There never really is a best job or a worst. But compared to most of the traditional jobs we are made to pursue, here are some professions that exist, and you probably didn't even know about them.
1. Scuba Diving Instructor
Working at a tropical paradise and sharing your passion for marine life with tourists is anybody's dream. Imagine a day at the office being suiting up and sharing your knowledge with people who want to pick up an essential skill.
Qualifications and skills: Certified diving instructor, open water diver, rescue diver, an expert at emergency response and CPR, must log more than 100 open water dives, must have successfully completed the Instructor Development Course.
Experience: 1 - 5 years
Job Description: Teaching and instructing diving at various stages of advancement for various students. It also requires ensuring that students are safe at all times while not damaging the marine environment.
Vacancies: Barefoot Scuba Dive Resort on Havelock Island (Andaman and Nicobar) is looking for professional scuba diving instructors to join their team
2. Video Game Tester
Several video game companies have the beta versions of their products tested before launching them in the market. They often employ video enthusiasts to test out the game and detect any bugs or glitches. What's in it for you? Well you get paid for it of course! Even if they don't pay you, you get the final version of the game once it is launched.
Qualifications and skills: 17 years and above, an expert video game player
Experience: Playing video games should be more than just a hobby
Job Description: Testing products for glitches and bugs as well as suggestions on how the design and interface can be improved.
Getting this job isn't easy but it isn't impossible. It is best to approach various brands that make games and enquire whether they are looking for testers. If you have a background in playing various games from different companies and a blog reviewing them, you stand a better chance.
3. Chocolate Taster
All your Willy Wonka fantasies come to life in this job. Taste premier chocolate brands and have your say on the emotions and feelings it gives you. From crazy flavours to exotic pairings, this is every chocoholic's dream. Also, here's a secret: you stand a better chance if you are below 35 years of age and female.
Qualifications and skills: A very sharp sense of taste and smell, a background in chemistry or the food sciences, under 35 years of age, preferably female.
Experience: 2 - 3 years
Job Description: Tasting the latest products of chocolate brands before they are officially launched in the market
Vacancies: Currently none are available in India, but there are openings in the UK by big brands like Cadbury and Thorntons
4. English teacher in a foreign country
Whether it's in Japan, Korea or Nepal, live and learn in a different culture while teaching school kids how to read, write and speak in English. This is highly rewarding if you have passion for travel and helping people.
Qualifications and skills: From an English speaking country, fluent in English, confident in your grammar skills and vocabulary, able to adapt to local culture and customs
Experience: 1-3 years
Job Description: Conducting English classes for children, teenagers or adults in educational institutions. The teacher is expected to live in the country (small towns or remote villages) and complete the syllabus.
Vacancies: Check with the education ministry or embassy of the country, if there are exchange programmes for teachers. Currently the Japanese government inducts potential teachers from around the world under the JET program.
5. Beer, Ale or Wine taster
Just like the chocolate taster, a beer or wine taster tries various alcoholic beverages to test the quality and consistency according to brand standards. The success of the beverage solely depends on their superior taste buds.
Qualifications and skills: Vast knowledge in the field of Zythology (study of beer) or Oenology (study of wine), superior taste buds, analytical skills
Experience: 1 - 5 years
Job Description: Judging the taste and overall quality of the beverage while also travelling to different regions where it might be produced.
Vacancies: Smaller breweries in the United States are looking for tasters
6. Walking Tour Guide
Walking tours are a big thing in popular tourist destinations that witness a huge influx of tourists all year round. Places with several monuments and districts worth visiting have walking tours where a guide leads a group of tourists around while explaining the history and relevance of the place.
Qualifications and skills: Awesome social skills, in-depth knowledge about the place and its people, an expert at time management
Experience: 0 - 2 years
Job Description: Guiding tourists on various tours, ensuring tourists stay with the group at all times, providing accurate information on all the places while having the group's undivided attention.
7. Animal care volunteer
Many animal shelters, national parks, veterinarian and reserved habitats are shelters for endangered wildlife who are threatened by poachers, hunters and human presence. These centres look after these animals by nurturing them and treating the wounds inflicted on them. It's not possible to always have staff, so many of these places hire volunteers who are passionate about wildlife conservation.
