11 dream jobs that actually exist

11 dream jobs that actually exist by Amber Rolfe Dreaming of a better role?No matter how much you love your job, the grass can sometimes seem greener in a new position â€" especially if it only exists in your wildest dreams. But don’t give up hope just yet. There are a range of unique jobs that actually exist â€" and they might not be as out of reach as you think (well, only a little bit).To give you serious job envy, here are 11 dream jobs (that actually exist):Best jobs in the worldProfessional Cuddler Yep, professional cuddling is a thing.Designed to give lonely people some much-needed company, hugging for money has become a popular job amongst cuddle enthusiasts who don’t mind where their hugs come from.Essentially, you get hired by a stranger to cuddle for a few hours, you earn lots of money, and according to professional cuddling rules â€" there are absolutely no ulterior motives. Phew.  Penguinologist Get your coat â€" the penguins need you.Penguinologists are Zoologists who specialise in researchi ng all things penguin. They might have to work in freezing conditions, but what they do helps to reduce potential threats on penguins’ habitats.NB: this job will not involve igloos, no matter what Pingu tells you…Careers with animalsBed WarmerWant to become a human electric blanket?If you work a select few hotels, you can. They hire people to warm up guests’ beds before they enter the room â€" all so hotel goers can get a better nights’ sleep.In fact, Sleep Centre Director Dr Chris Idzikowski (a guy with an equally cool job title) explains that there’s plenty of scientific evidence to prove that it works. Well, you can’t argue with science…  Tea Taster Tea = happiness.The good news is that it also doubles up as a pretty great job. Not only do they get to drink tea for a living, Tea Tasters also get a generous starting salary, and get to travel around the world. Living. The. Dream.And if you don’t like tea, don’t panic. Ice Cream, Beer, Wine, and Chocolate Testers a re also real opportunities. Where do we sign up?Waterslide Tester Although you might not see it in your daily job search â€" that doesn’t mean it’s not a real thing.One lucky person became a Waterslide Tester back in 2013, and got to travel all over the world to test all kinds of waterslides. It’s basically like getting paid to go on holiday.And the best thing of all? No queues.  Fortune Cookie WriterWho do you think writes the messages in fortune cookies?Well, it actually could be you. Learn to write a unique piece of creative wisdom in ten words or less, and your work could be the profound treat restaurant goers get at the end of every meal.Fortune Cookie Writers are usually employed freelance, and a variety of contributors ensure the messages stay fresh â€" and that they have the manpower to churn out millions per day.  Professional Sleeper Good news: your dreams of napping at work have finally come true.Professional Sleepers are mainly employed by researchers and doctors, who study how sleep affects certain aspects of their brain and heart rate. Essentially, they’re sleeping for the good of science â€" whilst their bodies unknowingly do all the work.Some mystery shopping companies and hotels also hire Professional Sleepers to test guests’ experiences first-hand. It’s officially the comfiest job ever.  Netflix Tagger For many of us, binge watching Netflix is a part of life. So why not get paid for it?Professional Netflix Taggers are a real thing, and they’re employed solely to watch and tag shows and movies based on genre and type. Chilling optional.Without them, Netflix wouldn’t be able to recommend a similar show to fill the hole that finishing the last one has made in your life.Making the world a better place, one TV show at a time…  Panda Nanny Any task or activity involving real-life pandas probably sounds like the dream.But this is better than a dream. This is a paid job â€" and it involves working alongside volunteers from all over the world to make sure pandas are happy and looked after. You play with them, cuddle them, and ‘share their joys and sorrows’.Just don’t try to teach them Kung Fu. Pandas are clumsy, and some things are best left in the movies.  Food StylistIt’s not just people who need professional stylists.If you think the food you see in adverts and magazines woke up like that â€" you’re wrong. In fact, if it wasn’t for Food Stylists organising it in a creative way, you might not even want to eat it at all (or maybe, just not as much).After all, who wants to buy a burger with terrible lighting and a bad cheese to meat ratio?  Island Caretaker What’s even better than going on holiday? Getting paid £100,000+ to go on holiday.That’s right. Six months, six figures, rent free. And if you were lucky enough to become an Island Caretaker, that’s exactly what you’d do.The job involves typical holiday activities such as snorkelling and strolling down sandy beaches â€" and all the touri sm company wanted in return was an engaging blog and photo diary.Brb while we pack our bags…                                                                                                                      Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs now  Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Features Life At Work

