On the Job

- Blurb -

This one-volume encyclopedia examines jobs and occupations from around the world that are unique and out-of-the-ordinary, from bike fishermen in the Netherlands to professional wedding guests in South Korea to elephant dressers in India. It' s not surprising that the first question we are asked by strangers often has to do with what we do for a living. It' s another way of asking, "Who are you, and what are you about? " But what happens when the answer to that question is "I am a gondolier" or "I am an Instagram influencer? " This book tries to answer that question, focusing on approximately 100 unusual occupations around the world. Arranged alphabetically, entries define the jobs and detail their historical, social, and cultural significance. Entries also examine where the job is located, how it came to be, how people get into the position, and what the economic and future outlook is for that job. While the entries focus on contemporary jobs, the encyclopedia also includes 25 sidebars, which highlight unique jobs from history, to give the reader a sense of how unusual (and often terrible!) some jobs once were. High school and undergraduate students will find this book useful in looking at cultures around the world. Helps readers to better understand cultural values of other countries and make cross-cultural comparisonsHelps readers to identify similar and related jobs across cultures with listings of jobs by categoryIlluminates the text through sidebars highlighting interesting facts and anecdotal observationsIllustrates hard-to-imagine jobs through photosIs written in an engaging, accessible tone for high school students, but is also useful for undergraduates and general readers