Employment

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Think Outside the Cubicle

4 In-Demand, Office-Free Careers
by Erika Malzberg, LiveCareer


If you dream of breaking free from the padded confines of your cubicle, you're not alone. "Office jobs aren't for everyone," says David Rosen, author of What's That Job and How the Hell Do I Get it? "Some people find comfort in of the stability of office life. Others find themselves yearning to be on the move."

If you're not the desk-job type, maybe you should consider a high-paying and in-demand job that will get you out of the office. Here are four examples:

Doula

Play a supporting role in the miracle of life. Doulas are trained to provide physical, emotional, and informational guidance to mothers before, during, and after birth. They usually assist births in clients' homes or hospital rooms. Find out if being a doula is the right job for you.

Median salary: Variable. You can earn $250-$1,000 for each client, according to CostHelper.com.

Interesting fact: According to some studies, labors are 25% shorter and with fewer complications with the support of a doula.

Environmental Scientist

Green-collar jobs, for people who want to save the planet, involve both leg work and desk work. Environmental scientists collect samples in the field, do lab work and write proposals. As an added bonus, you can look forward to the occasional helicopter "commute" to work!

Median salary: $58,400, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Interesting fact: The country that emits the most greenhouse gasses? China passed the U.S. in 2006-2007.

Entrepreneur

More than 10 million people in the US are trying to start a new business. The attraction is the ability to work for yourself doing something that you truly feel passionate about. Entrepreneurs are always on the go -- meeting with employees, customers, investors, vendors -- solving problems and overseeing general operations.

It takes more than just a good idea to start your own business. Successful entrepreneurs share traits such as creativity, risk tolerance, and a desire for autonomy. You can take an entrepreneur test to find out if you've got what it takes to start your own thriving business.

Median salary: Highly variable, from owing money in the early months or years to earning billions of dollars annually.

Interesting fact: CEOs at 43% of Inc. 500 companies said they began their companies with less than $10,000.

Event Planner

While life is not just one big party for event planners, it's definitely a great gig for people who love working with people and coordinating details from flower arrangements and menus to transportation and AV equipment.

Event planners work in non-office settings to plan and finalize all details related to a variety of events including seminars, conferences, trade shows, retreats, golf tournaments, fundraisers, weddings, and other programs.

Median salary: $43,500, according to BLS.

Interesting fact: More than 2.3 million people are expected to attend the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Now that's an event that will need more than one event planner!

Interested in learning which work environments suit you best? Take a free career interest test to discover the types of jobs and work settings that are right for you.


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