11 Surprising, Wacky and Out-There Jobs From a Fortnite tutor to a Netflix binge watcher, these jobs are off the beaten path.
By Rose Leadem
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
When you ask what someone does for a living, the likelihood of hearing a job related to marketing, finance, events or technology is high. But perhaps if chance has it, you'll meet someone with one of today's wackiest, out-there jobs, such as pet detective, professional apologizer or Fortnite tutor.
Related: 4 Life Lessons From Odd Jobs You Thought Had Nothing to Teach
That's right, thanks to the popularity of video game Fortnite, parents are willing to hire tutors for their children with the hope they'll qualify for a college scholarship in esports. Meanwhile, Netflix is literally paying people to "Netflix and chill," hiring them to binge-watch TV shows and movies. The wealthy 1 percent is also paying big bucks to interior designers who will decorate and furnish their private jets. Sounds nice, right?
Here are 11 out-there and wacky jobs.
Bloomberg | Getty ImagesFortnite tutor
Turns out your video game obsession could also make you good money. The highly popular game, Fortnite, which took the world by storm this past year, has become so widespread that parents are actually looking to hire Fortnite tutors for their children. With hopes that a Fortnite tutor will help their children up their gaming skills enough so to land them a college scholarship for esports, these gaming instructors are making up to $20 an hour by simply mentoring other aspiring gamers.
Westend61 | Getty ImagesPet food taster
Before feeding it to pets, companies like to test pet food on humans first. That's why a pet food taster is actually a real thing. However, don't underestimate the responsibilities of a pet food taster. If you're hoping to go into the business of pet food, a background in science or nutrition will better your chances. In addition to taste testing pet food (and usually spitting it out after), pet food testers also write up reports and seek nutritional improvements on lines of pet foods.
Warner Bros.Pet detective
Move over Ace Ventura -- pet detectives are not just in the movies. People are willing to pay big bucks to hire help finding their lost or stolen pets. If you've got a good eye for finding things and a soft spot for furry friends, becoming a pet detective could be the right move. There are a number of companies and entrepreneurs that offer pet detective services and some even get paid up to $1,000 a job.
Bloomberg | Getty ImagesProfessional apologizer
Here's the sorriest job you've ever heard of: a professional apologizer. Who exactly hires these apologizers? Airlines, of course. In 2010, it was reported that Southwest had a dedicated group of employees on their customer service team responsible for handling situations and complaints that occurred on flights and apologizing to all of the passengers within 24 hours. While handling angry airplane passengers might sound exhausting, it's not a bad gig -- an apologizer makes more than your average school teacher.
Related: 50 Jobs, Gigs and Side Hustles You Can Do From Home
wutwhanfoto | Getty ImagesNetflix binge watcher
Netflix, chill and get paid for it? Sounds like a dream, right? Well, it turns out it's an achievable dream. Earlier this year, Netflix was hiring someone to literally watch television all workday long. According to the job description, the person was to "watch, research, rate, tag, annotate and write analysis for movie and TV content."
Konstantin Trubavin | Getty ImagesDog surfing instructor
If you love to hit the waves, why not teach your skills to a furry friend? Loews Hotel in Southern California has a team of surfing instructors, and one who specifically gets paid to train some pampered pups on the sport of surfing. There are also a number of small businesses that offer surf lessons for dogs, including Good Kharma Surf and Hellen Woodward Animal Center.
Image Source RF/DreamPictures | Getty ImagesProfessional cuddler
Sometimes you just need a hug -- even if it comes at a cost. You'd be surprised how many people will pay someone to simply cuddle with them (and no, this isn't some weird Craigslist ad). From Cuddle Up to Me to Cuddlist and Snuggle Buddies, there are a number of companies that pay employees to snuggle up next to strangers. Customers will pay anywhere between $60 to $400 for a cuddle.
Bj Hong/EyeEm | Getty ImagesFortune cookie writer
Those small notes wedged into your post-chow mein cookie don't just magically appear. Instead, fortune cookie writers are working hard to write your future in one short sentence. Many food manufacturing companies hire freelance fortune cookie writers to get the job done. All you've got to do is be creative, witty and philosophical (because hey, no one wants the "You will be hungry again in an hour" fortune). Just last year, America's top fortune cookie writer, Donald Lau of Wonton Foods, stepped down after 30 years of fortune writing.
Related: Which Job Would You Have Had in the 1920s? (Infographic)
JGI/Jamie Grill | Getty ImagesFood stylist
Thanks to the rise of Instagram, food stylists have become highly sought after. What started as a career styling food for magazines and cookbooks has skyrocketed into a field full of opportunity and growth. Food stylists partner with restaurants, Instagram accounts, influencers, chefs and more to perfectly prepare and present food to be photographed. There are courses and certifications offered in food styling, and food stylists make an average $62,000 a year.
AirJet DesignsPrivate jet interior designer
With an eye for design and a knowledge of aviation, private jet interior designers specialize in impeccably furnishing and designing the inside of aircrafts for the rich and famous. Not only that, but the market is saturated with interior design firms that specialize in private jets, and given their typical consumer, it's likely a high paying career path.
Bounce | Getty ImagesProfessional bridesmaid
From the planning to the shopping and the guest lists, weddings are exhausting. That's why a professional bridesmaid can help. A professional bridesmaid gets paid to help ease the wedding stress by offering support, assistance in wedding decisions and ultimately, temporary friendship. In addition to helping brides, professional bridesmaid companies such as Bridesmaid for Hire and A Professional Bridesmaid offer services for grooms, maid of honors, groomsmen, families and toast givers. A professional bridesmaid can make up to $1,000 a day.
