Real Scary Jobs Round Up For 2008

Employment expert Ara Checkmayan is back with his list of scary jobs during this scary economy. This year, with the economy the way it is, the scariest job is the one you do not have. Oh yes, and there are bound to be those jokes about the scariest job being a Wall Streeter about to get a pink slip or something like that.

But with the job prospects tight, the reality is that many people may be willing to go out on a ledge and take jobs that they ordinarily wouldn't, just to make ends meet.

So with that in mind, here are the scary jobs for 2008:

SCARY JOBS AND VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP...

Window Washer
Well, talk about going out on a ledge. Window washers, we've all seen them and they tend to be underappreciated. They keep the view from low-lying buildings and skyscrapers clean and pristine for the likes of you and me. And if you think this career does not call for skill, just try and manipulate a mechanical scaffolding. So if you are into hanging out, this might be just the career for you.

Crane Operator
With cranes falling around Manhattan like pigeon droppings, operating one of those bad boys has to be one of the scariest jobs around. In fact, operating a crane is a high paying job, fraught with risks, stress and the ability to do a lot of damage unless you are well trained, skilled and careful. So if you want to be the man or woman in the tower who has all the power, this is a possibility,

Vehicle Recovery Specialist
Many of us remember the movie Repo Man with Emilio Estevez. Talk about a scary job. Repo men and women repossess vehicles. Maybe someone could not keep up on the lease on that Beamer. Maybe they are late on payments on the Benz. Maybe they are big, bad, angry and do not want to give the car back. In a tough economy, this is a job that screams out "Buy life insurance!"

Divorce Decoy
Okay, so here's the deal. When times get really tough, personal finances get rocky. And when personal finances get rocky so do many marriages. People looking to catch their spouses being unfaithful now can avail themselves of divorce decoys. These are private investigators posing as potential paramours waiting to see if the offending spouse takes the bait. But what if they are found out? Can you say yikes?

Bailiff
"Bailiff take that man into custody," the judge bellows. We've seen this in the movies and on television shows, like the old Night Court sitcom, many times. In tough times crime rises. As crime rises, court cases go up. And as courts cases go up we see a literal rogues gallery march through the court system. It is up to the bailiff to keep these wrongdoers in line while in the court.