Qualifications and skills: Has studied Veterinarian Sciences, loves animals, willing to learn, compassionate and a pleasant personality
Experience: none
Job Description: Bathing, diagnosing, feeding the animals as well as designing programs to raise animal welfare awareness
Check with various animal welfare NGOs like WWF, AWARE and PETA for programs that require assistance and help.
8. Entertainer on a cruise ship
Passengers on luxury cruises need constant entertainment and this is where you come in. With Broadway and Las Vegas like settings, the world is literally your stage as you showcase your talent in dance, drama, music or comedy.
Qualifications and skills: Talent in the performing arts whether it's dance, music, acting, comedy or as an emcee; physically fit and able to rehearse for long hours
Experience: Has performed on stage before and is used to a large audience
Job Description: Performing in shows on a daily basis, rehearsing for several shows lined up ahead, not your typical 9 to 5 job.
Vacancies: Proship Entertainment offers a listing of vacancies for performers aboard various cruise liners from around the world.
9. Live Stream Eater
Although this job is limited to South Korea where it is more commonly known as 'Mok Bang', the age of the internet means you can broadcast your own eating session, wherever you are. People enjoy watching performers eat large amounts of food, often because most young tech savvy Koreans eat alone. It's so popular that some broadcasters get paid for what they do through sponsorship and endorsements.
Qualifications and skills: Able to eat large amounts of food, fluent in Korean, must have a YouTube account, conversational skills
Experience: Gluttony
Job Description: Broadcasting your eating session on the internet while holding an interesting conversation with the audience.
Get a YouTube account, a high definition camera, bon apetit and bon chance!
10. Travel writer
Passionate about travelling and telling the world what you saw and did? Why not be a travel writer who's been there and done that?
Qualifications and skills: Excellent writing skills, a good command of English, experienced traveller, exceptional research skills, talented photographer
Experience: None
Job Description: Writing articles on destinations with updated and accurate information on what to do, where to stay and how to go. Writers who have actually been to the destinations and have a live travel blog are preferred most.
Ahem, ahem, if you are looking for openings as a travel writer, why not apply to us? (Yes, by us, I mean Indiatimes) Be sure to attach a sample of your travel writing along with your CV.
11. Movie critic
Nowadays, time is money and people are not interested to sit through a movie that is utter bullshit. This is where the movie critic comes in, influencing people on whether or not to watch a particular film.
Qualifications and skills: Excellent writing skills, a good command of English, enthusiastic movie buff, knowledgeable about entertainment industry
Experience: Must have an existing blog with many followers
Job Description: Being sent for movie screenings, efficiently producing a movie review that is interesting and engaging
12. Cycling Tour Guide
With bicycle tours becoming a popular trend in the tourism industry, guides who have a passion for exploring a places on a bike are always in big demand. Introduce the destination you live and work in to fellow cycling enthusiasts as you take them along scenic trails and around town.
Qualifications and skills: A cycling enthusiast knows the roads and planning of the destination inside out, good at time management, good social skills, physically fit, an expert at cycle repair
Experience: None
Job Description: Conducting a tour on bicycles while introducing tourists to local attractions, introducing local cycling rules to tourists (if there are any), ensuring all tourists in the group are safe and have not met with any accidents or got lost, starting and ending tours on time.
Vacancies: Trektravel.com is looking for tour guides. However, these are limited to destinations that are favourable to cyclists.
13. Super-car Test Driver
Ever had the need for speed but just can't get enough of it? Being a super car test driver will give you what you need to let those adrenaline levels go high. Be the first to sit in, test drive and experiment the kind of cars, the rich and famous are dying to get their hands on.
Qualifications and skills: Has a steady grip on the steering wheel, isn't a reckless driver, is knowledgeable about super cars and how to handle them, degree in mechanical engineering.
Experience: 5 years
Job Description: Testing cars from various luxury auto-mobile brands on tracks for speed, cruise control, safety and passenger comfort.
How to become one: This might help
