Search Influence Reviews the 8 MOST Fun Jobs in New Orleans!
November 17th, 2016 by
We all know it’s great to work at Search Influence, but some NOLA professionals are headed a little farther off the beaten path. Check out the eight most interesting jobs in the Crescent City.
1: Ghost Tour Guide
Source: www.flickr.com/photos/the-o/
New Orleans is one of America’s most haunted cities—if not THE most haunted. With moss-draped oak trees and cobblestone alleys providing ambiance and a history including pirate battles, voodoo queens, and over 27 yellow fever epidemics, the city is perfect for supernatural lore. Ghost tour guides love sharing their knowledge with travelers from all over the world, and who knows—they might just spot a few ghosts of their own! (Try New Orleans Ghost Tours, Haunted History Tours or Ghost City Tours.)
2: Roman Candy Man
Roman Candy, sold from a hand-painted, mule-drawn wagon, has been a New Orleans tradition since 1915. The Italian taffy is made fresh in the wagon each week, and the recipe has been passed down through the same family for generations. The best part of the job? “It’s fun!” said current owner Ron Kotteman in an interview with Thrillist. “I love making the kids happy—that’s why I got into the business in the first place.”
3: Mardi Gras Parade Designer
Most people participate in Mardi Gras for fun, but a few lucky New Orleanians have made Carnival into a career. The most coveted positions are at Kern Studios, the self-proclaimed “world’s best float builders.” These include niche jobs like parade float lettering specialists. However, another option is to start your own krewe! A prime example is Ryan S. Ballard, who turned a realization about Mardi Gras’ lack of sci-fi cosplay into a career as the designer/creator of the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus.
4: Craft Brewer
Craft breweries are taking off! According to Brewer’s Association, 2015 saw the most craft breweries in US history, and “one of the fastest growing regions was the South.” New Orleans boasts five breweries within the city, including NOLA Brewing Company, and the acclaimed Abita Brewery on the Northshore. The job’s main perk is obviously the delicious beer, but brewers also report loving the math and science involved, as well as the status of having a “cool” job.
5: Calliope Player
The age of steam gave New Orleans some of its most classic attractions: the steamboat and the calliope. The instrument is similar to a pipe organ, but powered by steam or compressed air. Debbie Fagnano plays the calliope three times a day on the Steamboat Natchez, one of the last operational, fully steam-powered paddlewheel boats in America. In an interview with New Orleans Magazine, she said her favorite part of the job is “watching passengers from all over the world thoroughly enjoy what they’re experiencing.”
6: Penguin Breeder
Source: www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/
His official title is Aviculturist at Audubon Aquarium of the Americas’ Husbandry Department, but Darwin Long breeds penguins for a living. He also develops and runs the Backstage Penguin Pass program, raises penguin chicks, and cares for the aquarium’s other birds, like the free-flying Amazonian bird collection. According to New Orleans Magazine, Long’s favorite part of the job is “being able to share with and excite kids and adults about penguins and other birds, while educating them about penguin biology and their natural environment.”
7: Jazz Fest Organizer
If helping to run Jazz Fest is your dream job, you just might be in luck! Wikipedia lists over 65 positions on the Board of Directors alone. In case you need a reminder of why Jazz Fest is awesome, performers have ranged from Mahalia Jackson to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and food vendors offer delicious Louisiana classics from fried green tomatoes to Crawfish Monica. Large spaces are also dedicated to celebrating cultural and historical practices, from Cajuns to Mardi Gras Indians. Who wouldn’t want to organize this great event?
8: French Quarter Buggy Driver
New Orleans buggy drivers love their job! As Jake Jones wrote for myNewOrleans.com, “How cool—to be in the middle of the French Quarter, where all the fun and action take place?” Similarly, Jim Farrell told Nola.com, “It is a lot of fun. You entertain people.” In addition to meeting visitors from around the world and serving as ambassadors for the city, drivers also mention bonding with their mules as a great part of the job. They’re a little jealous of the vacation time though—mules get three months off every year to unwind in green pastures.
Of course, these are only eight of the many interesting jobs New Orleans has to offer. With a growing film industry, some of the nation’s best restaurants and bars, a thriving arts scene, and more, there’s an occupation for almost every form of creativity.
