It’s safe to say that entrepreneurship is a high-risk occupation. However, are you ever intrigued by other high-risk jobs?
When you’re looking for your dream job, one aspect to consider is the reward you get from the efforts you put in. The reward is usually in the form of salary or wages. For example, some high-risk jobs pay very well. However, the element of danger in high-risk jobs is quite high.
The risk might be due to the high number of injuries and even the risk of death. But what can you do to get that extra zero on your pay check? Top earners in the category of high-risk jobs enjoy six-figure salaries. What’s more, in some cases they don’t need a college degree.
Today we look at some high-risk jobs and what makes them so dangerous. Then you can decide whether to pursue them or not.
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1. Airline Pilot
Flying might be a safe way to travel compared to driving. However, sometimes gravity manages to win. The good thing is that the number of flights that go down is few. Nonetheless, due to the high level of risk, you get quality training. Plus, pilots earn a six-figure salary for a few hours of flight each day.
This career also proves to you that it is not only the “dirty” jobs that come with risks. Even those jobs you most admire can be high-risk jobs.
2. Working on an Oil Rig
Working on an oil rig comes with multiple dangers. The heavy equipment that you use on a daily basis is a danger in itself. Couple this with the grueling hours spent working in remote areas, plus tough conditions. At a minimum, the risk doubles.
Oil rig workers often find themselves working 12-hour shifts hundreds of miles offshore for a week or two at a time. If anything goes wrong, their life lies with the rescue teams that work these areas. What’s more, help might take hours to arrive. On the other hand, this is one of the high-risk jobs that will provide you with the maximum benefits for your injury or illness while at work.
3. Commercial Diver
Diving for a living is very different from diving in a pool. Commercial divers have to go deep into the water. What’s more, they face various risks. This even includes nitrogen poisoning if they dive deeper than 100 feet. This can severely interfere with their judgement if they descend more than 100 feet.
Then, too, there is decompression sickness. This can occur when nitrogen gets into the diver’s blood and saturates his or her tissues. If the diver makes the mistake of ascending too quickly, these bubbles grow in size. They can then lodge in the arteries and organs. This condition is painful and sometimes even fatal.
4. Nurse
You might be surprised to realize that nursing is a high-risk profession.
That’s because nurses are exposed to illnesses and injuries as they work. What’s more, most of their injuries relate to overexertion. However, studies show that as much as they suffer from overexertion, they still tend to miss fewer work days due to injury and illness compared to other workers.
5. Private Security Contractor
Many people fail to realize how lucrative the security business is. As a private security contractor, you are employed by corporations to guard facilities, personnel, and other property. You are always armed and given the necessary apparatus to stay safe.
However, security contractors put themselves in the line of fire. Therefore, we can consider these positions to be high-risk jobs. These jobs are in high demand, however, as the monetary rewards are high.
6. Professional Athlete
When the major part of your job is to exercise and compete with other people on a regular basis, your body gets run down. Moreover, professional athletes sometimes suffer life-threatening injuries. In other words, these high-risk jobs can even be fatal.
The Bottom Line
Earning good money for what you do to make a living is a great thing. However, if whatever you are doing is dangerous, you need to understand the risks. Moreover, you need to weigh those risks against the rewards before you jump in.
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