Unusual Jobs That Are So Strange You've Probably Never Heard Of Them
Can you believe there is such a thing as a 'professional mourner'?
Some jobs are so unusual that they sound made up, yet people really do get paid to do them. From testing water slides to sniffing odors for a living, the world of strange occupations is a lot bigger than most people realize.
This list pulls together a mix of bizarre, practical, and downright funny careers from around the world. Some are surprisingly important, some are oddly specific, and all of them prove that there is no shortage of niche work for the right person.
Keep scrolling, because a few of these jobs are stranger than they first appear.
1. Ethical Hacker
An ethical hacker is someone who is paid to assess how safe or vulnerable an organization is. They do this by attempting to hack into the system and then offering advice on how to improve security against actual, dangerous hackers.
Some of these jobs sound like something out of a movie.
2. Odor Tester
Yes, there is actually someone out there who gauges how effective deodorants and antiperspirants are by sniffing people's armpits!
3. Water Slide Tester
Presumably, a water slide tester evaluates how enjoyable and safe a water slide is. It sounds like fun, but it can also be fairly dangerous.
And a few of them are stranger than they look at first glance.
It’s a lot like the friend who guilt-tripped OP to pet sit an exotic reptile, despite a phobia.
4. Professional Cuddler
As strange as it may sound, cuddle therapy is a very real thing. This unusual job involves providing comfort to people who may have endured trauma and abuse.
5. Snake Milker
To create anti-venom medications, snake venom needs to be extracted from a living snake. It's not the safest job, but someone has to do it!
It only gets weirder from here.
6. Professional Sleeper
Is it really possible to get paid to sleep? Yes, it certainly is!
Although technically the job description is 'mattress tester' or 'bed tester,' there are indeed people who sleep for a living.
7. Professional Mourner
This occupation is popular in parts of India and Southeast Asia. A woman called a 'rudaali' will attend a funeral and weep for a price.
By the end, you may be wondering which one is the most unusual of all.
8. Pet Food Taster
Have you ever wondered who taste-tests pet food? A professional pet food taster, of course!
Now, I don't know about you, but you'd have to pay me a pretty penny to do this one!
Want more awkward boundaries, read how a neighbor’s snake incident changed pet-sitting rules.
