What follows is only a partial list of jobs that you may wish to review before assigning a character a line of work. The jobs are divided into major categories. (One of those categories is crime; it's not the kind of work one would find advertised in the help-wanted pages, but it still represents a means by which some characters acquire money.)
AGRICULTURE
beekeeper
cattle rancher
cowboy
crop duster
dairyman
farmer
farmhand
field worker
migrant worker
pig farmer
plantation owner
rancher
sharecropper
sheep rancher
shepherd
tobacco farmer
wheat farmer
ANIMALS
blacksmith
broncobuster
cat breeder
dog breeder
dog trainer
elephant trainer
game warden
horse breeder
horse trader
horse trainer
hunter
kennel owner
pet groomer
veterinarian
BEAUTY/FASHION
barber
beautician
coiffeur-coiffeuse
cosmetician
diet workshop counselor
dress designer
facial massager
fashion buyer
hairdresser
hatmaker
manicurist
masseur/masseuse
model
pedicurist
perfumer
tanning bed operator
wigmaker
BUSINESS
accountant
accounts payable clerk
accounts receivable
clerk
activity manager
administrative aide
auditor
bank examiner
bank manager
bank teller
banker
benefits manager
billing clerk
bookkeeper
branch manager
broker
buyer
claims adjuster
client service rep
comptroller (controller)
contractor
copier operator
credit analyst
credit manager
customer support rep.
document manager
economist
exporter
factory owner
financial analyst
financial planner
financier
importer
industrialist
internal auditor
investment advisor
loan officer
mailroom clerk
market research analyst
office manager
payroll manager
pension administrator
personnel assistant
personnel manager
president
promotions coordinator
public relations rep
receptionist
records administrator
regional administrator
regional manager
researcher
sales manager
sales rep
secretary
stockbroker
switchboard operator
systems administrator
tax accountant
trader
typist
underwriter
vice president
warranty supervisor
wholesaler
workers' compensation rep
CRAFTS AND TRADES
appliance repairman
auto repairman
baker
barrelmaker
basketmaker
beermaker
beltmaker
boatwright
bookbinder
bootblack
bootmaker
bottlemaker
brewmaster
bricklayer
brickmaker
bronzesmith
broommaker
builder
bulldozer operator
butcher
cabinetmaker
cable installer
calligrapher
candlemaker
candymaker
carpenter
carpet cleaner
carpet layer
chainmaker
chimney sweep
cigarmaker
clock repairman
clocksmith
clothworker
coal miner
cobbler
coffin-maker
computer repairman
cooper
copier repairman
coppersmith
crane operator
demolitionist
diemaker
dishwasher repairman
ditchdigger
dollmaker
draftsman
dressmaker
driveway sealer
drywall hanger
electrician
engraver
furnace repairman
garbage collector
gardener
gas fitter
general contractor
glass blower
glassmaker
glazier
goldsmith
gunsmith
handyman
house painter
ironsmith
ironworker
janitor
junkman
laborer
landscaper
lathe operator
leathermaker
lineman
locksmith
lumberjack
machinist
maintenance man
mapmaker
mason
mechanic
metalworker
miller
milliner
millwright
paper hanger
paving contractor
plasterer
plumber
printer
puttier
remodeler
roofer
rope maker
saddle maker
sausage maker
seamstress
shoe repairman
shoemaker
silversmith
spinner
spot welder
steam fitter
steelworker
steeplejack
stonemason
tailor
tanner
tattoo artist
telephone repairman
television repairman
tentmaker
tinker
tinsmith
truck driver
typesetter
upholsterer
watch repairman
watchmaker
waterproofer
weaver
welder
wine maker
woodworker
wrecker
CREATIVE ARTS
architect
Biographer
book editor
book publisher
caricaturist
cartoonist
carver
choreographer
composer
copywriter
engraver
etcher
graphic designer
historian
ice sculptor
illustrator
interior designer
novelist
painter
photographer
playwright
poet
screenwriter
sculptor
short-story writer
sign painter
speechwriter
CRIME
<
br /> bank robber bookie
bootlegger
burglar
con artist
counterfeiter
drug dealer
embezzler
extortionist fence
forger highwayman
hijacker
holdup man
housebreaker
kidnapper
loan shark
money launderer
moonshiner
numbers runner
pickpocket pimp
pirate
prostitute
purse snatcher
racketeer
rapist
safecracker
smuggler
thief
DEATH
cemetery lot salesman
coroner
cremator
death notice writer
embalmer
executioner
funeral director
gravedigger
hangman
hearse driver
medical examiner
mortician
pathologist
EDUCATION
assistant dean
career counselor
civics teacher
college president
dean
dorm supervisor
English teacher
foreign language teacher
geometry teacher
