Ten incredible dream jobs - which one suits you?
When you were growing up, did you really want to be a health and safety adviser/administrator/traffic warden? Most of us feel that once the dream of being a Premiership footballer/pop star is dead, then there's only a parade of mediocre options left - so it doesn't matter what we pick - but we're wrong. A new study has revealed there are plenty of exciting options left.
If you're holding your breath for the end of the week, then it might be worth a quick browse of some of the more exciting options out there in the jobs market - collated by online ticket booking agency, FloridaTix.com.
We reveal ten of our favourites:
1. Lego constructor
Legoland employs senior constructors at around £8.20 an hour, and there are a number of opportunities around the world - including the home of Lego in Denmark. Of course, as one Lego artist discovered this week, when children and Lego are involved, there's always the risk of a rampaging 4-year-old destroying your creations, so it's best not to get too attached.
2. Waterslide tester
This job was apparently advertised in Dubai, with a salary of £20,000. Presumably you'll need to be able to swim, you need to have great faith in engineers, plus you'll need a head for heights and an appetite for adrenaline.
3. Island Keeper
This is not only an amazing job, it pays £78,000 a year too. Moyenne Island in Australia was the first to employ a 'keeper', but private islands all over the world require a caretaker: keeping an eye on the island and the sea surrounding it, ensuring the owner's property and estate is up to scratch, and being able to get it ready for them to drop in at any time.
4. Ice cream taster
This isn't something you can fall into, because you'll need a degree in food science, and a passion for ice cream. At the top of your game, however, you'll be well rewarded for it, with a salary of £41,000. There are vacancies around the world, but one of the most attractive has to be in Italy, where you'll be able to taste your way through gallons of ice cream in the country most suited to it.
5. Scuba instructor
You will need all your certifications and first aid skills, but once you have enough experience under your belt, you could make £27,500 a year diving in spectacular locations like the Caribbean. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.
6. Toy designer
If you're imaginative, creative, and a child at heart, then you might want to arm yourself with a degree in industrial design and get yourself into toy design. You can look forward to a salary of up to £40,000, with opportunities to play with ideas (and toys) for a living.
7. Outback adventurer
The Australian Tourist board sponsors these jobs - so there's an element of marketing here. However, if you demonstrate your resourcefulness, sense of adventure and love of nature, you could make £52,000 a year exploring the outback.
8. Great Barrier Reef caretaker
This is another dream job designed in part to draw attention to the natural wonders available to tourists in Australia. However this one will require a MSc in Marine Biology, and pays £36,500 a year - during which time you'll be expected to enjoy the area thoroughly and let the world know about the attractions of the reef.
9. Chocolate taster
In 2010 Green and Black's advertised for a chocolate taster, on a £35,000-a-year salary. The company threw their applications process open to all, and finally selected their successful candidate in a taste challenge involving the final five applicants.
10. Elephant keeper
Woburn safari park is currently looking for an elephant keeper. The role includes training and cleaning the animals - so unsurprisingly they are looking for someone with some experience of elephants - as well as the appropriate qualifications. Details of the salary are available on application.
If you're struggling to narrow it down, floridatix has put together a quiz to help you pick. But what do you think: toy designer or island keeper - both surely have to be better than life as a litter warden or dog poo DNA tester, don't they?
