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There are some weird jobs out there. I mean, weird. See if you can guess which one of these 13 is actually made up. (12 are real jobs.)
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1. Professional Apologizer
Some businesses just can’t find it in them to say they’re sorry. Or, their mistake affected so many people, the company doesn’t have the manpower to make all the calls. Or, an individual needs to apologize but wants to avoid the uncomfortable situation. In Japan, a Professional Apologizer will do it…for $240.
2. Dog Surfing Instructors
Image source: www.descopera.ro
Dogs have been surfing with their owners since at least the 1930s. According to Social Surf Dogs, 2006 saw the first organized surfing competitions for dogs. It’s only logical that this profession would follow. Glassdoor states that dog surf instructors in San Diego, CA can earn up to $14/hour.
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3. Pet Food Taster
Image source: youtube.com
Is that a typo? Should it be pet food tEster? These folks evaluate the nutrition in pet food and try to conjure up new lines of food. However, one of the duties of their job is to in fact taste the food. (And then spit it out.) The U.S. Dept. of Labor lists the salary range for this job as $34,000 – $117,000. (College students would do it for pizza.)
4. Bed Warmers
Image source: europe.westinstore.com
It began in London when a hotel put staff members in full-body fleece. Rolling around in the beds created static that kept beds warm for customers. Recently, a woman entrepreneur started this business herself. She charges $85 to roll around in a client’s bed the hour before he or she turns in. With lots of clients, she’s rolling in dough!
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5. Professional Bridesmaids
Image source: www.urbo.com
By choice, you can always be a bridesmaid and never a bride…and get paid handsomely. One woman who took this path has walked down plenty of aisles for up to $1,000 a pop. Her strut comes with work, though. According to her Facebook page, she handles all “the dirty work so the bride & her wedding party can focus on the fun.”
6. Police Shadows
Image source: http://www.newson6.com
In the wake of fatal police-involved shootings, one company is paying citizens of Tulsa, OK to shadow police cars and record any events using dashcams or cellphones. The gig pays $8/hour for video that captures nothing remarkable, and $100 for an event caught on camera. If the police car zooms off to a call with sirens and lights, shadows are told not to follow.
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7. Professional Queuers
Image source: http://www.newson6.com
According to the archangel, Michael, played by John Travolta in the movie bearing that name, the archangel himself created waiting in line. Before that, people just “stood around.” Now you can pay people to stand in line while you work, eat lunch, go grocery shopping, whatever. It doesn’t matter whether you want to buy concert tickets or order your driver’s license, if you can fork over the $10-$25 hourly rate, they’ll wait for you.
8. Professional Cuddlers
Image source: youtube.com
This is real. (Or is it?) If you just need some cuddling and don’t have a cuddle-buddy, you can buy one. But don’t get any ideas. One website offering this service says they deliver “platonic touch that offers a personalized experience.” The cost for this platonic therapy? $80/hr or $330/night.
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9. Chicken Sexers
Image source: www.scoopwhoop.com
It’s a Japanese art. And an important one, too. Because separating female and male chicks as soon as possible means the difference between losing money or making money. Chicken sexers can look at a little chick’s vent (umm, the rear) and determine M or F in a second or two. And for this, they earn over $50,000 annually.
10. Breath Sniffer
The actual title is Breath Odor Evaluator. The job, if you choose to accept it, requires you to smell somebody’s stinky breath and rate the stench on a numerical scale…after your eyes unfog. Then you smell the person’s breath again after they use Product X. It could be gum, mouthwash, toothpaste, etc. The manufacturer needs to find out if Product X really freshens breath, and it takes a nose to find out.
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11. Cremation Ash Artist
Image source: hyperallergic.com
If you’re a starving artist, or one who does not like working with live subjects, this is the job for you. Using cremated remains–ashes–you’ll make a portrait of the deceased and include his or ashes as part of the base. It’s a way loved ones can keep the departed close. Literally. Portraits can run up to $700.
12. Train Pushers
Image source: johnwhye.com
In Tokyo, Japan, rush hour can get so busy, trains have a hard time meeting demand. People cram into train cars until they can’t move anymore…and then professionals begin pushing from the rear until all commuters are packed in snugly together. It pays about $19/hour, or 2164 Yen.
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13. Paint-Drying Watcher
Image source: www.capitalberg.com
Sometimes, drying paint actually needs to be watched. It could be that the area to be painted is highly populated and there is only a short interval of time to let paint dry. Or, a paint company is researching a faster-drying solution. (At least this requires using a microscope to make it more interesting.) Somebody’s gotta do it.
The one job on the list that is not real…Police Shadows. All the others are actual jobs. What weird job did you have? Share your answer in the comments.
[Featured Image Credit: www.flickr.com]
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