Dream Jobs For Real People

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday December 6, 2006

Kate Carroll

If you can't see yourself in a traditional occupation, don't despair, writes Kate Carroll.

Doctor. Lawyer. Carpenter. Hairdresser. All honourable and satisfying professions for the right people. But everyone has different needs and the jobs we're told about during our senior years at high school aren't always suitable. With such a variety of professions available, they don't have to be. There's bound to be something fulfilling for those individuals who don't fit the usual roles, including jobs your career adviser probably never told you about. Try these on for size.

BREWER

Job description Making beer or as Lion Nathan spokeswoman Amy Lawrence puts it, "safeguarding the brewing process with focus on the quality of the product".

Perks "Tasting beer at six in the morning," laughs David Hollyoak, award-winning brewer and director of Redoak Boutique Beer Cafe. Brewers taste the beer to ensure it's ready for the next stage of the brewing process.

Typical pay According to Lion Nathan there is "potential to earn six figures once established in the industry".

What they say "A lot of people think it's a dream job and it is if you love beer but it's a lot of hard physical work, a lot of problem solving and a lot of patience," Hollyoak says.

SURF INSTRUCTOR

Job description Teaching people how to surf in a safe environment.

Perks The beach is your office.

Typical pay According to Let's Go Surfing in Bondi, casual instructors' wages range from $15 to $20 an hour while senior instructors may earn upwards of $60,000 a year.

What they say "If you like surfing and you like people, it's a fantastic job," says Brenda Miley, director of Let's go Surfing. "It's rewarding because you get to help people overcome fears or try something for the first time. But it can be difficult because it's physically hard work and you're in the elements."

RESORT WEDDING CO-ORDINATOR

Job description "Planning weddings from the enquiry stage through to the wedding day," says Johanna Gardner, wedding consultant for Hamilton Island Weddings. This includes organising hair and make-up, decorations, table plans, menu selection and photography. She also meets couples on arrival, steams dresses and attends the ceremonies and photo tours.

Perks "Living and working in paradise," she says. She also often gets to accompany couples on helicopter flights to Whitehaven Beach for photos.

Typical pay Consultants at Hamilton Island earn between $35,000 and $40,000 a year plus super.

What they say "It's nice to know that we can relieve most if not all the stress usually associated with weddings," she says. "Brides saying, 'This was so stress-free - thank you so much,' is the best feedback I can receive. Every day presents new and diverse challenges, but seeing wedding plans come to fruition is highly satisfactory."

TEST DRIVER

Job description Test driving and reviewing new car models that are about to enter the market.

Perks It's a hard job but someone has to take the new cars out for a spin! This year Tim Pomroy, acting manager for motoring information services at NRMA, had the duty of test driving an Audi RS4 and a Porsche Cayman.

Typical pay Quite varied depending on your experience and the company you work for.

What they say "I'm constantly told I have the best job in the whole organisation and it would be hard to argue against that. There's never a dull moment," says Pomroy.

DOULA

Job description A doula is a non-medical helper during birth. This help may include position suggestions, encouragement, massage or obtaining information from medical staff to help the client make informed decisions. Post-natal doulas assist new mothers at home.

Perks "Getting up at 3am," jokes Renee Adair, director of Birth Central, an agency for doulas. It's true, spending night and day with a labouring woman isn't everyone's idea of fun, but labour can also be the most rewarding time in a person's life and the doula shares that experience. "We get to see babies being born - that's a great perk," she says.

Typical pay doulas charge between $450 and $500 for two pre-birth visits, the entire labour and a post-natal visit. However, this can increase as they become more experienced.

What they say "I am hooked," Adair says. "It's a job you need to be very passionate about."

TEA SOMMELIER

Job description The main responsibility of the job, according to Tjok Kerthyasa, tea practitioner and former tea sommelier for retailer T2 is the "tasting, evaluation and selection of tea leaves for big tea companies".

Perks Visiting tea gardens around the world to learn about processing tea.

Typical pay Sales staff at T2 earn the award rate for retail, on average about $560 a week for a full-time employee in NSW. Kerthyasa was earning $50,000 a year.

What they say There are few existing jobs so sommeliers must create their own opportunities. Kerthyasa suggests starting in an entry-level retail role and working your way up. "Tea is still very, very new in Australia. Perhaps when it's grown a bit more there will be more opportunities."