Extraordinary Jobs You Never Knew Existed

For most college students, the ultimate goal is to score a well-paid job. A college degree will put you on the direct path to a certain career. But not everyone wants to fill the obvious roles we hear about growing up, such as doctor, lawyer or engineer. The future isn’t as clear-cut for some people.
Maybe you want to go to med school, but don’t necessarily want to be a doctor. Maybe you love maps or crosswords, but aren’t sure how to incorporate that passion into a career. Or perhaps you still haven’t found something that sounds appealing for you. All of us have a dream job, whether it’s in sports, science or entertainment, it seems there’s always some days we would rather be somewhere else.
Here’s a look at some lesser-known opportunities or jobs that will spark your imagination.

Waterslide tester
This is probably the best summer job ever. Waterslide testers are required to travel around the world and ride on exhilarating chutes, flumes and slides. Afterwards, the rides are rated on two factors, ‘Biggest Splash’ and ‘Adrenaline Factor’. The job requires willingness to travel and comfort in swimsuits. All the expenses are covered.
Sebastian Smith was selected from 2000 applicants to be the first waterslide tester and he travelled around the globe to test and review on slides and venues.

Netflix Tagger
The job of a ‘Netflix Tagger’ involves watching around 16-20 hours of TV and movies per week. They objectively watch and tag what they see as various genres. This then goes into the Netflix algorithm which will recommend what to watch next. This will help Netflix users to search for shows more easily. Employees must sign a non-disclosure agreement which prohibits revealing the exact amount they are paid. However, this rare position is awarded to 40 people worldwide.

Professional Sleeper
This job is usually done as part of a greater study. People are paid to sleep and aid scientific study. Doctors study the brain and other activities of the body while the human body is asleep. Apart from this, a professional sleeper helps various other organizations like mattress makers, various artists, hoteliers and hospitals by sleeping and sharing their feedback and experiences. The pay is highly dependent on the employee.
In 2013, NASA paid people $18,000 to stay in bed for 70 days as a part of a study, while an art gallery paid women $10 per hour to publicly sleep as part of an exhibit.

Crossword Puzzle Maker
We can find crosswords in nearly every newspaper that has been around for decades. The people who create these puzzles often start off as freelance writers or editors. It requires an excellent knowledge of language and the target audience should be understood. Most constructors work on a freelance basis, on a ‘per puzzle payment plan’. Crossword puzzle makers often have other writing jobs on the side.

Packaging Engineer
They are responsible for the development of effective packaging models for the organization. For this, a variety of tools and software applications are used in order to create packaging that fits the requirements. Three common activities that packaging engineers engage in are: New Product Development, Cost saving initiatives and Firefighting and Damage control. Packaging Engineers address many issues and opportunities that have a direct impact on the bottom line of a business.