Jobs that maximize your chance of meeting unconventional people

[James_0011]

As the title suggests, what jobs/careers maximize the chances of encountering unconventional/intellectual/quirky/open-minded/eccentric people?

These traits may not all go together in every case, but hopefully I have made what I am saying clear enough.

Jobs that I could think of that may attract people outside of the cultural norm:

Academia
Anything related to art
Forest/park ranger
Technology startups
Peace Corps
Librarian
Hard labor in remote places (oil field in North Dakota for example)
Science
Non-profits
Small-business owners

On the other hand. what jobs tend to attract the most "normal" people?

Ones that I can think of: (hopefully this doesn't offend anyone)

Accounting
Police officer
Military
Law
Finance

I know I am making generalizations, and that all types of people can be found in different kinds of jobs. However, what have your personal observations been? Do you think that you can characterize people by what type of work they are attracted to?

Edit: changed the title as I think "interesting is too vague, and subjective. What I really meant is unconventional

[theanimal]

Generally speaking, I think in academia you are going to find most that are rigid in their beliefs, interested in politics more than ideas and going after tenure. That is a world that I would never desire to enter in hopes of meeting interesting people.

The most interesting people are often not tied to one job or are creating their own jobs.

[James_0011]

Thank you for your input. Btw I saw that you're in Alaska, where abouts? I'm a former Cordova resident.

[thrifty++]

I have met quite a lot of interesting and genuinely eccentric people working in the following areas:

- software development.
- People involved in acting and performance too, but more of the thespian kind rather than the TV actor/model type of people. 4
- Stand up comics.
- Circus performers.
- librarians

[TheWanderingScholar]

Anything that requires travelling or the sort.
Like NGO work, Foreign Service Officer, travel agent evidently.

If you are looking for more of the regular interesting people.

[Ego]

Selling stuff on craigslist. Ten minutes ago I sold two rock climbing harnesses to an industrial florist who is installing and decorating a 90 foot Christmas tree in an Indian casino. I learned all about the challenges of getting such a large tree through tight spaces while not interrupting a 24 hour operation. I find that if I take the time to ask, most people have something about them that makes them interesting.

[FBeyer]

... I find that if I take the time to ask, most people have something about them that makes them interesting.

As a tangent: I've found that I meet a lot more interesting people in those times of my life where I've been an interesting person myself. When I'm out in times where I have my nose to grindstone studying, I don't meet interesting people, nor do I seem to attract them when I'm out.

AKA
1) Be in the right spot
2) Be someone interesting people would like to interact with.

-------------------
OP:
Academia will give you all the Asperger's and 'quirky'. I've met some interesting people, but not significantly more than in the general population. You can have different conversations, and definitely share different kinds of jokes with people from the quantitative sciences, but whether those people are interesting to you might depend on you...

Artists are interesting in their own ways, but with no exceptions so far, every single one I've met (I've lived with a movie director for 3 years) has been either apolitical or unenlightened left-wing. Their life and what they do in their free time might be interesting, but I'd never ask anyone of them for their opinion on anything, it seems to be based on regurgitation and virtue signalling more than anything else. Their inner universe is based very much on freedom without the responsibility that comes with it, as opposed to the freedom that ERE'ers are going for. For someone who seeks to be creative, that makes sense from an egotistical perspective. Scientists and artist are quite similar in that regard. Leave us alone, if you want us to do our best. Unfortunately that's not quite how the rest of the world sees it.


Jennypenny mentioned some time ago that she was feeling kind of worn out, because there were no real single group of people that she felt she identified with and I think that idea relates back to meeting interesting people. I don't think a person with any degree of complex persona will ever be able to meet a single group of people that shares his/her ideas and passions to the point where the group feels truly like home. In the same vein, that same complex persona won't ever find a single group of people that feels interesting. You have to find specific things in specific places and be open to the experiences.

There ERE forums don't meet a lot of my personal demands for instance, but I enjoy the forums very much for what they can offer.

IN OTHER WORDS: I don't think a single specific job will help you, as much as a specific mentality will help you find interesting people naturally.

[fiby41]

+ to job that needs travelling.

and a people-oriented job.

example, travelling salesman

[Bro]

Not offended bro. I would agree with your assessment of individuals in the military (US perspective).

There are some unconventional people, but it is relatively rare.

[7Wannabe5]

I second Ego's suggestion of Craig's List Dealer, and would add uber driver, personal shopper, escort, emergency plumber and beautician to the list.

[EMJ]

Look in the margins and fringes rather than in mainstream society. I think unconventional people can be found in many professions.
Here are some I know
nurse/health researcher/farmer
homesteader/90 year old still living on her own
teacher/traveler/artist
artist/self-described subsistence farmer
teacher/musician
social worker
retired executive director of non-profit
log house builder
project manager at large non-profit
small business owner

Incidentally (?) only 2 of these people live in the country they were born in, although several have lived in the same place for decades now.

