New careers and professions emerge every single day. There might be jobs and career paths that weren't a thing when you were still picking your major in high school. Just like there are jobs that no longer exist, so there will be new jobs and cool career paths in a few years' time to replace the current-day professions that may soon disappear.
And unlike interesting career options that emerge with improving technologies, there are also quite bizarre jobs and weird occupations you’ve likely never heard about that currently exist. If that's something you'd be interested to learn about, RhodyRex's thread on AskReddit might help expand your horizons on what weird jobs are on offer (although not in high demand) today. They asked fellow Reddit members, "Do you have a job that the average person doesn't even know exists?" And thousands jumped on the thread to share the weird jobs nobody knows about and weird professions that are some people's bread and butter.
Below, we've compiled some of the most interesting responses from the thread, in which people shared the many weird careers and crazy jobs that exist yet not many know of. If any of the weird job titles below caught your attention, make sure to give them an upvote. Also, is there any other weird job not mentioned in the list? Perhaps you are the one doing it? Let us know in the comments!
#1
slick519 said:
"I maintain hiking trails in our national forests. I camp out for 8 days at a time, with 6 day weekends. While out camping, I clear downed trees from the trails with chainsaws, crosscut saws, build bridges, retaining walls, drain water off the trail, fix rock/land slides, cut down large trees, etc. I hike most everywhere with my crew, although we use horses and mules to carry out camping equipment. Some places require us to ride ATVs and dirtbikes, while other places are only accessible by jetboat or airplane.
"I maintain hiking trails in our national forests. I camp out for 8 days at a time, with 6 day weekends. While out camping, I clear downed trees from the trails with chainsaws, crosscut saws, build bridges, retaining walls, drain water off the trail, fix rock/land slides, cut down large trees, etc. I hike most everywhere with my crew, although we use horses and mules to carry out camping equipment. Some places require us to ride ATVs and dirtbikes, while other places are only accessible by jetboat or airplane.
I love my job, I get paid 16.50 an hour, I get to live in nature damn near all year long, and I don't really have much time to spend my money. I work for the USFS, my job title is Wilderness Technician of Trails, and you can apply for jobs like mine, all over the country on USAjobs.gov. Search for wilderness tech, recreation tech, or trails tech."
Messor7 replied:
"Dream job."
"Dream job."
Report
104points
#2
"I am a Travel Trainer! I teach people with learning disabilities how to use public transport independently.
It's an AWESOME job."
Report
82points
#3
zzzimcal said:
"I cut eyes out of dead people. I am an eye bank technician; I surgically remove corneas and whole eyes from donors for cornea transplants and research. I think most people don't WANT to know about my job."
"I cut eyes out of dead people. I am an eye bank technician; I surgically remove corneas and whole eyes from donors for cornea transplants and research. I think most people don't WANT to know about my job."
hissxywife replied:
"Well, when I die, I'll be seeing you... or not."
"Well, when I die, I'll be seeing you... or not."
Report
81points
#4
"I'm an orthoepist! I work at an audiobook publisher, where I research the correct pronunciation of people, places, things, and foreign languages, so that the actors reading the books sound like they know what they're talking about. As far as I know, there are only two of us in the country."
Report
81points
#5
"For work I get to break into hospitals and steal things. It's referred to as a "Physical Penetration Test." It's an integral part of a risk assessment, which is required under 164.308 of HIPAA.
I routinely pick locks, steal access badges, impersonate medical personnel, harvest data and credentials, crack passwords, and utilize various social engineering tactics.
My official title is "Information Security Consultant." I have a degree in Information Systems Management, as well as; CCNA, Sec+, and CISA certifications."
Report
79points
#6
giottoismyhomie said:
"I manage an adult literacy program. Most people think it is some sort of elaborate book club or that I am mistaken and meant to say that I teach children to read and write. Sadly my job exists because 1 in 6 adults are functionally illiterate (where I live)."
"I manage an adult literacy program. Most people think it is some sort of elaborate book club or that I am mistaken and meant to say that I teach children to read and write. Sadly my job exists because 1 in 6 adults are functionally illiterate (where I live)."
throw1243 asked:
"Where do you live?"
"Where do you live?"
giottoismyhomie answered:
"Hawaii."
"Hawaii."
Report
60points
#7
"I didn't get it but I once applied for a job as a Heritage Officer. Sounded normal enough, but it involved basically going around cemeteries photographing graves and keeping a log of them. It was so unusual I was desperate for it, not to mention working alone and out in the fresh air.
'So what do you?'
'Oh, you know, look at graves.'"
Report
55points
#8
"I'm a professional prosthesis bra fitter. I fit women who have had a mastectomy. Usually, women who have/had breast cancer"
Report
55points
#9
ETA_was_here said:
"I am responsible for breaking toys and write reports about them how they break.
"I am responsible for breaking toys and write reports about them how they break.
A totally different job from my previous job, using promotions from online casino's to earn a living and travel the world."
Informationator replied:
"Dear Diary: Today I choked on a toy hat."
"Dear Diary: Today I choked on a toy hat."
Report
52points
#10
dannyancient said:
"I put music in movie trailers. Pretty random and pretty awesome."
"I put music in movie trailers. Pretty random and pretty awesome."
Scherzkeks replied:
"Stop using 'I'm Walking on Sunshine' please."
"Stop using 'I'm Walking on Sunshine' please."
Report
51points
#11
"I test toilet paper. I work for a contracted company in a paper mill and test toilet paper, paper towels, and facial tissue using specialized machinery. In other words, I keep your butt happy."
