People have shared their experiences with ‘unusual’ jobs in the UK that ‘paid well’, highlighting one job in particular that caught attention. Navigating the job market can be a challenge, whether you’re fresh out of education seeking your first role in the world of employment or returning from a career break.
Some people look for a second job to diversify their income streams, enhancing their financial stability. Choosing the right job can be daunting given the wide range of options available. After facing hurdles in securing a position within your preferred sector, you might begin exploring alternative paths, and salary is a key consideration for jobseekers.
A Reddit forum became a hub for sharing stories about unusual jobs in the UK when a user asked the question: “What’s a ‘weird’ or unexpected job you’ve had in the UK that actually paid well?”
The user elaborated: “We always hear about the usual office roles, retail, or hospitality jobs – but I’m curious about the less typical ones.
“Have you ever had a random or niche job in the UK that turned out to be surprisingly good in terms of pay or experience?”
The query sparked over 80 replies, with multiple participants disclosing their stint as mystery shoppers.
The most upvoted comment stated: “I have one. I once worked as a mystery shopper for an actual legit company.
“They assigned me to go to multiple shops in the same area (for example ten shops in a 1 mile radius) and all I had to do was purchase a drink/knife and check if I get ID’d or not – describe the person serving me, what they were wearing, the time of day, take a few photos outside and on to the next.
“I would get paid about £7 each – but as I did ten in a day, it would be a nice £70 for 1-2 hours work – as a student ten years ago, this was amazing.”
The ex-mystery shopper revealed they once received £150 to visit a single store located 50 miles away, with travel expenses covered.
Another Reddit user recounted their mystery shopping ventures: “I’ve done a lot of mystery shopping, too. I’m always kind to the staff.
“I try and direct any critical comments towards the organisation rather than individual staff members. I’ve had some good freebies out of it.”
Indeed, the UK job search platform, states the purpose of mystery shoppers is for a business to gather crucial insights regarding customer service quality or product feedback from the view of an anonymous consumer.
Mystery shoppers usually visit a shop in person but modern approaches may extend to phone calls, company websites, or social media interactions.
The job search website provides a clear explanation: “Mystery shopping occurs when a third-party company hires individuals to visit or contact a shop, restaurant or another service while posing as real customers.
“While pretending to be an authentic customer, the mystery shopper evaluates different elements of the customer experience.
“The hiring organisation then uses the feedback from the mystery shopper to identify areas where they can improve their customer service or products.”
Other than mystery shopping, the Reddit thread highlighted more ‘weird’ jobs like cleaning, test administration, and background acting.
One contributor shared: “I’m an NHS cleaner. I get £17.58 per hour because I work nights. It’s my dream job in many ways. Zero interaction with the general public and minimal interaction with coworkers.”
They added the perk of significant leave time: “Generous leave allowance too. 43 days, including bank holidays. I’d always recommend it to people who aren’t career minded. Get a couple of good podcasts lined up, and your shift will fly by.”
Another person chimed in about their role: “Background actor for films/movies. Around £100 per day to essentially just walk around. Food/travel/expenses also paid for. Have been in a range of movies/TV.”
If you’re curious about what unusual or standard jobs might be available locally, you can have look at online job boards, like Indeed, CV Library and Reed for current listings.
Source – https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/real-life/people-reveal-weird-jobs-paid-31624063