What are the strangest jobs in 2020?

27th March 2020 Comments (0) Lifestyle Like

The idea of being in the same job for 50 years isn’t really the norm nowadays. This can be for many reasons, including companies struggling during recessions and making staff redundant, or workers looking to jump ship in search for more money. In fact, it’s believed that the average person will change jobs an average of 12 times during their career. In the UK, research has found that most people change jobs every five years, while US workers usually switch roles every four years.

Technology is also having a huge impact. Many roles are having to adapt because of technological advances, while others are peering over their shoulders as tech threatens to wipe out the need for them. Those most at risk, according to studies, include travel agents, cashiers and librarians.

The good news is that it’s not all doom and gloom. Technology has also helped open up new opportunities. But, if you want something a little – or a lot – out of the ordinary, what is available to you? Here with change management specialists, Impact, we look at the strangest jobs around the world in 2020:

Horse cleaner

Okay, so this may not sound too bad – until you find out where exactly it is that you are cleaning! It was reported in the news in February that Mercedes Hoblin has set up her own business cleaning horse penises. She has to clean and extract a dried waxy substance that includes dirt and dead skin cells from male horses’ genitalia.

While it’s certainly not a job for the weak-stomached, it’s a role which helps Mercedes take home up to £400 each week.

Professional sleeper

Sounds a dream, right? Well, several companies offer the role as they look to trial their products. You must be able to sleep anywhere and away from your home comforts while also having good overall health and fitness and the ability to write compelling and interesting reports. Studies can last anywhere from 24 hours to two months, so it’s not exactly stable work.

In 2013, NASA paid a group of volunteers £13,250 to simply lie in bed for 70 days, while Travelodge offered £60,000 for someone to sleep in all 17,000 rooms of their chain in 2006.

Hangover helpers

Have you ever fallen foul of having one too many to drink the night before? If so, you know that the struggle is real if you attempt to get out of bed. Sometimes all you yearn for is that greasy fry up and, if it was a party at yours, someone to tidy up any mess that was left. Well, in the United States, people have taken to sites such as Craigslist and Facebook offering these exact services. Some have even gone one further and posted ads in their local bars as they appeal to those in need after a ‘session’.

How much you can earn is completely dependent on how many clients you have and what tasks are required.

Panda Fluffer

We all love this furry black and white animal, don’t we? Of course, it’s not quite the loveable bumbling buffoon we saw on gifs and memes, but still, how great would it be to work alongside them every day? Well, at the China Giant Protection and Research Centre in China’s Sichuan Province, a panda fluffer can earn nearly £23,000 per annum. The role requires you to use feather dusters, with extreme caution, to try to get these shy animals in the mood for mating.

Golf-ball diver

Heading back stateside and they’ve introduced a job to recover those stray balls that haven’t quite made the rough let alone the green. The hired help can earn up to £150 per day by entering the waters on Florida’s golf courses to retrieve lost balls.

Professional mourner

This unique role was first introduced in Asia. It requires people to attend funerals to ‘make up the numbers’ and ‘cry on demand’. It’s since made its way over to British soil where, for up to £45 an hour you will be briefed on the deceased’s life, so you can successfully mingle as if you knew them.

Snake milker

While this is another occupation which isn’t necessarily a ‘must’ in the UK, in other areas of the world it certainly is. Snake milking is usually a task that is carried out by zoos or reptile specialists who own the animal, but in certain areas of Australia and the States the demand for snake venom is so high that specialist milkers risk their lives each day in order to help produce anti-venom.

Teddy bear surgeon

If the risk of getting bitten by a highly venomous snake doesn’t quite appeal, why not become a teddy bear surgeon? In every Build-A-Bear outlet, there is a technician whose job it is to re-attach a bear’s legs, arms or eyes. So, all you have to watch out for is that sewing needle and not the teeth of a deadly snake!

So, there you have it. The world is a weird and wonderful place and the likelihood is, if you think of a job, it’s probably out there somewhere waiting for you!

We’re very proud to bring you this feature in association with Impact. For more features, please pay a visit to our lifestyle page.