From College Monthly magazine (September, 1974)
If you’re beginning your senior year in school, chances are you’ve felt the first tinges of paranoia about what you’re going to be doing the rest of your life. Well, don’t despair. Contrary to your parent’s and society’s popular belief, you don’t have to decide now what you want to be when you grow up. You can hang out, et another degree or decide to cope with the reality of making a living. Lest you think the latter alternative to be perversely onerous, the editors of this magazine have done some research to spare you some neurotic damage. Escaping from the academic cocoon can be thoroughly enlightening or a downright bummer – depending on how you are equipped.
Hence, this story was borne from the idea that most of us are looking for gigs more satisfying than what’s in column A or Column B on your guidance counselor’s list. We thumbed through the pages of College Placement Annual 1974, where we found 454 pages worth of tedious company listings.
So we’ve assembled capsule summaries of 30 alternate professions we think you should consider. If you’re obsessed with becoming a doctor, lawyer, teacher, salesperson, engineer, then stop reading. This article is not for you. Some professions are esoteric and low paying. Others require advanced degrees and some do not even require a high school diploma. Yet we feel most of them are occupations you may not necessarily think of if you’ve been relying on your placement center. We tried to avoid overcrowded professions and attempted to anticipate which areas might be opening up in the near future.
There’s a good chance none of the following alternatives will interest you, but hopefully, they will titillate your sense of self-forget about what your parents want you to be – you can do whatever you want, and change your mind at any time. Who knows? Anything you fall into could be fine until you find the right one… the right one… the right one…
-The Editors
1. Recreational therapist. RT’s are usually employed in hospital settings, and (in the words of one in the field) possess “the skill of helping people meet their human need to have fun.” RT’s accomplish this through a variety of modalities, ranging from organizing parties on hospital wards to taking patients on guided hours of recreational facilities, theaters, cinemas, dance recitals and the like. Entry requirements in the field are fairly undemanding: many RT’s are hired with two-year associate degrees. For more information contact the National Therapeutic Recreation Society, 1601 North Kent St., Arlington, Va. 22209.
1-A. Art and dance therapist. Both these fields are extremely new, often unstructured in terms of formal training requirements, and competitive. Nonetheless, jobs exist and are expected to open up in a range of places including nursing homes, institutions for mentally and physically handicapped people, correctional institutions and day care centers. Art and dance therapist encourage non-verbal creative self-expression as a supplement to the work of other teachers and psychiatrists. The work has proved valuable in helping people establish identity and self-respect, in addition to providing a more acceptable outlet for feelings which might not be expressed verbally.
There are still only a handful of schools which offer specific programs. Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. N.Y. and Hahnemann College in Pennsylvania both offer art therapy programs. Hunter College in New York City offers one in dance therapy, Many other colleges, are experimenting with similar programs.
2. Forester. The forester protects, manages and develops our woodland resources in such a way as to perpetuate their many benefits to mankind. Whether he is employed in a public forest or by one of the forest products industries, the forester’s duties are likely to be very similar. He decides which areas will be used for recreation, grazing, experimental purposes of timber harvesting. His work involves planting, thinning and pruning trees. He determines which trees are right for cutting and surveys and supervises the construction of access roads, trails, and various improvements. There was a time when any man who could ride a horse and throw a diamond hitch on a pack animal could qualify as a forest ranger. Job requirements have evolved since then, and today’s forester may occasionally need to wrangle tack stock, but he often needs the skills of the outdoorsman and the technical knowledge of his profession. Forestry schools – there are over 100 of them in the country right now – is a must.
3. Parliamentarian. Is parliamentarian just another fancy word for legislator? Not quite. The present squad of 800 American parliamentarians are our white-collar umpires. These intelligent, good humored fellows are hired by societies, organizations, clubs, schools, political parties and labor unions at the rate of $70 or $80 a day to superintend their meeting, convocations and conventions. Parliamentarians inform and advise the members of these groups of their rights under parliamentary law. They also serve as the final judge in any dispute. Requirements include a thorough knowledge of parliamentary procedures, self-control, a healthy degree of open-mindedness, some leadership qualities and a good sense of humor. For further information write the American Institute of Parliamentarians, 4453 Beacon St., Chicago, Ill., 60640.
