According to a 2018 study by Korn Ferry, the number-one reason why workers are actively seeking a new position is because they’re bored.
While even the best job has its admin duties or paperwork responsibilities, there is no shortage of fun jobs to be had. Everyone’s definition of fun at work will be different (I’ve met some pretty happy data analysts), it seems that the more off-beat the job is, the more fun you might have in your day-to-day.
We’ve compiled a list of fun jobs that really exist and are anything but boring. If you are seeking an exciting, and certainly unique, career—look no further.
1. Professional cuddler
Sites like Cuddle Comfort and The Snuggle Buddies connect “cuddlers” with clients in need of a hug and some good old-fashioned snuggles. You can get paid up to $60 per hour plus tips for being extra snuggly, even if you are an amateur.
2. Chocolate sculptor
Your mom always told you not to play with your food…but what if you told her you could make a career out of it? These skilled confection sculptors can craft a corporate logo, an Easter bunny, even a likeness of Yoda, and anything else you can dream up, all purely out of chocolate. Some artists can sell their delicious creations for up to $4,500 a piece !
3. Wolf biologist
Wolf biologists can earn about $60,000 annually to spend time in forests and woodland areas observing, tagging, and recording wolves, making this a perfect gig for nature lovers. This position does require at least a bachelor’s degree in biology or a wildlife-related major, and possibly a master’s degree for a deeper understanding of the subject. Awoo.
4. Water jet pack instructor
Picture a jet ski instructor, but take it up a notch. Like literally straight up. These water-loving pros essentially teach people how to fly with a water jet pack, all while riding around on a jet ski all day. With boat and personal watercraft experience, CPR certification, and a clean driving record, you could be living an adventure seeker’s dream in no time.
5. LEGO model designer
LEGO Group (3.7 stars) employs a whole team of designers who build amazing statues and life-size models solely from their colorful iconic bricks.
Think you have what it takes? These designers typically have a degree in 3D arts, industrial design, or architecture and they pass “The Test” of building a small head out of Legos in just four hours! If you prove yourself, you could make around $40,000 a year to basically play with LEGO all day.
6. Professional zombie
Does waking up every morning for work have you walking around like a zombie? You could be ready for your next career move. Tourist attractions like the London Dungeon and other historical or Halloween-themed destinations hire people to dress up as zombies and other monsters to scare willing guests. The walking dead typically have a degree in acting or theatre and make around $16 per hour.
7. Guinness World Records adjudicator
Grab your guideline book and stopwatch and get ready to hit the road! Adjudicators, or Guinness Records judges, are sent all over the world to officiate record-breaking attempts—from the longest human tunnel travelled through by a skateboarding dog to the baking of the world’s largest Jaffa cake—and ensure all rules are met. Play a part of history in the making and start making an average of $49,000 per year.
8. Escape room game designer
Spend your 40 hours trying to stump the puzzle-inclined. Companies like The Great Escape Room and Immersive Tech employ designers with virtual reality or game design experience to dream up creative and complex maps for close to $40,000 a year.
9. Puzzle cataloger
The Strong National Museum of Play recently posted a job for a puzzle cataloger, which entails putting together a collection of 7,500 jigsaw puzzles just complete enough to identify what the image contains along with what time period and country in which it originated. The perfect candidate would have a degree in museum studies, history, or humanities, a strong knowledge of historical events, and undoubtedly, a great amount of patience!
10. Volcanologist
Coming in at an average salary of $91,000, this job will have you erupting with joy. Volcanologists study findings on volcanic activity and will often travel to both active and dormant volcano sites to pull samples. The position does require a decent amount of education, as all volcanologists hold a bachelor’s degree in geology, geophysics, or earth science, and most also have a master’s or doctorate degree.
11. Professional sleeper
Okay, so technically your title would be something like "research study subject," but the job description is this: get paid to sleep. Universities and scientists conducting research and companies developing sleep products hire people to sleep so they can be studied or test their new products. You'll most likely be asked to sleep in a lab, though some testing can be done in your home. Keep in mind, though, that sometimes the point of a study is to keep you from sleeping, so it's not necessarily all sweet dreams.
12. Colonial village or historic site actor/interpreter
People with a strong interest in history, with some acting skills on the side, will never want to leave work with this career…and some never do!
Actors in colonial villages and historic sites play the roles of famous leaders, blacksmiths, soldiers, and more to educate visitors on the history and importance of the time and place. For the interpreters at the iconic Colonial Williamsburg, some members of the community make the position their real life, living, working, and immersing themselves in the colonial way of living.
13. Waterslide tester
Okay, this is a fun job.
Are you a water bug with a need for speed? For $34,000 a year, you can get paid to test water slides all around the world. These lucky few examine new waterslide designs to rate their fun factor. No degree required, just the desire to travel and maybe a little social media experience. The only stipulation is that you are 18 or older and willing to get a little wet!
Looking for a fun job you’ll actually love?
Check out our guide to finding a job you love (no really) or use our company match tool to find a company that values the same things you do (fun included).
