Many people who are stuck and unhappy in their careers, who have no idea what they want to do, or are not motivated toward any particular career, often have in the back of their minds, the belief that there must be something ‘out there’ that’s perfect for them. A career that they’ve never heard of that would fit them really well.
Is this true of you? Do you feel as though you are not appreciated or valued, that your skills and strengths are not seen? I ask this because often those seeking something unusual can be ‘unconventional’ in some way and not suited to what might be described as ‘every day’ careers. It’s also possible that there’s some sort of perfectionistic or idealist streak that means you can’t ‘settle’ for anything.
Generally speaking, unusual careers tend to be quite specialist. The reason we don’t know about them is because there aren’t many around of that type or they may not be classed as careers. That said, here’s a selection of careers or jobs that many tell me they’ve not heard of.
Specialist cleaner (hygiene technician, biohazard cleaning specialist, trauma cleaner)
We’ve all heard of cleaning, but have you considered that crime scenes need to be cleaned up? Or areas of accidents? And areas of death generally. Perhaps you’ve watched that series called “The Cleaner” with Greg Davies and so know all about it.
You’ll need a strong stomach and disposition, willingness to work unsocial hours, be fairly physically strong and willing to wear protective clothing (including over the head and face) and be prepared to not just clean and make everything sanitary again but also dispose of clinical and human waste.
No formal academic education is required but you do need training. Refer to the National Academy of Specialist Cleaners.
Food Stylist
Practical and creative, a food stylist makes food look irresistible such that we’re all desperate to buy and eat it. This means you might spray the food, use raw ingredients (better colour) and other tricks to make the food look delicious.
You can enter this career from a variety of routes including getting a qualification from a reputable cooking school, having photography experience and building your own portfolio.
See more here.
Social engineer
A career that combines emotional intelligence with the technical skills of ethical hacking.
Essentially, social engineers sweet talk themselves into unauthorised entry of a building or access to systems (maybe by sending a friendly email with a ‘bad’ link). They then proceed to search for and access confidential information that might enable them to infiltrate the network.
See more here.
You do need some technical knowledge in cybersecurity but having gall will count for a lot, especially with in-person social engineering.
For training see here.
Walk and talk Coach
For those who like the idea of becoming a coach but with a difference, there is an increasing interest in the effectiveness of coaching others while walking in nature.
Although coaching is not a regulated profession in the UK, ideally, you would want to train as a coach and then use walk and talk as your method of delivery.
Company Secretary
Many see the word ‘secretary’ and associate this career with shorthand and typing. This is not at all what a company secretary is about. A company secretary is responsible for ensuring a company meets its legal and financial obligations. They act as ‘secretary’ to the chair and board ensuring they operate in line with rules and regulations.
This can be a good career for those who like organising and administration and having things done ‘by the book’.
See more here.
Taxidermist
I don’t know about you, but I tend to associate stuffed animals with the past and antics of the landed gentry and wouldn’t be too well disposed toward it. However, taxidermy is having something of a makeover these days.
Taxidermists usually start with animals that have died of natural causes and preserve them in such a way as to create life-like 3D representations of them. In the UK, a taxidermist must show where they obtained their specimens.
The work of a taxidermist can be seen not only in museums where it’s deemed to serve an educational function but also in airports, offices, and increasingly for sale for us to buy and have in our homes. (Just search on Etsy and see how much comes up!)
See more here.
Celebrant
Celebrants are usually self-employed and lead and conduct weddings, funerals and naming ceremonies. Comfortable in front of an audience, empathic and organised, celebrants write and deliver personalised ceremonies in accordance with the wishes and desires of the families concerned.
No formal training is required although organisations that provide training and support do exist. (Do note that celebrants are different to registrars. Only the latter can legally marry people.)
See more here.
Technical writer/author
A technical writer mainly puts together ‘factual’ information like user manuals, marketing materials, training courses. They are often responsible for converting technical or complex information into readily understandable formats for non-technical audiences and customers.
They might specialise in particular types of writing such as medicine, engineering, business administration.
See more here.
Doula/Childbirth Attendant
A doula gives physical, emotional and educational support to expectant parents both before, during and after birth. They help people prepare for birth and teach them how to care for their baby. They are not midwives and do not physically deliver a baby but rather act as companions throughout the whole process. This might include things like massage, assisting with breastfeeding, forming a birth plan and general duties like laundry.
See more here.
Butler
Believe it or not such jobs do exist today. They may be based in a private home, luxury hotel, cruise ship or overseas embassy. Duties can include anything from diary management to representing a client at meetings, managing a household and staff, table setting and serving, chauffeuring, valeting, cooking, making the area look ‘nice’ with flowers etc, looking after the wine cellar and taking care of pets.
See more here.
Information Officer (also called information scientist)
Years ago, all records were held in paper form and there would be a basement full of files, lots of filing clerks and people employed to find files and records. You could go to hospital and wait for hours or even be turned away because your files hadn’t been ‘sent up’.
These days most information is held digitally. However, there is still a need for people to organise the information held by an organisation, decide how it should be stored, backed up, who should have access, and that any legal obligations are met. As custodians of data bases, information catalogues, and web resources, information officers are important to all organisations.
This is a career for people who think analytically, have a natural attention to detail, like knowledge and know their way round computer systems and relevant software applications.
In conclusion, I hope that I have introduced you to one or two unusual careers that you may not have spotted in the information overload we all suffer from these days….?
