News about the job market at home can be pretty dull and depressing and many people may be tempted to look further afield for new and exciting job opportunities. If you’re looking for a job abroad why not check out some of these weird and wonderful jobs from around the world.
Chicken Sexer: Malaysia
One guy in Malaysia has the important responsibility of distinguishing between male and female chicks as they hatch. Mohamad Abdul Hamid says he loves his job, which involves sorting 300 chicks per day, or three chicks every two minutes. However, it isn’t all glamour. One of the downsides to his work is that people don’t always take him seriously and he struggled to secure his wife’s hand in marriage when her parents doubted his credentials: “”They didn’t believe it was a job and that it paid well,” said the 30-year-old.
Job Title: Chicken Sexer
Office: Commercial hatchery
Description: Separate the girls from the boys
Certifications/Education: Training in Medan, Indonesia.
Necessary Skills: Speed, Attention to Detail, Precision
Pay: “Four-figure monthly income.”
Read More: http://www.orientexpat.com/forum/3265-unique-job-chicken-sexer/
Rodeo Clown: USA
Clowns are not just for the circus it seems. In parts of the USA they can actually save lives! Miguel Angel Lorea Hoyos works as a clown at a Mexican-style rodeo in the Queens neighborhood of Howard Beach, his job is to distract the 2,000 to 4,000 pound angry bull from going after the cowboy when he is bucked off. A skill Miguel refined in his native home of Mexico, he is often known as “Cowboy’s Pet” by those that work with him. “Yes it is dangerous,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “For me, for the cowboys that will ride today. It is dangerous for all of us. But we will make it out OK.”
Job Title: Rodeo Clown
Office: Rodeo Arena
Description: Protect cowboys from bulls and entertain rodeo audiences during lull periods
Certifications/Education: Rodeo Clown School
Necessary Skills: Speed, Agility, Wits, Humor, Courage
Pay: $40,000 to $90,000 per year or $100 to $500 per show
More information: http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2010/11/22/odd-jobs-a-mexican-rodeo-clown-in-queens/
Worm picker: Canada
This is a job that is not to be laughed at, it can actually be a big earner. Worm pickers in Canada are responsible for collecting worms. Clad in their miner’s hats with headlamps they work through the night to grab as many of the slimy creatures as they can. In some areas professional worm pickers are paid as much as $18 per can for their haul. The worms are then sold on to garden and farms that need the worms to fertilize the land or fisheries in America that use them as bait.
Job Title: Worm Picker
Office: Farm land
Description: Locate worms and place them into a can
Certifications/Education: None
Necessary Skills: Keen eye, strong back, nimble fingers
Pay: $18 per can
Read more: http://anhng.wordpress.com/2008/10/11/worm-picking-night-in-canada/
Virtual Gold Farmer: China
Being paid to play games all day sounds like heaven to some people, but in reality it can constitute sheer, hard graft. In China there are actually people who spend 10-hour shifts in cramped offices playing online games to farm in-game currency that they then sell to other players in exchange for real-world money. Customers, who are typically World of Warcraft enthusiasts, are willing to pay for the virtual gold that can allow them to upgrade their avatar’s skill level or can be used to purchase a magical weapon.
Job Title: Gold Farmer
Office: A cramped office in China
Description: Playing online games to acquire in-game currency
Certifications/Education: World of Warcraft expertise
Necessary Skills: Game playing
Pay: $80-$120 a month which can amount to as little as 30c an hour
More Information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_farming
Professional Zombie: London
Ghoulish tourist attraction the London Bridge Experience made the news in 2009 when they advertised for professional zombies. The role involved employees dressing up as Zombies and surprising visitors to the attraction with their antics. Fifty people were awarded the job and were awarded a pretty impressive salary of £30 000 a year!
Job Title: Professional zombie
Office: London Bridge Experience
Description: Dress like a zombie and scare people
Certifications/Education: None
Necessary Skills: Ability to scare
Pay: 30,000 GBP per year
More Information: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/5924506/Pair-land-30000-a-year-zombie-job.html
Snake Milker: USA
Yes, you read that correctly… snake milking. Ken Darnell from southeastern Alabama is responsible for extracting poisonous venom from angry snakes. Squeezing the snake’s head above a special collection device, Ken milks the venom before processing it into a freeze-dried powder that he then sells to laboratories, where it’s used to develop drugs that can treat blood clots, heart attacks, and high blood pressure, and as antivenin injections.
Job Title: Snake milker
Office: “Out in the middle of glorious nowhere.”
Description: Extract poisonous venom from snakes
Certifications/Education: Unknown
Necessary Skills: Precision, Courage
Pay: Unknown
More Information: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125036229
Have you come across any interesting jobs in your lives overseas? Please leave a comment and share details with our readers.
