Fascinating Jobs – If You Know About Them

Every year, Parade publishes What People Earn. This annual report is presented simply as photos of individuals and underneath each: their location, name, age, title (and sometimes organization), and their annual salary. I find the issue intriguing for a number of reasons. First, who are these people who don’t mind publishing such a taboo subject as income? Second, it’s just plain interesting to see what different positions earn (a professional bull rider makes $1.5M?!). My most recent marvel with last week’s publication is the actual jobs. I didn’t know what a number of them were.

Professional line sitter – This job was one of the first that I scratched my head. I thought it had something to do with sports. Underneath, it explained this guy from New York will wait in line for you for anything from iPhones to theater tickets. How cool is that? (Cool for the clients, not him, in my opinion, since waiting is not fun for me, especially outside.)

Ice observer – Unfortunately this one didn’t give a written explanation, so I had to research it. “Vessels and offshore platforms operating in ice-covered waters require personnel skilled in observation, analysis, and management of ice.” Also not fun, for the reasons stated above. I read that the International Ice Patrol was formed after the loss of the Titanic. Since then, no vessel heeding their warnings has struck an iceberg, according to this particular ice observer. So not fun, but important. For those interested, you can go to training to also be an ice advisor or an ice navigator. The training is in Canada, of course.

SEO specialist – I had actually heard of this role before, but since only the acronym was referenced, I didn’t at first recall it. The profiled Search Engine Optimization specialist helps companies improve internet hits, visibility, etc. Let me just say that if you have children that love web surfing, don’t bother sending them to college. They can get this SEO gig and take care of YOU during your golden years.

Lox slicer – I don’t eat fish, but I know enough people who LOVE bagels and lox. So while I knew what lox was, I didn’t think cutting it would be a whole job. It is. The guy featured is 86. So it sounds like a good profession to take into your later years unless you’re a really good golfer.

Street corner astronomer – I thought this job might be for Google Earth or something. But no, it’s really just a guy with a telescope on a street corner. And I assume a hat on the sidewalk, since he does earn a salary from it.

Snake milker – Yes, it says “snake” not “cow”. I hate snakes. I’m petrified of them. I didn’t know they had udders. They don’t. Whereas you couldn’t pay me enough to do anything with snakes, the featured person does it for free. When I learned what a snake milker does (“A snake milker is someone who extracts, or ‘milks’, venom from poisonous snakes in order to create antivenom used by hospitals and laboratories. If a person is bitten by a snake, it is important they be rushed to a hospital to get an antidote, which is made from the venom of a snake. Also, new medical research is showing that snake venom can be used to help in strokes and malignant tumors.”), I felt bad not knowing this and working here. Venom from this milker’s snakes has been used in cancer, Alzheimer’s, pain release, and lupus research. I hope I don’t have to turn in my DFCI and Partners badges.

The article reminded me that a number of people will ask what I do. When I tell them, they ask, “What is a PMO?” Falling prey to the job hazard of using acronyms, I explain, “Project Management Office.” Often, I still get a blank look. Just because project management is what I do for a living, people who are not exposed to it are in the same boat I was with “professional line sitter.” We often get caught up within our industries and job boundaries, when clearly a whole world of fascinating jobs abound.

So when I read Parade’s most popular edition each year, I’ll try not to focus on why a rubber duck manufacturer makes $108K yet a dairy farmer only earns $10K. Instead I’ll use it as a learning experience of the diverse workforce.

Although admittedly, ignoring the profiled “Mom’s blogger” who makes $150K a year is difficult. Perhaps we should start charging for this blog.