research, and also to try to recruit us to the field. I vividly remember a presentation given about one of their current projects. At the end of the talk, someone in the audience said "hey, have you guys considered that this mode of action might cause XYZ damage to the kidneys after prolonged use?" The researcher said "we've considered it, but we only get the answers to the questions that we ask, so we haven't asked that question." He also cited that "this is too far down the pipeline to worry about that now."
That rocked me to my core. Yes, pharmaceuticals do a world of good (the fact that a Covid vaccine was developed and rolled out so quickly is nothing short of miraculous), but I never would be able to work on developing a medication that I knew full well might cause further medical issues for the patients taking it, no matter the salary.
So now I am a lab manager in an academic laboratory. Underpaid? Perhaps, but I love my job and sleep well at night.
#22
Accountant. I suck at math.
Lawyer. I couldn’t represent someone if I knew they were guilty. I’d totally suck at it.
#23
Working on an oil rig.
Lowrider 56 3 months ago
Yes, it's hard work. That's why you don't see older workers. The pay is pretty good tho. Six figures
#24
Working on high tension powerlines.
They don't turn them off unless there's something seriously wrong so you're shimmying along in top of live wires carrying enough juice to power cities. Apparently the current is enough to make your skin tingle even through the protective gear.
#25
Roofing. People who do it are superhuman and I think I'd die.
WalterWhiteSavannah 3 months ago
I've worked with tons of roofers and done roofing. They aren't super heroes they're very frequently hard-core alcoholics or hard d**g users who can't deal with jobs that involve having interactions with the public or which have stricter attendance / hygiene requirements than most jobs. Not all of course, but a majority do it cause it's a tough job that will make allowances for anyone willing to do it and overlook people flaws.
#26
Presidency.
Jess Smith 3 months ago
I'd prefer to be the president's trusted advisor on everything, the real power behind the scenes. All the power and none of the problems...though I would like to give the occasional sarcastic comment. I feel like I'd either love or despise the job.
#27
Underwater welder.
#28
The guy that opens the Colonguard boxes when they return to the company.
Huddo's sister 3 months ago
Surely they wear PPE, so no more dangerous than any other job that requires it. Or is it the fact faecal matter is considered gross, like mentally?
Foxxy says Hello 3 months ago
I work with some pretty gross stuff in my line of work (Sterilition services) and poo is the one I struggle with. Thankfully that is one thing that doesn't come along too often, the nurses do a good job of wiping majority of it off.
Load More Replies...
Ace 3 months ago
What? Oh, a home medical testing kit. That may have been in close proximity to intimate parts of the patient. Right.
Thomas Biorogue 3 months ago
The go code brown in a box and send it back to the company.
Load More Replies... Dread Pirate Roberts 3 months ago (edited)
And the poo testers themselves, having to work with other people's feces all day
Alecto76 2 months ago
I did Colonguard - what it doesn't tell you in the commercials is the entire lack of being discrete. You have to mail it back in a box with its name and logo emblazoned on it. If you are like me, you then have to take your obvious box of poop to the UPS store. You try and time it so that no one is there. But some lady takes forever to do whatever she is doing. You then go to the counter and apologize because it is a box of poop. Then turn around and see the line out the door, some staring at you - probably because they know you just dropped off a box of poop. Then several weeks later you get a possible positive and have to do the colonoscopy anyway. Here's my poop - I'm so sorry. Not really worth it.
Alecto76 2 months ago
I'm sorry - I forgot the pre-poop harassment. Your get the box. From thereon out emails, texts, voice mails - where is your poop? do you have your poop? When is your poop coming? poop? Poop? Poop?
Load More Replies... #29
Anything that involves swimming in the ocean.
Justin Tyme 3 months ago
Oh no! I used to live by the ocean (on Okinawa Island, Japan). I loved camping on a beach and swimming in the ocean. I especially loved snorkeling. It gives the sensation of flying.
#30
I met a woman at a party last weekend that told me she was in HR, and expanded into how she helps set up social worker-types for failure. The entire next day I thought about how miserable a person you have to be to do that for work.
#31
Porta-potty suck truck driver 🤢 🤮.
Kelly Scott 3 months ago
I had one of those guys come out to empty the black tank on my 5th wheeler. It was backed up because someone (who shall remain nameless) forgot to close the valve after the last emptying. Anyway, all he had to do was just attach a hose and that was pretty much it. He wore gloves but didn't really have to touch anything and the smell wasn't even that bad.
#32
Someone that says "We are family, we work together" f**k no, i do my work you pay.
#33
Casino dealer, because of the absolutely disgusting people who frequent the table games. I have been playing for more than 20 years and have never, not once, seen a person wash their hands well in the restrooms. Many times they just walk right out and start handling the casino chips that the dealer then ends up touching.
Then, as bad, or even worse are the inconsiderate people who will sit there at the table with a cigarette and let the smoke directly into the dealer’s face.
No amount of money would make me consider such a sad existence.
Ace 3 months ago
Well I agree that it's a job I wouldn't like to do, but health issues would be the least of my worries, more that I would not be able to deal with customers who are literally throwing their money away on nothing. I'd be like "Dude, you're going to lose, go home, keep your money".
#34
Job in a fiberglass production plant. Never. Itchy, dirty, hot and nasty .
#35
Saturation diver
Mad respect for them, no ducking way I could do that.
Dread Pirate Roberts 3 months ago
I had to look this one up lol and I wouldn't want to do it either 😖
#36
Real estate agent. Those people are like vultures.
What do you think ?
Bec 3 months ago
Animal testing clinician. The stories about all the beagles who were rescued from labs was just heartbreaking. I know some testing on animals is still needed (although the validity of this testing in terms of human conditions are questionable), but how could you hurt puppies or bunnies every day?
Phred 3 months ago
Waiting tables. Not for the reason you might think--I have no memory for names and faces and I'd be terrible at it.
Bec 3 months ago
Most places have #s and you learn the layout and #s for your section.
Load More Replies...
Guess Undheit 3 months ago
I worked "rent to own" for a year. It's not the most dangerous job (except for scum that leave dogs loose when you're trying to repo), but it's one of the most loathsome. You prey on the poor and charge FOUR TIMES what something is worth. If they went without for three months, they could buy it for cash instead of overpaying for two to four years. But the worst moment was repoing a mattress that a woman died on (natural causes) and the company saying "it has book value! clean it and sell it!" instead of coming in and smelling her decay so it could be written off.
Bec 3 months ago
Animal testing clinician. The stories about all the beagles who were rescued from labs was just heartbreaking. I know some testing on animals is still needed (although the validity of this testing in terms of human conditions are questionable), but how could you hurt puppies or bunnies every day?
Phred 3 months ago
Waiting tables. Not for the reason you might think--I have no memory for names and faces and I'd be terrible at it.
Bec 3 months ago
Most places have #s and you learn the layout and #s for your section.
Load More Replies... Guess Undheit 3 months ago
I worked "rent to own" for a year. It's not the most dangerous job (except for scum that leave dogs loose when you're trying to repo), but it's one of the most loathsome. You prey on the poor and charge FOUR TIMES what something is worth. If they went without for three months, they could buy it for cash instead of overpaying for two to four years. But the worst moment was repoing a mattress that a woman died on (natural causes) and the company saying "it has book value! clean it and sell it!" instead of coming in and smelling her decay so it could be written off.
Related on Bored Panda
