Canada's Weirdest Jobs Include Dog Food Taster & Snake Milker & You Can Make Up To $95K
Fancy a career change?
Dog treats. Right: A medical professional carrying a snake.
If you've been thinking about shaking things up a bit, why not consider applying for one of the most unique jobs in Canada?
Employment company Indeed has released a new list of what it describes as the most "interesting and weird" jobs in Canada, and some of these roles are surprisingly well paid, too!
So, if you're looking to step away from a traditional career path, here are some of Canada's most unusual jobs – and how much you could get paid to do them.
Professional sleeper
Average salary: $45,542 per year
A professional sleeper is someone who "typically works in scientific research, analyzing sleep patterns and testing mattresses, pillows and quilts," according to Indeed.
In other words, yes, they get paid to sleep. Talk about a dream job!
Unfortunately, there is more to it than just sleeping though, as you'd have to create reports on your experiences, use sleep aids, and take sleeping pills for medical trials.
And, of course, you'd have to be very comfortable "sleeping with monitoring devices connected to your body."
Further proof that sleeping well is a skill, eh?
Colour specialist
Average salary: $40,181 per year
If you love colours, becoming a "colour specialist" could be the perfect job for you.
As for what a colour specialist does, it's apparently "recommending the best colours for homes, company buildings, hairstyles and brand logos."
Colour specialists also have to know colour psychology, monitor decorating trends, and "have the research skills to discover the best colour combinations."
Does that sound like you? If so, you could stand to earn a decent buck.
Bereavement coordinator
Average salary: $95,017 per year
A bereavement coordinator helps families with terminally ill or recently deceased loved ones.
The job includes psychological and social assessments of families, while developing and implementing care plans, and helping patients access social or educational support services, according to Indeed.
So in this role you'd be able to help people… and the pay isn't bad either.
Dog food taster
Average salary: $34,139 per year
As weird as it sounds, you could actually earn money by tasting dog food for a living.
According to Indeed, a dog food taster "evaluates" dog food by tasting it, and writing nutrition reports on it, and reflecting on ways to improve it.
You'd have to consider everything, from the flavour of the food, to the texture and the smell.
If you have the stomach for it, this could be an interesting (and fairly well-paid) gig.
Horticultural therapist
Average salary: $30.43 per hour
If you enjoy helping people improve their lives and have a green thumb, this role will help you to combine these skills.
A horticultural therapist is a person who improves their patients lives by "engaging them in gardening and plant-based activites," according to Indeed.
They also collaborate with landscape designers to design spaces, so if you're looking for a job that combines creativity, emotional intelligence and greenery, look no further.
Online reviewer
Average salary: $50,659 per year
If you're one of those people who enjoys leaving reviews for products or services, why not get paid for doing it?
You can actually stand to earn money as an online reviewer by writing about your experiences and then rating them.
"Reviewers usually specialize in products such as cosmetics, restaurants or video games," according to Indeed.
Snake milker
Average salary: $19.21 per hour
Without a doubt, one of the most unusual jobs on the list is a snake milker.
Before you let your imagination run wild, snake milkers don't actually extract milk, but a snake's venom.
The purpose is to support research processes.
As Indeed puts it, "showing attention to detail and excellent hand-eye coordination are essential skills to develop for this position."
A love for reptiles might also help.
Apart from this, Indeed also lists acupuncturists, podiatrists and Ayurvedic physicians as unique roles if you want a break from a traditional career path.
However, if earning the big bucks is what you're really looking for, recruitment company Randstad Canada listed the highest paying jobs in Canada for 2023, and the top roles might actually surprise you.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.