4. Oceanographer. Oceanographers forecast weather, control pollution, obtain food and energy and occasionally assist on the nation’s defense. The oceanographer-to-be should take his/her bachelor’s degree in either oceanography, biology, a geoscience, mathematics or engineering; a graduate degree in oceanography is recommended but is not necessary. Oceanographers work aboard ships, in the sea (a la Cousteau), and in laboratories on land. They share, in general, the ability to be away from home for long periods, to work in cramped quarters, swim, skin dive, ear unfamiliar foods, and, of course, they all share an abiding respect for the sea.
5. Day care worker. Here’s an outgrowth of the women’s movement which is expected to boom in the next decade, particularly in the government and in large private industries. Better yet, educators are increasingly concerned with day care which goes beyond mere babysitting and custodial work, and experiments with more creative programs. The most rewarding aspect of day-care is that the kids – anywhere from a few months to three or four – are maximally curious, impressionable and uncorrupted.
Day care is a particularly good field for a self-starter who is willing to present a model of operation to one of the many private industries who are beginning to think in those terms. But it is also an open field if you simple prefer to work in a center. The best source of information is the education school at your college.
6. Physician’s assistant. Another of the expanding para-professional fields, it is wide open and challenging, particularly to a person who wants to work away from major cities or suburban areas. It usually required a nursing degree or a certain amount of post-college training. Duties may include routine checkups, symptom recording, treating cuts and burns, running blood tests and applying casts. One usually works with a general practitioner, and – depending on his time commitments – the assistant;s responsibilities may be nearly as far-ranging as a typical physician’s. For more information: Department of Health Manpower, 535 North Dearborn, Chicago, Illinois 60601.
7. Auctioneer. In ancient Greece, auctioneers sold women of marriageable age to the highest bidder among a particular town’s eligible bachelors. Today’s auctioneers no longer traffic human cargo; however, they handle just about everything else: fruit and vegetable produce, machinery, antique cars and furniture, prize racehorses, art, diamonds and other jewellery, cattle, you name it. Veteran auctioneers say their job requires an interest in the intricacies of merchandising, “the lung power of a long distance runner, clear diction, fast reflexes – and a pair pf eyes that swivel directly from left to right while watching the bidders.” Also, since the best auctioneers are really masters of ceremonies, they usually have a good sense of humor. Persons seriously interested in becoming an auctioneer can register in one of the nation’s ten auction schools (where you take courses in elocution, breathing exercises, auctioneer’s jargon, merchandise estimating) or you can hire on as an auctioneer’s assistant. The outlook for the profession is good; there are already 30,000 practising auctioneers in the U.S. (20,000 part-time, 10,000 full-time.) Nevertheless, Bernard Hart, secretary of the National Auctioneers’ Association, recently declared that “opportunities are tremendous for good auctioneers and there is no limit to their earnings.” See you at Parke-Bernet.
8. Death counsellor. Sounds morbid, but this is an important and emerging service, nonetheless. This work has traditionally been delegated to nurses in terminal wards, most of whom have neither the training nor the time off from regular duties, to do it well. The work is done with people who are dying, and includes providing emotional support, helping the person to come to terms with his/her death, and working closely with the patient’s family. The field is so new that there is almost no available literature on it, and the best way to find out more is to inquire discreetly at hospitals around the place you’d like to work.
9. Birth control / abortion counsellor. As legal and sophisticated birth control and abortion methods have become available – and also due to the concern with overpopulation – this field will widen. Job entails providing birth control information, counselling, and advice on how to obtain an abortion. There are an increasing number of private women’s organizations and counselling services in which the work is done, although traditional employers have been Planned Parenthood groups and Family Planning agencies in local governments.
The more advanced aspects of the field – including Population Planning and allied health services – often require a graduate degree from a Public Health School. The best information on degree requirements and available jobs is through placement offices in Public Health Schools, but it is also worth contacting Planned Parenthood.