[mfi]

Browse the "Biographies" section at your local library...

[Riggerjack]

I'm guessing that are very young, and a bit unconventional, yourself. If this is the case, consider that your experience up to this point is artificial.

We put people thru an education system grouped by age, not ability. With this homogeneous grouping, each individual needs to demonstrate their individuality, as part of defining themselves.

Adult life is not so homogeneous. After mid 20's, you will likely never experience such a thing again short of the retirement home.

Don't look for a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

Now, as to your actual question, Ego and Fbeyer have excellent answers. Be aware that any job filtering for " unconventional " will filter for a particular type of unconventional.

My first thought was alternative energy installer. But again, after you meet enough preppers and hippies and retired professionals buying greensignaling, they will be less unconventional, to you.

I would avoid working for the general public. Choosing a job that involves lots of people is fine, but consider your relationship with those people.

Barista, lots of people, short time, no control over filtering those people (other than spitting in their coffee, while they watch, but that might be extreme).

Cop. Dealing with lots of people. Plenty of control if how the interaction will go. Always dealing with people at the low point of their day/week/life. This will wear on you.

Really, I think the best way is to find an opportunity, exploit it mercilessly, and always look for other opportunities. Ego's solution, taken to whatever degree works for you.

[jacob]

Unconventional people seem to be less likely to hold jobs or remain identifiable by a job description. Since holding a job is about as conventional as it gets and holding onto said job often requires projecting a certain conventionality, it makes it even harder to find unconventional people by categorizing by job. For example, I've tried to look pretty conventional under a cursory scrutiny in the places I've worked.

I would suggest using jobs as a proxy for intelligence+personality type at best, insofar some combinations of those result in more or less conventionality than others; they certainly correlate with job types. However, this is no guarantee at all. Most people are still conventional.

Also, as others have noted, what seems unconventional to you might not seem unconventional to others; also your idea of what is unconventional will probably change over time.

On top of that, the next question is whether the goal is just to meet these unicorns for a five minute exchange of pleasantries and life stories or whether you want a deeper connection.

[Solvent]

I spent a while at a conservatorium studying music performance. That's definitely a great profession in which you will find unconventional, interesting people.

In my current position I deal with foreign service types fairly regularly. I'd not say that there's a greater incidence of unconventional people there than there is anywhere else.

[BRUTE]

prostitution

[halfmoon]

On top of that, the next question is whether the goal is just to meet these unicorns for a five minute exchange of pleasantries and life stories or whether you want a deeper connection.

I agree. If you want to exchange stories with an ever-changing palette of life experiences, take an extended road trip.

If you want to be stimulated and learn, open your mind in all venues. That former steel worker who voted for Trump is easy to dismiss as one-dimensional, but everyone has some wisdom and some crap in their repertoire. Dismissing people out of hand will cause you to miss a lot. (Disclosure: I'm an accountant, but I think I'm fascinating. )

If you want to establish deep connections, I think that unconventionality and vocation are moderately irrelevant. Ask yourself: which of the people in your life you would turn to in an emotional crisis? Which ones would you call for a ride if your car broke down? Which ones would truly care if you lost a loved one? Does any of this relate to what job they have?

[James_0011]

@halfmoon

No none of that relates to the job they have. I think I worded my question incorrectly, or maybe you didnt interpret it correctly. What I mean is, "how can one set themselves up career wise to encounter unconventional people". Not, "how can I judge people I don't know based on their profession".

I hope that makes sense now.

[Farm_or]

@BRUTE you make me laugh!

It probably comes as a surprise to some here, as it surprised me when I started selling small bales. I've met numerous unconventtional people. It's become one of my favorite things of my small business.

Just yesterday I sold hay to a gentleman that was a helicopter pilot in the air force. After that, he moved around a lot taking helicopter jobs moving big heavy objects. He chose this area to settle, turned to Ag mechanics, had a little farm, and now a hobby farmer.

Another customer is an international sheep dog trials judge. I went to a show that he hosted a couple of years ago and that was fun. Met people from Norway, Sweden, and a fella that was former IRS auditor.

Couple of years ago delivered hay to a delightful lesbian couple with their own version of a petting zoo. So many different critters!

There were the Mexican guys whom owned race horses. They had special quarter horses that would completely smoke thourobreds in the shorter distance racing they travelled the country for.

I've only been at it four years and could fill a couple of book chapters with the fascinating people that I have met. And all of this with my personal handicapped socially disfunctional, introverted personality?

[luxagraf]

Writer.

Not the best way to make a lot of money. In fact, it's a pretty terrible way to try to make any money at all these days.

BUT it provides a method/excuse to seek out and talk to pretty much anyone you want. See John McPhee for what I would call the high water mark of this kind of writing (in recent decades anyway).