People have opened up about ‘weird’ jobs they’ve had in the UK that ‘paid well’ and there is one that stands out in particular.
Getting into the world of employment isn’t easy, whether you’ve just finished your studies and are looking for your first job or are coming back from a career break. Some people also want a second job so they can have more than one source of income, boosting their personal finance.
However, it can be hard to decide what kind of job you want, with there being so many opportunities out there. After being unsuccessful in getting a job in your desired field, you might start to have a look for alternatives and one important factor all jobseekers consider is the salary as people search for a job that will allow them to meet their needs.
Members of a Reddit forum shared unusual jobs they’ve had in the UK in the past after a user asked: “What’s a ‘weird’ or unexpected job you’ve had in the UK that actually paid well?”
The user added: “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?”
Their post garnered more than 80 responses and more than one person revealed that they have been employed as a mystery shopper. The top comment reads: 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 former mystery shopper also shared that they were paid £150 to go to a single store that was 50 miles away from them and they were reimbursed for their travel costs. Another Reddit user recalled their experience of mystery shopping: “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.”
According to the UK job search website Indeed, businesses use mystery shoppers to “gain valuable insights into the quality of their customer service or products from an anonymous consumer perspective. Mystery shoppers traditionally visit a shop in person but modern mystery shopping assignments may also take place via telephone, on the company website or through social media, as per Indeed.
The job search website explains: “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.”
Besides mystery shopping, other ‘weird’ jobs that surfaced in the Reddit post include cleaning, test administration and background acting. One user said: “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.
“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.”
Someone else replied to the post: “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.”
You can see what jobs are available in your local area by checking online job boards, such as Indeed, CV Library and Reed.