10. Diamond cutter. Surgeons need a steady hand to do their work – so do diamond cutters. Not infrequently, the master diamond cutter, a highly skilled artisan with years of training, is given an irregularly shaped diamond to “cleave.” First the cutter scratches a painstakingly calibrated little groove into the diamond. Then he places a “knife,” or a square-edged blade, into it and strikes the knife carefully and forcefully with a mallet. Then he breathes. The master cutter, of course, is the most important participant in the process. His entourage usually includes a girdler, who rounds the corners of the cut stone with another diamond that is mounted on a lathe; the blocker, who grinds the gem’s sixteen principal facets with a Scaife or sheif (a horizontal wheel similar to a record turntable); and the brillinateerer, who polishes the ground diamond, bringing out the remaining number of its 58 facets. Geological neophytes generally enter their chosen trade by reference. They may expect to earn at least 10$ an hour if and when, several sudoriferous years later, they blossom into full-fledged master cutters. Other job requirements include good vision, honesty, and dependability. The best cities to look for work are Antwerp, Tel Aviv and New York City.
11. Geographer. Believe it or not there is room for the geographer in the post-Columbia world. Professional geographers analyze the geographic distributions of economic activities (economic geographer), demonstrate the relationship between geographic conditions and political processes (political geographer), study the physical characteristics of the Earth and Moon (physical geographer), record and analyze the physical, economic, political and cultural characteristics of a particular region or area (regional geographer) and design and construct maps (cartographer). More than two-thirds of the 7,500 geographers in this country are employed by universities, where they usually combine teaching and professional research. Virtually all the rest work for the Department of Defense’s Defense Mapping Agency, the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center, the Coast and Geodetic Survey, and numerous other government agencies. Beginning positions in geography usually require a bachelor’s degree in the field. Graduate training is often preferred, however, for research and teaching jobs. Three-quarters of American geographers earn between $12-20,000 a year, a quarter earn between $20,000-25,000.
12. Piano tuner. If you love pianos, but aren’t blessed with the afflatus to play one on a professional basis, then perhaps you might consider becoming a piano tuner. The mission is, of course, to adjust piano strings so they will be in proper pitch and sounds musically correct. There are 220 strings in the modern 88 key piano. After muting the strings on either side, the tuner uses a tuning hammer to tighten or loosen the string until its frequency matches that of a standard tuning fork. The other strings are tuned in relation to the starting string. Sometimes the tuner has to make minor repairs, such as replacing worn or broken strings. Major repairs, however, are made by piano technicians. About 3,000 persons work as full-time piano tuners and servicemen, earning anywhere between $7-20,000 a year. Piano tuners and servicemen generally learn their job through dealers and repair shops who hire beginners to do general clean up work, help servicemen, move and install instruments, and do other routine tasks, You need good hearing, mechanical aptitude and manual dexterity.
13. Medical illustrator. Medical illustrators do more than illustrate textbooks; they make films, television programs, exhibits and three-dimensional models, and frequently they also make artificial moses and ears. Today there are about 250 medical illustrators; they are employed by medical centers, biological laboratories, schools of veterinary medicine, dental and medical colleges, authors, publishers, pharmaceutical companies and sometimes by themselves. These highly-skilled, highly-respected professionals earn anywhere between $15-30,000 a year, sometimes more. Admission into a school of medical illustration (there are only two or three in the country, and each accepts only a handful of matriculants each year) is highly competitive: for a reasonable chance of success the potential illustrator should have a diverse, well-executed portfolio of drawings as well as a strong background in biology and zoology. For more information about this obscure, but highly rewarding profession, write the Corresponding Secretary, Association of Medical Illustrators, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Ga. 30902.
14. Landscape architect. Landscape architects plan, design and supervise the arrangement of outdoors areas. Their projects include beaches, botanical gardens, campuses, cemeteries, country clubs, highways, hospitals, parks, parkways, recreational areas, resorts and shopping centers. They are employed by architectural firms, engineering firms, industrial firms, landscape contractors, city planning and urban renewal offices and universities. Prerequisites: a B.A. in landscape architecture, an interest in art and nature, imagination, a good sense of design, an understanding of plants and ability to get along with people. The best way to see whether you will like this line of work, as well as to break into the profession, is to get a summer job with a landscape architect or contractors.
15. Archivist. The holdings of the National Archives in Washington, D.C., where millions of visitors come each year to see original copies of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence on display, amount to some 900,000 cubic feet of records, including 11/2 million maps, nearly 200,000 rolls of microfilm, and 34,000 sound recordings. Responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of this information depends upon an archivist: in a sense, he is in charge of editing the nation’s history. Work is available for archivists at dozens of state museums and individual family libraries which also maintain their own sets of archives. “Since the activities of our society are growing,” writes Dr. Virginia C. Purdy of the National Archives, “there is likely to be an expansion in the archives service in the future.”
