Leave the Office Grind Behind With These Jobs

You'd love to escape the grind of your job, but you're not sure how to do it, or maybe you'd love a second income but you're not ready to revisit the grueling days of part-time retail or restaurant work that fueled your income in the past.

While most of us aren't lucky enough to have jobs with much flexibility, there are alternatives beyond the mystery shopping and online surveys. A further look into any of these five alternatives could offer a little creativity, a little extra cash, or at the very least, a change of pace in your work schedule.

Online Teacher or Professor
What they do: Apply their teaching to an online learning structure, enabling students on campus or in remote locations to access information, interact and learn. Most high schools, colleges and universities are looking to keep up with the high demand for distance learning courses. Online instruction is available at select schools as a full-time opportunity, and most institutions offer part-time curricula or a hybrid alternative of combined online and in-class teaching to better accommodate students.

What you need: In addition to completing the degree requirements for a teaching licensure at the educational level you teach, online instruction also requires strong computer technical skills. Lorae Roukema, professor at Campbell University in N.C., teaches both in-class and distance learning and suggests Blackboard, an online teaching tutorial, as a great tool in testing and aiding comfort with computer technology for teaching purposes.

What it pays: Earnings range between $25,460 and $99,980. Earnings for faculty varies further according to rank, geographic location, type of institution and field.

Exotic Pet Sitter
What they do: Much like dog or cat sitters, the responsibilities of the sitter are to feed and care for the pets of their clients. Exotic pet sitters are more likely to tend to the pet case needs of reptiles, exotic fish and farm animals. Working from home requires a flexible schedule and designated room for overnight care or a reliable form of transportation.

What you need: Some clients may only require your previous experience or current experience as a pet owner and/or caretaker of exotic pets. Due to the attachment and investment of exotic animals, first-time clients are more likely to go through an agency or to hire someone with an accreditation. The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters assists with training, public relations and marketing, and information on care, for an annual membership cost.

What it pays: Rates are up to the discretion of the sitter, but the average standard visits range from $13-$24 a visit.

Massage Therapist
What they do: Apply pressure to different areas for the body to relieve pain, stimulate blood circulation and assist the lymphatic system. Massage therapists are employed at hospitals, spas and assisted-living homes, but may also work independently from home or by making house calls.

What you need: In addition to your high school diploma or associate's degree, you will need a certification in massage therapy. Requirements for accreditation vary by state. Working from home requires designating a separate space in your house and purchasing the massage bed, oils, towels and other equipment needed to implement massage therapy.

What it pays: Median earnings, with gratuities included, reported to be $15.36 an hour. Hourly earnings range from $7.16 to $32.21. 15-20 percent of a massage therapist's earning come from tips.

Figure Model
What they do: Pose partially or fully nude at art schools and professional artist studios in order to create a visual comprehension of figure for drawing, painting and sculpture. Reliable transportation is key, since punctuality is the most important characteristic a figure model can have.

What you need: It's extremely important that the model have a positive body image -- or the courage to try -- as well as the ability to hold positions for long periods of time. Because the purpose of figure modeling is to provide a visual aid for form study, artists and schools may seek a model specifically by gender, race, physique and previous experience. Schools, such as the Art Institute of Chicago, require forms for application and employment to find models fitting the description they are looking for.

What it pays: The standard rate of pay usually starts at $10 an hour and goes up to $120. Pay ranges based on geographical location and ability.

Personal Fitness Trainer
What they do: Motivate and educate people on the most-effective ways to exercise, the correct forms to use while exercising and diet to follow in order to meet their health goals and maintain a healthy life. Personal trainers adjust diet structures and exercise forms to the needs and schedules of their clients. Like massage therapists, personal trainers can follow traditional means of employment by working for gyms and recreation centers, or they can work by making house calls and working from home.

What you need: Certification in personal fitness training and a dedication to personal health and fitness. Leadership and strong personal skills are also a big help to maintaining a strong client relationship. To work at the houses of your clientele, you will need reliable transportation and a flexible schedule. If you'd rather set-up shop at your residence, you will need a home gym system, complete with all the free weights, benches, machines and space necessary to kick your clients into shape. The National Federation of Personal Trainers also offers specialty and master training programs.

What it pays: The annual median income is $25,470. Salary ranges from $14,350 to $55,560. Hour spent with the client and flexibility to the client's schedule is a factor in earned income.

Candace Corner is a writer for CareerBuilder.com.



Copyright 2006 CareerBuilder.com