|
|
Odd Jobs and Crazy Careers
By Christina Couch
Think your job is rough? Try sniffing arm pits for a living. Odor Judges do just that every day in the name of science. Remember that next time you slap on deodorant. From banana gassing to wrinkle chasing, the job market spans far beyond the office walls. Check out 10 of the strangest jobs you've never heard of.
1. John Harrison has "the world's sweetest job" because he:
- farms sugar cane in South America.
- tastes ice cream for a living.
- is a celebrity dessert chef.
Answer B: As Official Ice Cream Taster for Dreyers Ice Cream (not to be confused with Breyers), Harrison gets paid to sample three cartons of each flavor daily to check product quality. He claims the gig isn't all fun and games, since he must maintain a strict, spice-free diet. Being surrounded by Rocky Road sounds like a sweet deal nonetheless.
2. If you're a Hair Simulation Supervisor, you:
- recruit test subjects to sample hair growth products.
- oversee the development of wig manufacturing.
- create 3D hair for animated films.
Answer: C. Believe it or not, Hair Simulation Supervisors are proficient in the art of creating 3D hair, and they're hot commodities in the world of animation. Just ask Mark Thomas Henne, the man responsible for every follicle flip in Pixar's CGI blockbuster, The Incredibles. According to Nathan Pieratt, director of the online animation program at Westwood College, the industry has shifted from 2D design to 3D digital media, giving rise to highly specific jobs. "This industry is huge," Pieratt says. "Students are blown away by how hard it is and how exciting it is, too."
3) Although these medical professionals are commonly called "Death Doctors," their formal title is:
- Palliative Care Technicians
- Post Mortem Physicians
- Mortuary M.D.s
Answer A - A cross between M.D.s and hospice workers, Palliative Care Technicians ameliorate symptoms, but don't cure disease for terminally ill patients. On top of medical training, technicians must be prepared to handle the legal, psychological, and ethical issues associated with death. Online courses like the End of Life Issues Program at the University of South Florida provide medical professionals with background to help patients and families cope with grief.
4) Which of these jobs is real?
- Apple De-Wormer
- Peach Pitter
- Banana Gasser
Answer C - Less flatulent than it sounds, banana gassers finish off what Mother Nature started. To make sure the bottom of your split is tasty, bananas are shipped while they're still green to prevent bruising. Gassers for the JFC Fruit Company are in charge of moving new shipments into hermetically sealed chambers where the fruit is sprayed with an ethylene gas to catalyze ripening. According to the company web site, trained gassers use the computer program "Probe" to determine how much gas should be applied for how long. The process can take anywhere from three to eight days, after which bananas hit grocery store shelves yellow and ready to be eaten. Bon appetite!
5) Those who professionally study the art of blowing things up are called:
- Explodologists
- Fire Scientists
- Dynamite Investigators
Answer B - If you can take the heat, the market for Fire Scientists is booming, so to speak. Specializing in experiments involving flame, fire scientists do everything from checking gas pipe leaks to testing fire temperatures to blowing all kinds of things up. Grads from the University of Maryland's University College online Fire Science Program not only learn the science behind smithereens, but are also trained in emergency management and arson investigation.
6) If you need the services of an Independent Duty Corpsman, you're looking for:
- A Freelance Mortician
- A "Jack of All Trades" Soldier
- Basic Military Medical Services
Answer C - Dedicated to providing health care services to military personnel, Independent Duty Corpsmen are recruits trained to administer treatment to victims of injury and sickness. They're not exactly physicians; however, they're often the only available medical personnel. Touro University International offers specially-tailored online programs designed to provide IDCs with health care credentials. These programs aren't the same as medical residencies, but if you ever need IDC services, you'll have no problem calling them Doc.
7) A Wrinkle Chaser:
- irons creases out of shoes
- sells anti-aging products for women
- studies the sociology of the lderly
Answer A - Surprisingly, this profession has nothing to do with beauty products or the elderly. Wrinkle chasers are in charge of removing, you guessed it, wrinkles, from shoes using specialty irons. Chasers can be assigned to a whole shoe or just a small part, such as the heel, and are in high demand at such companies as Loake Shoemakers, England and Dr. Martens. After all, somebody's got to make sure those Manolos are as smooth as the person wearing them.
8) Feeling a little lost at work? To become a little more 'in the know,' try consulting your company's:
- Intelligence Department
- Knowledge Facilitator
- Intellect Captain
Answer B - The newest addition in the world of business, knowledge facilitators examine what employees need to know and the best ways to distribute that information. Online business students should prick up their ears. Corporate knowledge facilitators are using e-learning to make businesses more streamlined. "Training is no longer a discrete, formal event," states Dr. David Shoemaker, Vice President of Learning Solutions for eCornell. "The ability to deliver knowledge in increasingly granular bits enables learning to be integrated seamlessly into the work flow."
9. Every day these wilderness professionals get very up close and personal with the king of the reptile world:
- Snake Charmers
- Snake Skinners
- Snake Milkers
Answer C - You've heard the phrase: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." In this case, what doesn't kill you may prove to be a life-saving substance. Snake venom is at once a bodily poison and the primary ingredient in serums that cure snakebites. In areas where poisonous snakes are commonplace, animal care specialists employed to extract venom by "milking" the reptile's fangs are crucial.
10. Steven Wilson, Cheerman of the Bored for the World Laughter Tour. Inc. earns a living by making people laugh. Steven is a:
- Comedian
- Talent Agent
- Psychologist and Joyologist
Answer C - If laughter truly is the best medicine, then Dr. Steven Wilson, certified psychologist and Laughter Leader/Joyologist is the doctor for you. Built on the philosophy that giggles, chuckles, and belly laughs do a body good, laughter therapists such as Wilson work with clients to help incorporate a smile into patient's daily lives. So how exactly does it work? "We don't use jokes, we don't use comedy," Wilson reports. "You're really going inside yourself to connect with the joyful, zestful, exuberant laughter we all had as babies. We not only show people laughter exercises that allow people to lighten up and release that laughter, but we teach how to prevent hardening of the attitudes." Regular doses of laughter are proven to alleviate stress, boost the body's immune system, and reduce the signs of aging. Here's one therapy session you don't have to take seriously.
© 2006 Classes USA, Inc. All rights reserved.
|
