Jobs You’ll Actually Like and What They Pay
When you’re looking for work, sometimes it can feel a bit hopeless. You put in hundreds of resumes for jobs you don’t even want, and you never hear back. You spend time going to interviews and filling in long applications online and it seems like it gets you nowhere.
And even when you get lucky enough to land the job, it’s not always what it was made out to be. They’re either getting you to do way more work than they said you’d be doing or it’s not the kind of work they told you it would be.
We spend on average a third of our lives at work so you might as well like what you do. With that in mind, let’s delve into these off-beat jobs you’ll actually like.
IT
It might surprise you to hear that Information Technology topped a survey in the US as the happiest sector with 73% of workers reporting positive feelings about their job.
Information Technology or IT is a field for those who have a knack for computers and everything tech. It’s not an industry that you can just walk into, you will need a degree in either computer science or information technology. But this field pays well and there’s always work going. It’s a stable career path with a good work / life balance, making it a good candidate for this list of jobs you’ll actually like.
Security
Security guards play an important role in our society, helping people and keeping people safe. It’s a fulfilling job to do. And because there’s a need for different kinds of security workers in different industries, this sector has something for everyone.
Security guards can work in retail, in Cash-in-Transit or concierge. There are security jobs in crowd control, the night club scene, concerts and in roving guard work, hospitals, university campuses and gatehouses. There’s a role out there to suit just about everyone, making this industry infinitely adaptable to your needs.
Security is not a job you can just walk into either though, you will need to complete a Certificate II in Security Operations. This course is short and sweet at only eight days long with some online work required before attending the face to face workshop in most states. Timeframe for completion in NSW, WA and VIC are slightly different. The course costs $1500 but there is also government funding available in some states for eligible participants. If you’re interested in knowing about this course, you can check it out here.
Movie Grip
If you’ve always dreamed of the glamour and glitz of the silver screen but don’t really fancy yourself as an actor, you could think about becoming a grip. A grip is responsible for the rigging of camera and lighting equipment. They are not in charge of the artistic choices of the lighting but rather the practical application of the lighting plan and the physical safety of the space.
Working in the movies is never a dull job, and you get to be doing something physical. You’re not just sitting at a desk, pushing papers around. There’s a real comrade that forms on set, leading to higher job satisfaction for film work. And when the project is finished you get to see the results of your work up there on the big screen.
Getting into this industry can be something you do through studying. You could look at doing a Diploma of Screen and Media, but for a lot of people in this industry it’s a role where you jump in and find your feet.
Extra
Speaking of the silver screen, one interesting job that a lot of people never really consider is being an extra in movies or tv shows. There is a lot of work available doing this, often times you are on call on the set and paid for the time, sometimes you’ll wear your own clothes, sometimes it’ll be costumed for period pieces. It’s an interesting job to do, especially if you’re looking for a stop gap between other things.
Being an extra doesn’t require any training, you can just rock up to open calls and sign up for extra work. And it’s one of the coolest jobs you could do, I mean how many of your friends are able to say they’ve met famous actors or can point to themselves in the background of a movie. It’s a pretty cool beer garden story.
Road work
Road workers help to build new roads and new pavements. They also work on repairing roads and fixing the cables running beneath roads. This job gets you out in the fresh open air, it’s physical and you’ll have a better tan than you got on your best holiday.
Road work is an in demand industry, so there will always be work going and it’s a great choice for those who don’t want to be tied to a desk.
Construction
Construction workers regularly top the list for best job satisfaction. You’re working with your hands, you’re out in the fresh air and you can see the work you’re doing building towards something. At the end of each day you can see how the build has progressed, which can provide you with immense personal satisfaction.
In construction you’ll need to be physically fit and a hard worker, you won’t wind up on job crews if you slack off. You will also need a white card. This is a half day course that will give you the basic training for being safe on a job site, you can check out the course here.
Distiller
Do you like whisky, scotch or gin? How about beer? Then this is going to be your dream job. Distillers are responsible for making the liquor. There are many different jobs within a distillery that you might do.
For example, to get your foot in the door you might become a distiller assistant. This person assists with the day-to-day operations of the distillery. Their jobs might include keeping the machinery running smoothly and keeping areas clean as well as monitoring the machinery. But you could work your way up to being a Blender. This person puts their superior taste and smell to the test, picking and choosing the combination of barrels to be blended in order to maintain the high standard of the brand.
There are courses you can take in order to learn the craft of distilling liquors from foundational skills all the way to Master distiller qualifications! You can check them out here.
Social Media Manager
If you’re good with words and into meme culture, you might make a good Social Media Manager. These jobs can vary vastly between different industries but basically, you’ll be writing captions, creating content, scheduling posts, completing community engagement and planning social media strategy.
Social media regularly tops the list as one of the best jobs for work / life balance. Depending on how you are employed and which clients you work with, you can often work from home and choose your own hours. You don’t have to have a degree to work in social media management, but some qualifications will help you break into the industry. Check out our Certificate IV in Marketing and Communications. This will help you learn some of the skills you’ll need for this exciting industry.
Have you found a career you’re interested in switching too? if you’re considering a career change you can check out our courses here or get in touch with get in touch with us and we can help you choose the right career path for you.