The Strangest Jobs in the World

You may be tired of a 9-to-5 job. Or you may be looking for something different to do.

You won’t believe what some of these people do for a living. Check out these strangest jobs and tell us if you could handle doing any of them.

Watching Paint Dry

This may be one of the most boring jobs in the world. The paint company hires people to watch paint dry. They need to take note of the changing colors and have to examine the changes under a microscope(显微镜) as well as on the walls.

Iceberg(冰山) Mover

This job appeared after the Titanic tragedy( 悲 剧) in 1912. Iceberg movers remove icebergs and prevent any further accidents. Using satellites and airplanes, the movers search the seas for icebergs. And if any are found, they pull the iceberg to an area where it won’t be in the way. Pulling an iceberg can take up to 72 hours. This is because the boat needs ten hours to reach a speed of just one mile per hour.

Luggage Organizer

There are many camp activities for children in New York. Mothers are now inviting luggage organizers to pack their kids’ bags. To hire an organizer costs around US $250 an hour. It can take up to four hours to be fully packed and ready. US $1,000 to pay somebody to pack your kids’ bags, is it worth it?

Work less, do more. It's an attractive idea that's becoming reality for a growing number of people in Sweden, where some companies are shortening their workdays from eight hours to six or even fewer. But is it possible to finish the same amount of work in less time?

The answer depends on the person and the type of work, experts say. But plenty of evidence suggests that cutting back on hours can have many benefits, not just because people are usually happier when they work less. If done right, shortening the workday can also improve productivity (生产效率).

The average American works about 47 hours a week, and many people work much more than that, even though many recent studies have connected working long hours with many health problems. People who work too much are more likely to gain weight, suffer workplace injuries and develop stress-related illnesses.

Dealing with those problems can end up costing companies a large amount of money, experts say. One recent study found that stress in the workplace contributes to 120,000 deaths each year and as much as of health care costs in the US.

Productivity can also suffer as the day goes on and it takes even more effort to maintain the same pace. A number of studies have found that intense (紧张的) periods of mental effort can impair people's ability to solve puzzles, make decisions and control emotions.

Much discussed and rarely achieved in full, work-life balance is an elusive prize in modern professional culture. While it can depend greatly on the priorities and values of an individual and their manager, some jobs provide strong opportunities for those looking to combine a fulfilling career with a thriving personal life.

“Work-life balance is not a situation anymore where you’re at work and then you’re at home, it’s more this balancing between the two,” said Lauren Griffin, senior vice president of Adecco Staffing U.S.

Topping the list of jobs that provide strong work-life balance is data scientist. According to IBM, “A data scientist represents an evolution from the business or data analyst role.” IBM notes that while the formal training in computer science and applications, modeling, statistics, analytics and math for these jobs is similar, “What sets the data scientist apart is strong business acumen, coupled with the ability to communicate findings to both business and IT leaders in a way that can influence how an organization approaches a business challenge.”

Stan Ahalt, director of the Renaissance Computing Institute at UNC Chapel Hill, said that the strong demand for data scientists, coupled with the anemic supply of these professionals currently available in talent pipelines, is likely creating a situation where companies will go above and beyond to attract the right talent.

“The demand for people who are able to analyze massive amounts of data and extract actionable decisions has really blossomed,” said Ahalt. “The people who are being hired are being highly sought-after, so I suspect they’re getting relatively good offers, and offers that include flexibility in their hours and locations simply because there are many more jobs than there are people.”

The list is also diverse and representative of a broad spectrum of occupations, with part-time and seasonal jobs like lifeguard and substitute teacher holding spots, as well as corporate jobs and skilled trades.

And for job-seekers or those planning a career change who want to prioritize work-life balance in their next role, Griffin said the most important step is identifying your greatest personal commitment so you can target a job that’s accommodating by nature, or an employer that will work with you to reach a solution.

“You need to define what’s non-negotiable for you,” said Griffin. “What’s that specific thing that you know you need some balance for, is it dropping your kids off, or taking your mother to a doctor’s appointment twice a month? What are those key points for you? Because then you can have a more open conversation with your employer.”