A job not in an office - any ideas urban?

[pinkmonkey]

Piano Tuner.

Seriously. The place to train is apparently in New Market and only One year. It's a dying skill that is in high demand in many cities.

I recently met a guy who got a very cushy number working for one of the NY universities. You get all the uni holidays, plus accommodation and you don't have to do any of the 'unseen' work the lecturers do.

I also met a guy from Greece who travels around and always finds plenty of work.

My friend works as a piano restorer (and tuner) and she abosolutley loves it.

 

[kyser_soze]

The new Black cab is to be CORGI registered, I'm reliably told; choose your hours, how many you work, self-employed, and charge fortunes per hour.

I actually looked into this in a 3/4 serious way a few years ago, but decided against it for a reason I cannot think of now.

Apparently the tax man thinks that hansom drivers in London make £25K a year (probably gone up to £30K now)...not that yer honest cabbie would ever try and screw the taxman, nope...

 

[Stanley Edwards]

My friend works as a piano restorer (and tuner) and she abosolutley loves it.

The Greek guy I mentioned also does restoration. Does sound like a great way to make living. Right mix of physical/musical/travel/etc and very little admin, or people to deal with.

On the canal front; I've often wondered how you get to be a lock keeper with a very cool lock keepers cottage.

 

[Orang Utan]

On the canal front; I've often wondered how you get to be a lock keeper with a very cool lock keepers cottage.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

I vaguely remember that. It was shyte - yes?

There are some fantastic lock keepers cottages in hidden corners of the Midlands. Beautiful settings and all a short float to the great boozers

 

[liberty]

Dog walker / poodle stylist

 

[goldenecitrone]

For a man of letters like yourself there's only one serious contender. Postman.

 

[Melinda]

A high class valet or butler.

 

[moonsi til]

Have a look on the NHS jobs website. All NHS jobs in the Uk are advertised usually weekly. I just typed in 'estates' and London and a fire officer job came up in Ealing that required no previous experience as full training was provided.

 

[jbob]

Thanks for the idea Hollis. But I tried and couldn't get funding

Seriously, try again. You seem suited to it, and, as I'm sure you know, it's a 1 in 4 chance annually of getting funding from the major funding councils. I know plenty of academics who didn't get it first time around. I feel you have elbows in a phantom suit jacket that are waiting to be patched with leather.

Either that, or or stop wasting your time on the information superhighway and start writing and take the inevitable initial rejections like a man.

Or STFU and a deal with a lifetime of unfullfilling office jobs and occasional escapes through travel.

Or combine the two and do TEFL.

 

[hiccup]

A friend of mine now lives in a boat that featured in that series

 

[Crispy]

I see from today's metro that the Overgound is hiring station staff. Work on the railways, brainy! Lots of people to talk to, not much sitting around, and great unions

 

[Brainaddict]

I see from today's metro that the Overgound is hiring station staff. Work on the railways, brainy! Lots of people to talk to, not much sitting around, and great unions

hmm, could be a useful stopgap if it comes to that. I'd still like to develop Useful Skills though.

 

[Brainaddict]

My friend works as a piano restorer (and tuner) and she abosolutley loves it.

I like the idea of jobs that involve going round people's houses. I'm terribly nosy you see. No piano skills though.

Chimney sweep? I guess there's not much call for it these days. Strikes me as a fine job though.

 

[pinkmonkey]

The Greek guy I mentioned also does restoration. Does sound like a great way to make living. Right mix of physical/musical/travel/etc and very little admin, or people to deal with.

On the canal front; I've often wondered how you get to be a lock keeper with a very cool lock keepers cottage.

There aren't any lock keepers any more, but if you work for British Waterways you get access to the rentals of the cottages. Our moorings warden lives in a particularly gorgeous one in Roydon, at the bottom of a forested hill, with a big lake alongside it.

http://www.mike-stevens.co.uk/reports/cruise1979c/57a29.htm

I'm not suggesting anyone works for BW though - in the last survey they did, something like 70% of staff said they were not happy.