headmaster
history teacher
librarian
lunchroom cook
math teacher
music teacher
phys. ed. instructor
professor
school principal
ENTERTAINMENT
acrobat
actor
announcer
ballet dancer
band leader
banjo player
barker
bassoonist
blues singer
booking agent
broadcaster
cameraman
casting director
cellist
choirmaster
chorus boy/girl
clarinetist
clown
comedian
concertinist
conductor
contortionist
costume designer
country singer
cyclist
director (film or stage)
disk jockey
drummer emcee
female impersonator
fiddler
film editor
folk singer
gag writer
game show host
go-go girl
guitarist
harmonica player
hypnotist jazz singer
juggler
lion tamer
magician
mime
oboist
opera singer
organist
pianist
pop singer
press agent
producer
program director
rock singer
saxophonist
screenwriter
set designer
showgirl
sound man
sound-effects man
stage manager
stiltwalker
stripper
talent agent
talk-show host
tap dancer
theater owner
theatrical agent
tightrope walker
trapeze
artist
trombonist
trumpeter
vaudevillian
ventriloquist
violinist
xylophonist
GOVERNMENT
ambassador
assemblyman
attache
attorney-general
campaign manager
censor
census taker
chancellor
charge d'affaires
chief of staff
CIA agent
city councilman
city manager
consul
councilman
emissary
emperor
envoy
FBI agent
floor leader
governor
intelligence officer
mayor
minister
party whip
poll taker
postal inspector
postmaster general
premier
president
prime minister propagandist
sec. of agriculture
sec. of commerce
sec. of defense
sec. of education
sec. of interior
sec. of labor
sec. of treasury
secret agent
state legislator
tax assessor
tax collector translator
U.N. ambassador
U.S. representative
U.S. senator
vice president
vice chairman
vice consul
vice governor
HOTEL, RESTAURANT AND CLUB
banquet manager
bartender
bellhop
bouncer busboy
carhop
cashier
chambermaid
charwoman chef
cook
cook's helper
counter person
country club manager
dining room supervisor
dishwasher
doorman
elevator operator
food server
front-desk clerk
gift shop clerk
golf pro
headwaiter
host/hostess
hotel manager l
andscaper
maitre d'
motel owner
porter
restaurant manager
valet
waiter/waitress
JOURNALISM
book reviewer
columnist
copy reader
drama critic
editor
food columnist
foreign correspondent
ghost writer
gossip columnist
investigative reporter
magazine publisher
movie critic
news anchor
news reporter
newspaper publisher
pamphlet publisher
proofreader
science writer
society columnist
sportswriter
TV critic
typesetter
war correspondent
LAW
bailiff
bankruptcy attorney
bondsman
business attorney
constable
court reporter
criminal attorney
divorce attorney
jailer
judge
law clerk
malpractice attorney
paralegal
parole officer
patent attorney
patrolman
personal injury attorney
deputy
detective
district attorney
divorce attorney
jailer
judge
law clerk
malpractice attorney
paralegal
parole officer
patent attorney
patrolman
personal injury attorney
police commissioner
police dispatcher
prison guard
probation officer
prosecutor
public defender
sheriff
tax attorney
warden
MANUFACTURING
assemb
ly-line worker
binder
dispatcher
dock worker
expeditor
foreman
forklift operator
foundryman
inspector
inventory clerk
janitor
job coordinator
machinist
mechanic
metalworker
night watchman
operations manager
order filler
packer
plant manager
process clerk
production control
production manager
quality control inspector
raw materials mgr.
receiving clerk
riveter
security guard
shipping clerk
supervisor
timekeeper
tool and die maker
transportation manager
truck driver
warehouse supervisor
warehouseman
watchman
welder
MARITIME
bargeman
boatswain
boatwright
buccaneer
cabin boy
captain
commissary
deck hand
deep-sea diver
dock worker
ferryman
fisherman
gondolier
helmsman
longshoreman
mess steward
navigator
pilot
roustabout
sailor
shipmaster
steward
whaler
MEDICAL/HEALING
abortionist
ambulance driver
anesthetist
audiologist
biologist
cardiologist
child psychiatrist
chiropodist
chiropractor
dental assistant
dental hygienist
dental surgeon
dentist
dietician
dermatologist
diagnostic technician
doctor
druggist
ear-nose-throat specialist
faith healer
geriatric specialist
gerontologist
gynecologist
homeopath
hospital director
hygienist
immunologist
laboratory manager
medical transcriptionist
midwife
neurologist
nurse's aide
nursing director
nutritionist obstetrician
occupational therapist
oculist
optician
optometrist
orderly
orthodontist
osteopath
outpatient supervisor
Creating Characters Page 25