16. Sex surrogate. One of the oldest and most titillating professions can now be practiced in the service of science, psychology and peace of mind. Open to men and women alike. If performance is your speciality, check your area to see what “sex therapy,” “reproductive biology research” or “human sexuality” clinics are in operation. You may have to call a medical facility; most haven’t made the Yellow Pages yet.
17. Osteopath. Contrary to popular opinion, an osteopath is a licensed physician who has AMA approval to practise in hospitals. The only difference is that he has a “DO” after his name rather than an “MD”. Osteopaths manipulate your “parts”, attacking the idea that whatever ails you has to do with your body’s tissue.
The advantage of osteopathy is that it is still relatively obscure (only 13,000 of them in the U.S.) and the 13 schools are not quite as difficult to get into as medical school. If money’s your thing, you can become as rich as a doctor. A word of caution: Don’t let on that you are applying to osteopathic school as an alternative to medical school; the admissions people may get insulted. For more information, write the American Osteopathic Association, 212E. Ohio Street, Chicago, Ill. 60611.
18. Blacksmith. Like most self-annointed cosmopolitans, you probably regard the American blacksmith as an endangered, if not indeed extinct, species. If you do, you’re wrong, dead wrong. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there were 10,000 fully qualified blacksmiths among the nation’s work force in 1972. Almost two-thirds were gainfully employed in factories, and mines, as well as on railroads; the remainder, mostly self-employed, were pounding the forge in small, hot and noisy, old-fashioned, but not unprofitable blacksmith shops located in rural communities or near racetracks and horse farms. Most beginning forgers enter the occupation as helpers in blacksmith shops. Others break in via three or four-year formal apprenticeships.
19. Fundraiser. If you’re good at organizing and like the feel of money, fund raising can be the field for you. When a charity or community group needs funds, you counsel them on the best means of doing it, and then direct the organization members in the drive. Theatre parties, raffles, sales, even entire carnivals, can cost the fund raiser no more than a few hours a week of work for a few months and end up netting him a healthy commission – perhaps 15 percent, depending on state laws.
20. Ichthyologist. […] are found in museums of natural history, public aquariums and oceanariums and in the Federal government, where they usually work as fishery biologists. Persons interested in this unusual line of work should major in zoology during their undergraduate years, then, if adequately inspired, go for a master’s (although a graduate degree is not absolutely necessary for employment). Don’t give ichthyology a second thought, however, unless you a) have a strong, natural sense of curiosity, b) are able to observe details carefully, c) are willing to work hard, and d) are capable of ignoring pungent smells.
21. Smokejumper. The U.S. Forest Service has a crack squad of 450 airborne firemen, known as smokejumpers. Like the city fireman, the smokejumper, stationed at one of the country’s regional fire control camps, is ready for his job at a moment’s notice. Once a fire is spotted, the smokejumper pulls on his jump suit, fastens his wire-masked helmet, clips on his parachutes and dashes to a nearby airfield. Then he jumps as close as is physically feasible to the fire, first containing, then, hopefully, extinguishing the advancing flames. Despite some 80,000 jumps since 1941, smokejumpers have never suffered a fatality. Qualification needed for this $3,50/hour gig ae obvious: self-reliance, physical endurance and strength, courage, a tolerance of hights, and, of course, and affection for trees. One can learn the necessary skills for smokejumping – parachute-jumping, first aid, fire control equipment use, woodmanship, etc. – at the Forest Service’s four-week course in fire control. For more information write the Director, Division of Fire Control, Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.
22. […]
23. Speech Pathologist/Audiologist. The 27,000 speech pathologists and audiologists work in public schools, colleges, hospitals, speech and hearing centers, private industry and government agencies. The first and basic duty of the speech pathologist/audiologist is to diagnose and evaluate his or her patient’s supposed speech and/or hearing disorder; this he does with the aid of highly sophisticated instruments (like an audiometer). Then, in conjunction with physicians, psychologists, physical therapists and counsellors, he develops and organized program of therapy. The outlook is good: one of every 10 Americans has either a speech or hearing problem, and with the nation’s population exploding, the number of afflicted will continue to rise. If you’re interested in this field take courses in biology, physiology, linguistics, and semantics; courses in speech and voice, as well as in child psychology should also prove helpful when you look for a job. A master’s degree is desirable for higher-paying job.