Report
51points
#12
"My field is medical illustration. I specifically do medical legal work (so for courtroom purposes). When I travel by airplane, I just claim to be a bartender again as it gets a little dull explaining over and over.
On the plus side, I know what you look like... on the inside."
Report
49points
#13
RodriguezLob said:
"Physical hydrogeologist, I image the ground using water flows."
"Physical hydrogeologist, I image the ground using water flows."
nostalgia_the_great replied:
"So you're a water bender."
"So you're a water bender."
Report
44points
#14
Heathery29 said:
"I relay phone calls for deaf people. I don't know if that qualifies as a job the average person doesn't know exists but on a good proportion of the calls I handle per day people hang up on me thinking it's a wind up."
"I relay phone calls for deaf people. I don't know if that qualifies as a job the average person doesn't know exists but on a good proportion of the calls I handle per day people hang up on me thinking it's a wind up."
Jfersisthecatsmeow replied:
"I was wondering about this yesterday. Are you the person who relays the entire conversation? I always get really nervous when calling my sister who is deaf because these people are listening to us..."
"I was wondering about this yesterday. Are you the person who relays the entire conversation? I always get really nervous when calling my sister who is deaf because these people are listening to us..."
Heathery29 replied:
"Yes I relay the entire conversation, unless the deaf person can speak themselves and not have to type, but we can still hear them. Please don't be nervous using us, there is absolutely nothing you can say that we haven't heard before, and we're not the slightest bit interested anyway, yours is just another call, we'll forget all about you when you've hung up. I mean that in the nicest possible way of course. It's like any call center, we deal with that call as best we can then it's gone and in comes the next."
"Yes I relay the entire conversation, unless the deaf person can speak themselves and not have to type, but we can still hear them. Please don't be nervous using us, there is absolutely nothing you can say that we haven't heard before, and we're not the slightest bit interested anyway, yours is just another call, we'll forget all about you when you've hung up. I mean that in the nicest possible way of course. It's like any call center, we deal with that call as best we can then it's gone and in comes the next."
Report
43points
#15
"I make pig feed, they aren't just fed corn. A lot of science involved. Their diets change almost monthly with the weather so we are constantly changing the nutrients we give them.
Also a little nugget that blows my mind. Pigs naturally will bite each others tails off as a dominance thing. (Like squirrels do). However simply increasing their magnesium in the diet will make them not bite each other, for some reason it has a calming effect on them."
Report
42points
#16
"I put handles on coffins. That's it, most people know someone makes coffins, they don't know that you can have the job to just put the handels on."
Report
42points
#18
Sudsybutts said:
"I'm a sign artist at a well known 'neighborhood' grocery chain. EVERYTHING in the store is drawn/written by hand, even down to the price tags on the shelves. I'm the one that wakes up at the crack of dawn to do this. Cute illustrations on the displays? Me. Awesome window paintings outside? Me. Hilarious cartoons and wall murals? ALL ME. When I mention it to people, they have never noticed."
"I'm a sign artist at a well known 'neighborhood' grocery chain. EVERYTHING in the store is drawn/written by hand, even down to the price tags on the shelves. I'm the one that wakes up at the crack of dawn to do this. Cute illustrations on the displays? Me. Awesome window paintings outside? Me. Hilarious cartoons and wall murals? ALL ME. When I mention it to people, they have never noticed."
Commenter replied:
"I'm assuming Trader Joes? If so, bravo. I assumed most of that stuff was printed to look hand-written."
"I'm assuming Trader Joes? If so, bravo. I assumed most of that stuff was printed to look hand-written."
Sudsybutts replied:
"That's what most people assume. The worst is when I've spent hours of my morning working on a chalk pastel display, only to have a customer walk by and wonder if it's printed, so they run their fingers along the entire drawing, effectively ruining it."
"That's what most people assume. The worst is when I've spent hours of my morning working on a chalk pastel display, only to have a customer walk by and wonder if it's printed, so they run their fingers along the entire drawing, effectively ruining it."
Commenter replied:
"Make a little sign that says 'yes, it's real.'"
"Make a little sign that says 'yes, it's real.'"
Report
39points
#19
"I'm a juggler. Many times, I get the response, 'oh, you can make money doing that? Like, enough money?' Yes I can, and many times, I make a lot more than them."
Report
39points
#20
"I sell Lego pieces. I buy bulk Lego sets (normally from Amazon or whoever else online has the best deals), part out the pieces, and list them individually on my online store. My customers are generally one of two people:
-Adults who want 1,000 of something, but don't want to buy 100 of a set to get it (such as a red 2x4 brick to build an enormous structure).
-Parents whose kid wants a specific minifigure that happens to only come in a set that costs a lot of money. The kid doesn't want "super duper playset number 12," he wants "The gold ninja!" - so instead of spending $130 for the big set, they can spend $15 on just the figure, and it works out well for both of us.
Generally I can part out a set for around 200-250% of its purchase price--more if I find it on clearance or in a really good sale. My wife and I also make monthly trips to our nearest Lego store one state over to buy hundreds of dollars of "Pick a Brick" pieces to put into our inventory.
Our store is still pretty small, but there are many people who have become wealthy doing it after a LOT of hard work. It requires some initial investment, willingness to run to the post office to occasionally ship a three-cent part, and excellent customer service skills.
The largest hazard of the job? Your chances of stepping on a Lego in the middle of the night go up substantially when you have over 100,000 pieces in the house."
Report
38points