What do you consider to be a cool job?

A guy came into the shoe store where I work, looking for durable shoes. He said he shreds a pair every three months. "Wow," I said, "may I ask what you do?" His reply:

"I make racecars."

Academic. Especially in research-oriented positions.

I mean, come on. You are being paid to study whatever you like, then travel the world and explain it to others.

Freelance writing (which is what I hope to do).

Yes, there are hardships, no, it isn't a cakewalk. But still. You are essentially getting paid to sit at home, drink loads of alcohol (optional but recommended) and talk about stuff. All the benefits of being a comedian or talk show host with the added bonus of being able to do it in your pyjamas.

Military, Comics Writer, Screenwriter, Firefighter, Video Game Designer, FBI Agent, CIA Agent, Linguist.

There are a couple of trends here (and one outlier). Try to guess what they are. Go on, guess.

edited 24th Mar '12 12:23:08 AM by rumetzen

History Professor sounds awesome, but being a Political Science Professor would be cool as well.

There is a Political Science Professor I heard of who was an acquaintence to my father. He was invited to go lecture all over the world. They even paid for his plane tickets.

One time Gaddafi invited him to Libya for something and the FBI said he couldn't go or they would arrest him.

Being Tony Stark.

@ rumetzen:

Military, FBI Agent, CIA Agent, Linguist: All to do with intelligence, codebreaking, saving the country, etc..

Comics Writer, Screenwriter, Video Game Designer, Linguist: All to do with stories, storylines, and worldbuilding.

Firefighter: Outlier.

Am I on the right track?

Anyway, I think it'd be cool to work at GCHQ. Or as a wingsuit skydiver.

Being a pilot (or otherwise involved in aviation in a significant way) is always cool. It's very much an elite few sort of thing.

Of course, I may be just a little biased due to my interests and goals.

Engineering is also awesome, as is being a Physicist.

Yeah, physics is cool. By that I mean the really crazy out-there theoretical physics stuff...

Hopefully, if I get my schooling together I will get the cool job of cultural consultant.

My son wants to be a zoo keeper so he can swim with penguins and take care of all the animals.

DJ.

D'awww. That's sweet.

I would like to be a Psychologist.

But my 12-year old wants to be a mathematician.

Ohohoho. The Government will love him.

Your 12-year-old?

Whoops. That should be "12-year-old brother". If I had a 12-year-old I would be seriously rethinking my life. Or probably famous. I don't think you could have kids at 4 years old.

Cartoonist.

@In Hopelessguy Yeah, when we go to the Zoo he always asks the animals if they've bushed their teeth.

Locksmith.

Viking, warlord, crazy Third World dictator... but I'd also settle for academic research if these aren't avalaible.

cutenss overload

you would be surprised at what people are capable of.

edited 24th Mar '12 3:53:05 PM by joeyjojo

One of my friends runs a sowing machine.

Wait for it...

At a shop that makes bullet proof vests.

His machine can punch holes in steel, and is often used for just that.

Eventually, he can become in charge of product testing, which would mean his day job is shooting things with different types of guns. He also gets a certain "gun allowance" with which he gets to choose which guns to buy.

Aerial weapons design?

I mean, I'm majoring in Mechanical Engineering, going to use that to try to become an aerospace engineer. Take that career and hopefully work for Boeing or Lockheed Martin (there's a General Electric plant close to home that works with them). And from there hopefully get some defense contracts to build fighter jets and missiles and such.

Well I thought it was cool. Even if that plan has holes so big you could drive through it.

edited 24th Mar '12 8:16:27 PM by hnd03

Teaching.

Except for the part where you have to deal with kids. Ugh.

Why can't babies stay in that range between two and three where they're cute, and harmless enough to not get in too much trouble?

Also, while caliing it cool seems like treating it too lightly, Law Enforcement.

I wouldn't call them harmless at that age. They (well, at least my cousins once removed of that age) are able to open some doors, which leads to a whole new world of trouble.

• Nothing that involves wearing a suit but doesn't involve killing people is cool.
• Nothing in an office is cool.
• I'm married to a scientist, so I know that labwork isn't nearly as cool as it sounds.
• Social sciences are not cool. They're nerdy. Really nerdy.
• One of my best friends is an airline pilot. He informs me that it is only slightly cool, and not 'hugely cool' as he'd hoped.
• Building weapons isn't cool. Using them, on the other hand...

A cool job these days is hard to find. A cool job, the awesome kind... [/Feargal Sharkey]

Being the Fonz's stunt double, maybe?

edited 26th Mar '12 1:46:33 AM by InverurieJones

That tickled me for some reason. Like there was some sort of concrete 'coolness credit' that you get promised at recruitment at along with the health benefits.

edited 26th Mar '12 1:51:03 AM by joeyjojo