Happy Halloween! Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the day or just enjoy any chance to get dressed up and binge on choccie, there’s no denying it: most of us like a good scare!
Some research suggests we like being frightened because it gives us an adrenaline hit. Our brains get flooded with endorphins; some people can get addicted to this feeling, like an adrenaline junkie.
Or you might have a morbid sensibility and a macabre sense of humour!
Either way, this list of some of the spooOOookiest jobs we could find is just for you.
7 Spooky Careers to Explore this Halloween
1. Crime Scene Investigator
Also known as Forensic Investigators, these professionals attend various crime scenes to locate, examine and process physical evidence, which could be used in law courts. Crime scene investigators look for evidence from multiple sources, including textile fibres, foreign particles, paint, bodily fluids and fingerprints. Some investigators specialise in different aspects of crime scene examinations, such as blood spatter patterns – a Bloodstain Pattern Analyst.
Spooky Career Rating: While the role can be gruesome, we doubt there are many ghouls or ghosts to contend with. We give this one a spooky rating of 6/10.
2. Graveyard Caretaker
These caretakers do not have an enviable role! Responsible for overseeing graveyards’ complete care and maintenance, the role is usually attached to a church, with housing nearby or onsite. While graveyard caretakers conduct most of their jobs during the day, they also need to be on hand to respond to any bumps in the night.
Spooky Career Rating: You wouldn’t catch us wandering around a bunch of potentially haunted tombstones at midnight! We rate this one a 9/10.
3. Criminal PsychologistÂ
Criminal psychologists study the people who commit crimes and determine the ‘who’ and ‘why’ behind certain crimes. Despite media portrayals of these professionals sitting in prisons interviewing serial killers, a lot of what they do involves working with people who have committed crimes to understand their mental health, make treatment recommendations, and assess the risks of recidivism (how likely someone is to re-offend) when they’re being released from jail. Criminal psychologists work across the full spectrum of crime and law, and only a few work with high-profile, violent offenders.
Spooky Career Rating: Undoubtedly a challenging role and vital in our legal systems, this one relies more on science than voodoo. We give it a spooky rating of 4/10.
4. Cryptozoologist
Do you believe in Bigfoot? The Yeti? What about the Loch Ness Monster? If you answered yes (or maybe!), this could be the career for you. Cryptozoology is a pseudoscience focused on searching for, studying, and finding evidence of unknown, legendary, or extinct animals whose existence is disputed. From Bigfoot to the Loch Ness Monster, the Chupacabra to the Mokele-mbember – cryptozoologists are dedicated to leaving no stone unturned as they try to prove the existence of these creatures, one way or another.
Spooky Career Rating: Personally, we’d love nothing more than to discover that Nessie is real (Bigfoot? Not so much), so this one gets a solid 5/10 on the spooky rating.
5. Coroner
A staple in every detective movie or TV series, coroners are the professionals who are legally empowered to investigate how and why someone has died. They’re usually employed when the death is sudden, unexpected, unnatural or violent to determine the exact causes and sequence of events that led to the death. They can also determine how long someone has been dead and the sequence of wounds (for example, whether they were inflicted before or after the person died). Coroners can help to provide evidence for investigations and make recommendations following inquests to prevent further harm or deaths.
Spooky Career Rating: This one is definitely not for the faint-hearted, and we would not want to be working in a locker room of dead bodies every day (definitely prime haunting territory! This one earns a worthy 8/10 on the spooky rating.
6. Shipwreck Diver
If you’re a keen diver and want to know how you could make a career of it, look no further than a wreck salvage diver. Some professional divers work as recovery divers helping unlucky sailors get a sunken vessel back to the surface. Others take things a step further, seeking out long-lost vessels rumoured to harbour treasures and artifacts worth a lot of money. Put aside contending with sharks, giant squids and other terrors of the deep – we wouldn’t want to find out if those shipwrecks are haunted!
Spooky Career Rating: We’ve seen Pirates of the Caribbean AND Jaws – and we don’t like either scenario! This one gets an 8/10.
7. Paranormal Invsestigator
We’ve saved the best – or scariest, you decide – until last! Paranormal investigators research and collect evidence to determine and explain the cause of unexplained or supernatural events. These professionals must have nerves of steel as individuals or organisations call on them to investigate paranormal, strange, or spooky goings on in different places. They conduct interviews with anyone affected, spending time (usually overnight) in the areas and utilising specialist equipment to record heat signatures, noises, temperature changes and more. Their role is to remain non-judgemental and inconclusive until they have enough evidence to make further recommendations, including spiritual or medical interventions. From apparent possessions to poltergeists, unexplained critters or UFO spottings – if you have something strange going on, these are the people to call!
Spooky Career Rating: No doubt about it; this one gets a full 10/10 from us!
Fancy a Less Thrill-Seeking Role?
We feel you!
If you’re after something with fewer bumps in the night and tingles up the spine, head to our employer profiles to explore some of the best organisations with jobs on offer right now!
We guarantee they’ll tick all the boxes – with no hidden surprises in between!
