Lina's Tips: Dig into Some Unconventional Career Ideas

By Lina Badih
Staff Editor

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a private investigator but thought it was probably a silly idea? Do you know what greeting card writers do 40 hours a week? Obviously, they write cards. But do they sit at a desk and write all day, or do they do other things? What do you know about actuaries, cytologists, speech pathologists, antique dealers, bridal consultants, facialists, muralists or recipe tasters?

There are thousands of jobs in the world today, some less conventional and well known than others. If you're about to launch your career, change careers or choose a major for school, now is the perfect time for you to discover new career ideas.

Research your interests, whether at the library, on the net or even with self-help books. You'll be surprised to find out how many fields of study translate into unconventional and sometimes lucrative professions that you may never have heard of.

If you're into history, for example, but have decided not to study it due to fear of not finding work after graduation, think again. History graduates do have career choices, other than academically-oriented jobs, like becoming genealogical services specialists who work for private genealogical services firms and research genealogies. Another not-so-obvious option would be foreign service officers who represent their country in foreign posts, or intelligence officers who research and analyze geopolitical issues on behalf of the government. History graduates also make good journalists because of their extensive knowledge of historical events and their political implications.

That was only a sample for those interested in history, but there exists a multitude of opportunities in each field. Allowing for creativity in exploring the jobs in your fields of interest will dramatically increase your options and thus the probability that you will end up with a job that suits you.