10 Great Jobs for People Who Hate the 9-5

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Many of us work a 9-5 (or, let's be honest, 8-6) job. We do the commute, bring work home with us, and work through lunch on occasion. It's fairly regimented. But some people just don't want that — and maybe you're one of them. For you, a 9-5 routine is not a great fit. Maybe you like to work earlier, or later, or only work specific days of the week. Well, there are many jobs available for someone with those needs. Here are 10 jobs for night owls, wanderers, and other free spirits, that don't abide by the rigid 9-5. (See also: 11 Freelance Jobs That Pay Surprisingly Well)

1. Voice-Over Artist

If anyone has ever told you that your voice is wonderful, or you have "a voice made for radio," then you should seriously consider becoming a voice-over artist. The job is just as it sounds — you are literally putting your voice over something, be it a commercial, a documentary, a movie, a trailer, a cartoon, or even the end titles of infomercials.

As a voice-over artist, you will be required to read scripts and provide several different takes, doing so until the producer of the piece is completely satisfied. You may have to sound happy in one take, sad in another. You may also have to memorize dialogue. But, if you have the acting chops, aren't shy, and want a career that is constantly surprising you, voice-over work could be just the ticket.

2. Groundskeeper

Anyone with a green thumb and a love of the outdoors should consider working as a groundskeeper. Typically, the job will involve mowing grass, trimming hedges and bushes, planting flowers, pulling weeds, watering, pest control, and other general maintenance. It can be done in places like public parks, golf courses, and sporting grounds, or private institutions, businesses, and the homes of those with grounds too big to handle personally. Many wealthy actors, business owners, and athletes employ groundskeepers for their estates.

3. Massage Therapist

Let's be clear, you can't just think you're good at giving massages and become a massage therapist. You will need to complete a post-secondary massage training program, and put in over 500 hours of practical experience before you can actually start doing this professionally. You will also need a license. But once you've attained that, then you can expect to set your own hours, travel a lot if you don't have a studio, and meet a wide variety of interesting people. If you are worried about getting regular work, then you can consider working for one of the massage therapy chains, which will give you more stability. However, once you branch out on your own, you're golden.

4. Social Media Community Manager

Tweets. Facebook posts. Instagram updates. These are the kinds of things a social media community manager is responsible for. The big reason that this isn't a typical 9-5 job is that social media does not follow a 9-5 schedule. Quite the contrary, in fact, as people who do work those traditional hours are more active on social media before and after work. So, as a social media community manager, you will be working around the clock to maintain a brand's presence on many different social media platforms. Obviously, with such demanding hours, you won't be expected to work 9-5 every day, but you will sometimes be working long hours for weeks at a time — especially if you're driving people to a new product launch, or a TV series. You could also do this work as a consultant, or on a freelance basis, and set your own hours.

5. Personal Trainer

Are you fit? Like, really fit? Do you know enough about nutrition and exercise that you could get other people into great shape? If so, then you may find the job of personal trainer to be just what you need. Personal trainers, especially those that are self-employed, set their own hours and can work whenever, and often wherever, they want. You can go to a client's home or office, or they can come to you. You can choose to work weekends only, or only in the mornings. You can also choose to only work three or four days a week. Some like to work for health clubs and gyms, which will provide more stability, but in turn, more of a traditional work schedule. If you live in a place like Hollywood or Manhattan, you could eventually get some famous clients, and that can mean serious money.

6. Actuarial Consultant

That's a bit of a mouthful. An actuary is someone who manages and analyzes risk. Any company that deals with risk, such as the insurance industry, needs actuaries to protect them from loss, and manage the future. An actuarial consultant does this job on a very flexible schedule. Often travelling the country, or even the world, actuarial consultants can set their own hours, and choose whom to work with.

Plus, the salary is very good, with the median salary being over $95,000 per year. If you want to get into this field, you'll need a good head for numbers. Actuaries study calculus, statistics, and probability. They also have excellent problem-solving skills, are organized, creative, and highly motivated. It's not a career for everyone, but if you fit the bill, you can earn a great salary working the hours you want.

7. Tax Accountant

We all dread doing our taxes. So much so, that many of us pay someone to do them for us. These people are tax accountants, and many of them are self-employed. This obviously has some ups and downs. The ups, besides a great schedule, is that for around four months out of the year (January-April), tax accountants are insanely busy. The big downside is, of course, that once tax season is over, work really slows down. Tax accountants who deal only with individuals and very small businesses don't stay very busy the rest of the time. That's why most tax accountants also have a roster of business clients who file quarterly returns, and require other specialized tax services.

8. Nurse

If you have a natural inclination to care for people, and don't like traditional office hours, you should definitely look into nursing. People do not get sick at convenient times, and as such, nurses are required 24-7. As a nurse, you will not only be helping people with physical ailments, but also helping people heal emotionally, too. Nurses not only need to be there whenever there's a problem, but also must be patient, kind, empathetic, and understanding — even if it's 2:45 a.m. and it's been a 16-hour day.

However, nursing hours are flexible because of this. You may find yourself working nights only, or working long shifts for 3-4 days per week. You will need a minimum of an associate's degree in nursing (ADN, which takes about three years) and must pass an exam given by a local licensing board.

9. Truck Driver

Love the open road? Like spending time by yourself? You may want to look into a truck-driving career. When you first start out, you will more than likely be an OTR, or Over the Road driver. This means long-distance trucking, across the country, and you can expect to be gone at least two weeks at a time.

For this reason, it's not the ideal job for someone with a family, especially with younger children. But if you have no issue being away from home for long periods of time, and like time alone, truck driving could be a great career move for you. You will have an erratic sleep cycle, so get used to that idea. Also, you can expect to work 60-70 hours per week when you're working. In your first year, you will probably only make $30-$35,000, but many trucking companies will train you to do the job. Compare that to the years of college, and huge student loans that many young adults come into the business world with, only to get a small entry-level salary.

10. Photographer

If you have a great eye, and are willing to put in the work to really get to know how to operate a camera, being a photographer can be very gratifying. It's definitely not just point and shoot, and you will need to take classes in lighting, portraiture, landscapes, and many other aspects of the job. But once you have mastered the art, you can make a great living taking photos whenever you want to. Many photographers have professional studios, although this is not a requirement. You can choose exactly what type of photos you want to take, too. Maybe you want to work at weddings or other events. Perhaps an intimate studio setting is more to your liking, or you want to do boudoir shots.

Whatever you decide, you will have to get used to one thing… people will always want you to give them free shots, or pay less than you ask for, as they don't understand the training and craft that goes into taking a truly wonderful photo. If you get really good, you could end up working on movies or TV shows, becoming a unit photographer (pictures taken during shooting), or taking the shots that go into the posters themselves.

Do you have a job that defies the 9-5 routine? Share with us in the comments!

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