24. Voice-over person. Most actors you see on TV commercials aren’t really using their own voices; producers hire one actor for the right appearance and another for the right voice. If you can do a wide range of voices and imitations and can time your spiel to the second, you may be in for big money. To get your start, American Guild of Variety Artists suggests you make a tape of yourself imitating three diverse announcers in three commercials messages, copied verbatim, with the original timing. Send the tape, with a covering letter, to a representative – Charles Ryan (35 W. 53. St., New York, N.Y.) and Fifi Oscard (19 W. 44 St., New York, N.Y.) are two good ones. With luck and skill, you may ne the next deodorant or dog food sensation.
25. Organ harvester. An organ harvester works in hospital, in conjunction with surgeons and kidney specialists. His/her job entails procuring the kidneys from a person who is on the verge of death (usually the victim has suffered a stroke or is critically ill from an accident). The organ harvester attaches the removed kidneys to a maintenance machine, follows them to the new recipient, and provides all related supportive services. The job requires compassion and some technical knowledge but not necessarily a degree. The vastly increased success with organ transplantation could increase openings in the field. Check local hospitals for further details.
26. Physical therapist. Those highly skilled professionals are experts at getting malformed, injured or painful parts of the body repaired. A physical therapist may help rehabilitate a veteran’s war injury or knead the muscles of a sore back (as illustrated on our cover). At least a bachelor’s degree is required, but some institutions demand graduate work. Starting salaries average $8-10,000 per annum; more experienced PT’s can earn up to $20-22,000. There are only some 20,000 participating in this profession in the U.S., and there are shortages in the field dur to the poor distribution of medical personnel in suburban/rural areas. PT’s get referrals from physicians, and you will find them working mostly I hospitals. For more information write the American Physical Therapy Assoc., 1156 15th St. N.W., Washington D.C. 20005.
27. Taxidermist. Taxidermy is defined as “the art of collecting, melting, and preserving birds, animals, game heads, fishes and reptiles as they appeared in life.” It can be a rewarding full-time occupation. Professional taxidermists are employed by individuals, private companies, schools and museums. The best known American school currently offering course in taxidermy is the University of Iowa City. Taxidermy can also be learned through the mail. The Northwestern School of Taxidermy, 1202 Harney Street, Omaha, Nebraska, a correspondence school, is the largest and best known school of its kind.
28. Soil conservationist. Soil conservationists supply farmers, ranches and others with technical assistance for conservation of soil and water. A B.S. degree, with a major in soil conservation or one of the closely related natural science or agricultural fields, constitutes the minimum requirement. Opportunities for well-trained soil conservationists are expanding because government agencies, public utility companies, banks and other organizations are becoming interested in conservation and are adding conservationists to their staff. Additional information on employment prospects can be obtained from the United States Civil Services Commission, Washington, D.C., 20415.
29. Oenologist. That’s the heavyweight title for a person who deals in wine and winemaking, At present only the University of Bordeaux in France and the University of California at Davis issue oenology degrees. But many colleges offer courses on wine. Very little grape stomping is involved. You spend your time in the lab “balancing, sometimes mutating, various grape strains to blend, ferment, and age a product that measures up to the most exacting standards,” according to a representative from Schieffelin and Co. Most salaries fall in the $12-20,000 range, and the field is opening up due to the current consumption rage. See your little old winemaker for more details.
30. Stuntman/Stuntwoman. With movie companies getting crazier in their zeal to scare audience, this field could really open up. Funny thing is you don’t have to be the particularly athletic type as long as you have a good sense of timing – and balls. Even the latter qualification is becoming outmoded as the new realism sets in: the practice of using men with wigs to stand in for female starlets is beginning to give wat to the use of stuntwomen like Pat Daley. She is the only female member of the East Coast Stuntmen’s Association (850 Seventh Avenue, Suite 705, New York, N.Y. 10019), which handles many tv and film assignments when they are shot on location around New York. It’s a sideline for Pat, who is an actress. She did her first stunt while working in the capacity on a production and has been picking up odd calls ever since. It’s not as dangerous as it looks.
