The world’s coolest jobs

In our world’s coolest jobs series, we profile professionals who have chosen some of the most exciting, adrenaline-fueled jobs in the world. From footballer to firefighter diver, read our interviews to find out more!

Some people are satisfied to work a normal nine to five, but for a select few, they aren’t satisfied with the norm. Read more about a day in the life of some of the coolest, out of the ordinary jobs.

1. Footballer & coach – John Heitinga
2. Firefighter Diver – Laetitia Lilou
3. Actress – Sara Maria Besgen
4. Winemaker – Ria Zeliskova
5. Entrepreneur and former snowboarder – Wojtek Pawlusiak

Name: John Heitinga

Occupation: Former professional football player who traveled the world with Ajax, Atletico Madrid, Everton, Hertha BSC and the Dutch national team. He is currently the trainer for Jong Ajax – the youth team of Ajax

What does an average day at work look like for you?

I always start the day at the club, where I talk through and prepare the training of that day together with my staff. I talk to the club doctor and the physiotherapists about the fitness and employability of the players and then give one or two training sessions, that we evaluate afterwards. On match days, the name says it all – Jong Ajax plays a match and I do the coaching.

Tell us about a good memory from work! Why was it so memorable?

I divide that into the player and the coach John Heitinga. As a player I enjoyed all the transfers, the championships with Ajax in 2002 and 2004, reaching the World Cup final with the Orange (The Netherlands national team) in 2010. Why were the championships and the World Cup final so memorable? Because at such moments you see how much joy you give the fans.

What would your tip be for someone who wants to do your job?

Give your heart and soul to the fullest to seize the opportunity when it comes along. Listen to esteemed predecessors, because their experiences can help you avoid the pitfalls that every trainer encounters.

And last but not least, know your own shortcomings and take them into account in the composition of your staff. In short: look for people who are complementary to you.

Name: Laetitia Lilou

Occupation: Former firefighter diver and fire fighter who, among other things, helped put out the fire at Notre-Dame in Paris, 2019

What does an average day at work look like for you?

I start my shifts at 7:45 am for 24 to 72 hours of work. We all start off with an assembly and verification of the equipment. Then it’s sports until 10 am in a diving suit.  In the afternoon we do first aid and we work in our services. More sports at 5 pm and that's it! Afterwards we can be called at any time during the day to respond to an incident.

Have you ever been scared or nervous at work?

Yes. I specialize in cave diving, and we dive in closed, narrow, dark environments. And at one point, I had problems with the equipment… with a very real fear of dying as a result. But everything went well, and in the end, I had nothing to worry about.

What would your tip be for someone who wants to do your job?

Take the plunge or the deep dive and just do it!

Name: Sarah Maria Besgen

Occupation: An actress from Germany who is known for her work in TV shows and movies like Verbotene Liebe and Rote Rosen.

What does an average day at work look like for you?

Always different depending on the production. But usually, I start working at around seven when I get into make-up and costume.

Tell us about a good memory from work and then a scary memory.

I was filming on a cruise ship in New Zealand when all over sudden the whole sea was full of dolphins! Once I had a diving scene with almost no experience in Mexico. I was scared to death.

What would your tip be for someone who wants to do your job?

Don’t expect too much from the business but the most of yourself. Work hard on your skills and steal from the best.

Name: Ria Zeliskova

Occupation: Winemaker, we take care of 7 vineyards together with our relatives and children.

What does an average day at work look like for you?

I’ll give you an example of an autumn day. We take our kids to school in the morning, and then me and my husband get some breakfast. We pack water, sunglasses and scissors. We prepare our toddler and head off to the vineyard, where we pick the grapes. Afterwards, we pick up our children for lunch and have it all together.

After lunch, we process the grapes in the taproom. The kids help out. They wash crates with me and things like that. During this time, we also have to help them with their homework. Then we play a little before bedtime. Autumn is our most hectic period of the year. We are jumping from the wine to children and back. It’s a relief at Christmas!

Have you ever been scared or nervous at work?

While working on the vineyard or with the grapes, the winemaker is scared quite often. There are so many things that can go wrong with the grapes. There are caterpillars that eat young vine in the spring. They are replaced with deer, who also like the young vine roots very much. We are also afraid of spring frosts, which may burn the leaves. Wine diseases are an issue during the summer, as well as storms and hailstones. We also experienced that someone stole our wine in autumn. And once every grape is picked off, we are scared that the fermentation process might go wrong.

We are scared a lot, but as soon as we taste first sip of our young wine, everything is forgotten, and we start all over!

What would your tip be for someone who wants to do your job?

Having a vineyard is demanding both from a physical and a mental point of view. It is important to study a lot about the grapes and winemaking. It is also important to work hard manually. The best start is to feel that vineyards are your love and that you are fascinated about the tastes and fragrances of the wine. 

Name: Wojtek Pawlusiak

Occupation: Former professional snowboarder whose career included victories at the Billabong Freestyle Festival, the Red Bull Upside Down, the Coalition Jam and more. He is currently an entrepreneur running his business, Nested Brushes

What does an average day at work look like for you?

I have the luck and the privilege of shaping and adapting my work time to my needs. I can organize my time in a way that allows me to find the time for a quick trip to the Polish mountains (during the winter) or some other snowboarding destination abroad.

But days when I’m performing my office duties are similar – I get up early and start with checking the mail, orders, messages from my partners and contractors. Then I’m ordering components, arrange shipments and deliveries, work on new designs, etc.

What would your advice be for someone who wants to do your job?

I would advise extensive e-commerce schooling and workshops to anyone who wants to conduct business with a strong online presence. It is just so much you don’t know when tipping your toes in this river – and it’s good to learn as much as it’s possible.

I was in quite a privileged situation, with many friends who specialize in e-commerce, so I always had someone to call and ask about some details, procedures, or advice.

But for most people, the right learning course or workshop is the best solution – there are some great products like this in the market, so you can easily choose the best for your business.