Your First Home 5 Tips To Get You Started

Your First Home 5 Tips To Get You Started Searching for your first home does not have to be a daunting, overwhelming task. Armed with the right team and a checklist of things to look for in a potential new abode, you can feel like you have a handle on this big step! Ask family and friends for a realtor referral Your parents or friends have likely already purchased their first home. Who did they work with? Did they have a positive experience? Ask a trusted member of your tribe for a recommendation. And when you contact the realtor, don’t forget to mention who referred you â€" win-win-win for you, your realtor, and your referring partner. Request a mortgage broker reco from your realtor Unless you already have a mortgage broker connection, you can invite your realtor to suggest someone who they think is fantastic. With this approach, you can feel confident knowing that your mortgage broker and realtor have previously worked together and will be comfortable communicating with each other  throughout your endeavor. Determine your price range with your mortgage broker Time to have an honest convo about your down payment estimate, current rent or mortgage, salary, loans, credit card debt, car payments, and any other reoccurring monthly expenses LASIK, furniture, etc. Your broker will guide you through the discovery conversation and request the information they need in order to ballpark the price range for your home search. Circle back with your realtor on price and specs With the financial boundary  from your  mortgage broker, you can communicate with your realtor about what you can afford and specify your preferences. If you would love a (wo)man cave to have Packer parties, mention it. If there are deal breakers, assert them. Be open minded to expanding your search to other neighborhoods if you are coming up empty handed with your initial first choice location. What to look for once you are touring Yay! You and your realtor found a couple of homes that match your parameters. Grab a notebook and pen and jot down a few things when you take your first look: Street parking â€" is there any? A must have for that killer housewarming bash you are def going to throw! Outside noise â€" is the home by the railroad or highway? It might not bother you -this did not disturb  me when I lived near  the El in Chicago- however it could turn off your potential buyers when you are looking to resell the house in the future. Closet space â€" often not pictured in online photos so be sure to check it out once inside. Kitchen details â€"  cabinets, drawers, pantry, appliances â€" are they updated or in good condition or would you need to replace? Bathroom features  â€" similar to kitchen â€" how are the cabinets and sinks? Does the shower or tub need to be re-grouted? These are important particulars  to look for and note on your tour. These are just a few elemental ideas  to help you get the ball rolling on your new residene! For more, check out my fellow columnist’s post on 7 tips for first time homebuyers and this guest post from a Chicago realtor on the math, money, and market trends in real estate. Where thou art that is Home.   ~Emily Dickinson Columnist Archive

7 Ways to Improve Mornings for Non-Morning People

7 Ways to Improve Mornings for Non-Morning People If youre anything like me,  waking up in the morning can be a real struggle. Ive tried everything I can to try and turn myself into a morning person, and nothing has ever worked. Ive accepted the fact  that Ill never be like one of the mythical humans who floats out of bed easily with a smile on their face (how do they do it?!). With  this realisation, Ive found some ways to make mornings slightly better for those  of us that dread the sound of our alarm. Im never going to be a morning person, so Ive decided to embrace the moody mornings and double espressos with open arms. Here are some ways Ive learnt to deal with NOT being a morning person: 1) Set yourself ONE alarm: If you think you need to set yourself multiple alarms like below, get rid of them. Set yourself one alarm and youll subconsciously wake up more easily theres no time for snoozing with only one alarm! 2) Go to bed early: This may seem like an obvious one, but if you know that going to bed at 12am means your morning is going to be a pain, then go to bed earlier. Dont sabotage your morning by going to bed too late. Obviously youre not going to be able to go to bed early every night, but if you can, you should. Ive learnt  that YouTube is my nemesis how am I supposed to go to sleep when there are so many cute dog videos on the internet?! 3) Down a glass of water the moment you wake up: The first thing I make sure I do when I wake up is drink a whole lot of water. It not only shakes me out of my tiredness, but it also leaves me feeling refreshed and energised. Try it! 4) Organisation is KEY: Make sure you organise everything you can the night before. I always make sure my bag is packed, I plan my outfit, and I often have my lunch prepared the night before too. This means theres actually less to do in the morning, making it a slightly less stressful and rushed time. 5) Download the Sleep Cycle app: I recently decided to download the sleep cycle app to give it a go, as Ive heard lots about it. It basically tracks your movements as you sleep, and from this it  can work out whether youre in a deep sleep or a lighter one   and it wakes you whilst youre in the lighter sleep, so its easier to get up. Ive used the app once and it worked(-ish), but Im going to continue using it to see if it really does make a difference. 6) Find out what works for you, and stick to it: Over the years Ive managed to fine-tune my mornings so theres minimal effort involved. Ive figured out a routine that works for me, and Ive stuck to it. This helps my mornings, dramatically. 7) Plan an exciting breakfast: Something that definitely gets me up in the morning is knowing Ive got something super exciting to eat for breakfast. Whether its a boiled egg, my favourite cereal or some porridge, having a pre-prepared breakfast helps me hop out of bed quickly.