Mascha Tace / Shutterstock.com
We all know about career paths for positions we interact with regularly—we see actors in movies and on television, go to the doctor for regular appointments, and eat food cooked by chefs at restaurants. But many other jobs go unnoticed; out of sight, out of mind. Whether you’re wanting more options to consider for your own career, or you’re just curious what’s out there, we’ve got you covered. Here are seven obscure career paths to peak your interest.
1. Community Manager: There are a few different job responsibilities that fall under the title of community manager. All involve managing housing communities or neighborhoods, including planning activities for residents, managing day-to-day communications and tasks, enforcing community policies, and handling resident’s issues. Managed communities are becoming increasingly popular; in addition to frequent neighborhood activities, they also often boast landscaping in communal areas, and integrate stores and businesses into the community. Look for the number of positions for this career to be increasing in coming years. If you’re interested, consider a degree in real estate or business administration.
2. Risk Analyst: If you’ve ever wondered how insurance companies decide what rates to charge, how businesses decide on the costs of risks they’re considering taking, or how a variety of other decisions are made, then you may be interested in this field. Though risk analysis immediately evokes the thought of finance, there are other types of risk analyst positions, including those who work for the EPA and assess potential environmental risks and those who study legislation to determine how it will affect a business and how to maintain compliance. Most positions, though, do require a finance-related bachelor’s or master’s degree.
3. Crowdsourcing Manager: With the rise in popularity of crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe, IndieGoGo, and KickStarter, comes the need for someone to manage individual fundraising campaigns. Although you’ll need a reliable internet connection, this flexible position doesn’t require much in the way of formal skills. However, marketing experience and the ability to talk to people would definitely be useful.
4. Industrial-Organizational Psychologist: This type of psychologist works for a company or organization to affect employee behavior. This may include working with upper-level management or human resources to improve employee performance, increase compliance with rules and regulations, or decrease the number of safety violations. Industrial-organizational psychologists may use techniques like adding visual reminders for safety tasks or using incentive programs for performance to achieve the outcomes a company is looking for. This career typically requires a master’s degree or PhD in psychology; management and business coursework may also prove useful.
5. Technical Illustrator: Ever wondered who draws the pictures that come with the instructions for appliances, furniture, and toys? Whether you’ve experienced really good diagrams that helped you complete a project, or poor illustrations that frustrated you to no end, you’ve undoubtedly used these before. If you’re technically and artistically inclined, this might be a good path for you to pursue. This career often requires a fine arts degree and a knowledge of illustration software.
6. Menu Engineer: Whether a trendy joint with just a few selections, or a mom-and-pop café with pages of choices, the formatting, layout, and wording of any restaurant’s menu is a distinct decision. A menu engineer helps get these details just right to increase profitability for the restaurant. This field doesn’t have a specific degree requirement, but courses in psychology, marketing, and graphic design would be useful.
7. Activity Coordinator: Anywhere that people go in groups—hotels, resorts, assisted living communities, and even hospitals—has an activity coordinator to plan appropriate events and excursions. These activities keep participants active and encourage relationships to form within a group. At a vacation resort, activities may include exploring the surrounding area, pool parties, and group meals. Alternately, in an assisted living community, the activities are more likely to include organized card games, movies, and trips to local shopping areas. Wherever they are, activity coordinators directly impact the happiness of those around them.
Whether you feel like you know your future career path or you’re still looking, pay attention to the behind-the-scenes jobs that make our day-to-day lives better.
Have another career to add to our list? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram!
