Top 10 Odd Jobs with Good Pay

In the following article, I will try to cite the top 10 careers that very few people choose but are easy to study with fairly good pay and benefits. These benefits not only include the health care benefits but also lots of free time, less stress and hassle.

Landscape Architect

This job is for those great outdoors people with a deep appreciation for nature, beauty and symmetry. It is essential to have good writing and research skills and a positive attitude to work with other professionals such as architects, engineers and contractors to make sure your landscaping designs are compatible with the project or building being build. The starting salary is usually around 36K but after 5 years it goes up to 48K and within 10 years, you will be making a easy 80,000 US dollars. You can get more information at the American Society of Landscape Architects here.

Close Protection Officer or a Bodyguard

Bodyguards work with politicians, celebrities, millionaires and other great public figures wherever they go and face long hours of continuous work and become involved in bizarre situations. However, this career is not for the faint of heart. It requires nerves of steel, quick reaction and gut instincts. Your main objective is to ensure the safety of your client at all cost and most bodyguards tend to become almost like a member of their client's family or their shadow. The starting salary is usually around 34K and within 5 years, you will be making 60K and anywhere over 10 years will get you over 187K US dollars. You can sign up with either the US secret services or The International Bodyguard Association. A few websites you can visit is secretservice.gov or ibabodyguards.com or 1adsi.com

Customs Agent

Anything that comes across the US borders need to clear customs and as such, this organization deals with anything from child pornography to drugs to guns and money laundering. This job is very much “by the book” because an agent will have to follow tons of protocol and ensure that the 500 or so custom laws are enforced. You are also expected to keep tabs on criminals, talk to informants, checking evidence and attending briefing meetings with prosecutors and the court. Your starting salary will range from 40K to 50K and within 5 years, you can be making up to 80K. If you stick around to over 10-15 years, you can easily make 112K US Dollars. More information can be received at the US Federal Government Jobs website at usajobs.opm.gov

FBI Agent

The FBI specializes in crime investigating, prevention, counter terrorism, and counter intelligence work and domestic & international information monitoring. The role of the FBI has drastically increased since 911, giving it powers that can even match the CIA with regards to the domestic policy. An agent interacts with local law enforcement agencies, meeting with bosses or informants, conducting investigations or filing reports. Starting salary is around 50K, and within 5 years it goes up to 77K and by 10 years, you will be making 106K US Dollars. You can join the FBI or get more information at fbijobs.gov

Outside Sales Representative

An outside sales representative deals with marketing products and tools to the customers, either electronically or by phone or physically. Depending on what type of company, most representatives specialize in one aspect of the industry or in one area of the country. For the best results in your relationship with the customers, you must have indebt knowledge of your company and its products. Usually a undergraduate degree in this area is required for a success start for your career making 30K plus any bonuses or sales commission you receive. Within 5 years, a representative can make up to 65K with bonuses and sales commission and in 10 years, they can make 102K plus bonuses and commissions. This is a great lucrative field in an age where electronic information flow is the greatest asset to a company's success. For more information, you can always visit nira.org or hira.org

Diplomat or Attaché or Foreign Service Officer

The foreign service officers represent the US or their country through the world in many international, national and local administrative offices, embassies and consulates. They handle the problems of Americans abroad including negotiating for multi-national corporations, fixing issues regarding legal documents, or providing public information to another nation's government or its nationals. Diplomats work under the State Department and are send overseas anywhere from 2-4 years at a time. Much of this job requires making reports, collecting facts, writing speeches, proofreading, reading and staying up to date with information. Candidates for this job is encouraged to have strong writing and reading skills. Depending on the extend of your education and experience, you can either make a starting salary of 40K to 55K and within 10 years be making over 90K US Dollars. You can visit the State Department's website for more information or the UN; State.gov/employment or un.org or fpa.org