10 Jobs That Let You Get Outdoors

Candace Corner,
CareerBuilder.com writer


If the mere sight of a cubicle makes your eyes itch, you hit the "snooze" button more out of apathy than exhaustion, or feel a slight twinge of regret for every moment you don't spend outside on a nice day, consider your work options. There's more to life than the daily grind and outdoor jobs offer more than just fresh air and exercise -- they also mean freedom. Liberate yourself from desk duties, say goodbye to lunch break lines, and contemplate what a work life without walls could be like.

Of course, if you're already locked into a decent salary, nixing the nine-to-five paycheck may not be negotiable, even if it would make you happier right now. That doesn't mean you're out of luck; an outdoor job may work as a second income or seasonal employment.

Whether you're ready to start over and looking for a new challenge or just interested in a part-time gig to bulk up your bank account, an outdoor job could be just the change you need.

Here are some jobs that will give you a whole new environment:

Real Estate Agent
What they do: Negotiate the purchase and sales of property between buyers and the sellers.

How they work outdoors: Real estate agents show potential buyers around the properties, which include large estates, lots, etc. They have to put a picture to the sale and let their clients see what's out there.

Landscape Architect
What they do: Design parks and gardens artistically.

How they work outdoors: A landscape architect's job includes training in horticulture, landscape design and planning. To create or improve the space they're designing, they need to be around it.

Construction Worker
What they do: Build, assemble and maintain buildings, roads and other infrastructures.

How they work outdoors: Construction workers carry out the plans of the engineers, architects and project managers. The only time workers aren't outdoors is when they are improving things inside on a site, or during harsh weather conditions.

Organic Farmer
What they do: Operate and maintain organic farms without the use of synthetic materials such as pesticides.

How they work outdoors: Organic farmers are constantly working outside to produce fresh products. Whether they are fertilizing the land with raw product or harvesting goods, most time is spent outdoors to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Sports Referee
What they do: Call the plays during sports events to determine what happens next in the game.

How they work outdoors: With a majority of sports played outside, referees are needed to make the call for sports such as tennis, baseball and soccer. They may get the brunt of hostility on their decisions from opposing sides, but they also get a lot of sun.

Tour Guide
What they do: Show tourists sites of interest about the place they are visiting and sometimes instruct them on how to do things associated with the tour.

How they work outdoors: It's a tour guide's responsibility to show guests everything there is to see about a place. Whether it's showing the grounds of a dead celebrity's estate or leading a group to a city's landmarks, they keep it interesting.

Camp Counselor
What they do: Oversee and instruct visiting campers on the rules, regulations and points of interest at campsites.

How they work outdoors: Campsites generally include lakes, hills and fields. A camp counselor may be hiking one day and swimming the next. Even sleeping can be a part of their fresh-air duties.

Tennis Instructor
What they do: Train and assist players on ways to play and improve their tennis skills.

How they work outdoors: Unless it's an indoor court, tennis is played outdoors. The bulk of training for hand-eye coordination with the ball and racket practice includes a lot of time on the court and outside.

Botanist
What they do: Study the growth, structure and identification of plant life.

How they work outdoors: Aside from indoor lab work, botanists spend a lot of time studying plants in greenhouses or in their natural habitats. To get a better understanding of how the elements and environment affect vegetation, they need to see it in nature.

Skydiving Instructor
What they do: Instruct students on the proper techniques of skydiving.

How they work outdoors: Their goal is to train someone to successfully drop out of a plane and plummet through the air at high speeds, so they get all the fresh air they can handle.

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