Quirky, off-beat, unusual jobs I've had. POST TEN

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by GordonJ

General George Custer, hmm.

Sounds like you've had some interesting gigs too.

Anyone else?

That's great!

I realize, many jobs which don't seem "unusual" to me, may be unusual to others!

A few (in random order)...

- (As a kid) Sold what they called "footy records" at Australian Football matches. The "footy records" were booklets which contained interesting facts about the teams, the players, etc., for that particular match. (I lived not too far away from a major football stadium.) We'd stand outside the front gates and sell them to people as they walked in. Later, as the match commenced, we'd also walk among the stands selling them to the fans. After the match was over, we'd sell the afternoon newspaper. Mostly the fans of the losing team would buy a newspaper, to take their mind off of the match result! Our selling technique was pretty much just yelling "Records!" when selling the "footy records." To sell the newspaper (then called "The Herald"), we'd just yell out "Herald!" Not all that sophisticated!

- Sold discount tickets for a comedy club to a "cold" list straight out of the phone book. The idea was to make sure the show was full every night, as a comedy performance seems "funnier" when there's a full house, and more people laughing, compared to when it's half empty. We sold to a "cold" phone book list so the discount ticket sales wouldn't cannibalize the full-priced ticket sales. The only way to get the heavily discounted tickets was if you got a cold call from us.

- Was hired to speak "conversational English" via the internet with the company's customers in South Korea. Wasn't high pay, but it was fun! This job led to the next job...

- Taught how to teach English to prospective English teachers in South Korea (even though I had never taught English before)... I didn't realize this is what I was signing up for when I signed up! (I thought I was just teaching English, not teaching English teachers how to teach English!) However, it was a good adventure...

- University researcher and later also a university lecturer in physics (specializing in quantum physics)

- Did physics-related consulting work for a textiles research group that had a "thermal manikin" which could heat up and sweat. (Technically this was my own business.)

- Co-founded a company to import products into West Africa (also a business rather than a job)

Hmm... I guess there is some "unusual stuff" there...

One of these days I might want to do one of those "tour guide" type businesses, where you take people on interesting local tours. (Even just walking tours.) I haven't done that one yet... I think it would be a fun way to make moolah.

Best wishes,

Dien