Sometimes it seems like the most exciting careers are reserved exclusively for characters in movies and TV shows. But did you know that a lot of those too-good-to-be-true jobs exist in real life?
These are 3 of the coolest careers you can actually turn into a successful profession.
1. Private Investigator
Getting paid to catch crims and solve mysteries sounds a lot more exciting than working a typical 9 to 5 job, right?
A lot of private investigation work isn’t actually concerned with criminal behaviour, though – a lucrative niche of this industry involves providing proof of infidelity for clients who suspect their partners of being unfaithful. You may have seen reality TV shows based on such a concept, where a camera crew follows someone around in an attempt to catch them in the act of cheating on their partner.
The real-life version of these kind of investigations are much more discreet; companies like Infidelity Investigators focus solely on catching out cheating partners by using techniques such as surveillance, GPS trackers and video evidence. Thanks to skyrocketing rates of adultery, this industry is booming.
2. Forensic Pathologist
Anyone who grew up watching crime drama shows should know exactly what forensic pathology entails. It is not for the fainthearted – a forensic pathologist is responsible for gathering physical evidence from crimes scenes and dead bodies in order to aid police investigations.
In TV shows, they are usually super cool and quirky, and they have a knack for finding that one piece of vital evidence that goes on to solve the case. They may make it look so easy, but in reality, it takes a lot of natural skill, several years of studying and a strong disposition to be a successful forensic pathologist. But if you can handle it, this is the kind of job that would never get boring.
3. Spy
If you always dreamt of becoming a spy, but you don’t happen to work for the British Secret Service and prefer your martinis stirred rather than shaken, a career in international espionage may feel out of reach.
However, despite what you may have seen in movies, not all spies are recruited. These days, you can actually apply to become a spy in some countries, although the selection process is notoriously difficult. For starters, you will probably need to speak at least two different languages fluently and have the ability to stay cool under pressure.
Think you’ve got what it takes? There’s nothing to stop you from trying to become the next James Bond.
Now that you know these kinds of jobs actually exist outside of the fictional world, could you see yourself switching professions? They may not be the easiest or most conventional career paths to follow, but who wants a boring job anyway?