Are you an early riser searching for a suitable job?
We’ve rustled up a great collection of jobs for early birds. If you’re the type of person who gets their best work done when the roosters are still crowing, you’re bound to find some inspiration here.
What Makes a Good Job for People Who Wake Up Early?
It’s pretty obvious what you’re looking for if you like to wake up early, but it helps to make sure we’re on the same page.
We looked for jobs that:
- Begin shifts well before the traditional 9am start.
- Typically ends shifts before the traditional 5pm finish.
- Operate almost exclusively in daylight hours (little to no chance of evening or night shifts being assigned).
Best Jobs for Early Risers
Below is our list of job ideas for early birds:
1. Personal Trainer
- Average rate: $25.57 per hour
- Average salary: $51,467 per year
Known interchangeably as a fitness trainer or fitness instructor, a personal trainer provides tailored fitness training either individually or in groups.
Responsibilities include crafting bespoke fitness regimens, guiding clients through exercises, providing health and lifestyle advice, and monitoring clients’ progress.
The job typically requires a personal training certification, often predicated on holding a high school diploma. Comprehensive knowledge of fitness, nutrition, and exercise techniques is always a bonus.
2. Yoga Instructor
- Average rate: $28.13 per hour
- Average salary: $55,511 per year
A yoga instructor or yoga teacher leads their students through yoga postures and breathing work.
Their core responsibilities include conducting yoga sessions, designing lesson plans, demonstrating postures, overseeing correct alignment and safety, and fostering relaxation and mindfulness.
The role typically demands a yoga teaching certification, usually acquired through a yoga teacher training course. An extensive understanding of yoga philosophy and practices, superior communication skills, and a dedicated focus on personal health and well-being are non-negotiable for this role.
3. Golf Course Superintendent
- Average salary: $76,700 per year (can be over $100k)
Dedicated to keeping the golf course in prime condition, a golf course superintendent, or greenskeeper, takes the lead in course management.
This role involves ensuring the health and beauty of the turf grass, maintaining efficient irrigation and fertilization, controlling pests, and driving course improvements. It’s all about creating a course that is both visually stunning and a pleasure to play.
This job typically requires a degree in turf management or a related field, experience in golf course maintenance, and excellent leadership skills. A keen eye for detail and a passion for golf can also go a long way.
4. Farmers Market Vendor
- Average salary: $74,000 – $500,000
Farmers market vendors, or farmers market sellers, sell farm-fresh produce or homemade goods directly to customers, bringing a personal touch to commerce.
In this role, vendors grow, craft, and sell their goods, interacting with customers to share the stories behind their products. It’s about cultivating a product from seed or idea to sale and building a bond with the community.
A successful vendor often loves farming or crafting, has good customer service skills, understands food safety regulations, and has a basic understanding of business operations. An entrepreneurial spirit and a dedication to sustainable practices are also valuable in this role.
5. Veterinary Technician
- Average rate: $19.70 per hour
- Average salary: $38,343 per year
Veterinary Technicians, or “vet techs”, as they’re commonly called, are the all-rounders of animal healthcare.
As a vet tech, you’d be juggling a variety of tasks – conducting lab tests, lending a hand in surgeries, nursing our furry friends, and even schooling pet owners on care practices.
Jumping into this role requires a 2-year associate degree in veterinary technology, and more often than not, you’ll need to ace the National Veterinary Technician exam to get your certification.
6. Transcriptionist
- Average rate: $20.28 per hour
- Average salary: $39,418 per year
A transcriptionist transforms spoken content into accurate written text.
In this role, the transcriptionist carefully listens to audio recordings, meticulously transforms the content into written form, and proofreads to ensure precision. It’s about capturing every spoken nuance and presenting it clearly in text.
The job demands fast and accurate typing skills, an excellent ear for dialogue, a strong command of the language being transcribed, and familiarity with specific industry terminology. Attention to detail is paramount, and while some roles may require certification, many transcriptionists learn on the job.
7. Hotel Breakfast Cook
- Average rate: $15.44 per hour
- Average salary: $35,358 per year
A Hotel Breakfast Cook, also known as a breakfast chef or early morning cook, is in charge of preparing the most important meal of the day for hotel guests.
This professional is responsible for waking up before the sun to ensure a fresh and appetizing breakfast spread is ready as guests start their day. This includes everything from the continental spread to hot items like eggs, bacon, pancakes, and more.
Entry into this role often requires experience in a professional kitchen and a knowledge of food safety practices. A culinary degree can be beneficial but is not always necessary. Punctuality and a love for the early hours are absolute musts.
8. Truck Driver
- Average rate: $30 per hour
- Average salary: $62,402 per year
Truck drivers, including early morning freight haulers or long-haul truckers, are responsible for making sure goods reach their destination on time.
These drivers are often on the road before dawn to avoid heavy traffic and to adhere to delivery schedules. The job can involve interstate or even international travel, depending on the route and goods.
The role usually requires a special driver’s license (a commercial driver’s license, or CDL), a clean driving record, and a basic knowledge of vehicle maintenance. Some companies may also require previous experience or driving school training. As you might expect, being a morning person is a big plus for this role.
9. Commercial Fisherman
- Average salary: $49,000 per year (very wide range)
A Commercial Fisherman, sometimes known as a seafood harvester or sea fisherman, ventures into the waters early in the morning to catch marine life sold on the consumer market.
Their tasks encompass managing fishing vessels, looking after equipment, and keeping an eye on fish populations. The early bird truly catches the worm (or the fish, in this case), as dawn often brings the best catches.
Entering this job usually requires experience in fishing, a good knowledge of boat safety, and the physical ability to handle the demands of the sea. The job suits early risers who love a morning on the open water.
10. Garbage Collector
- Earnings: Up to $41,768 per year
Garbage Collectors, also known as waste collectors or sanitation workers, start their routes at the crack of dawn to collect and discard waste from various places.
Their day-to-day tasks revolve around maneuvering garbage trucks, segregating waste, and operating disposal machinery. Their early starts help keep the streets clean without causing disruption to traffic or people’s daily schedules.
While this role doesn’t mandate specific qualifications, it does call for physical resilience, stamina, and a decent driving record. If you’re an early riser who likes to keep things clean, this could be a suitable role.
11. Farm Hand
- Average rate: $17 per hour
- Average salary: $34,344 per year
A Farm Hand, also known as a farm laborer or farm worker, kicks off their day with the crowing of the rooster, aiding with the everyday tasks of a farm.
Their responsibilities cover planting and harvesting crops to nurturing and feeding livestock. The break of dawn is the optimal time to start, with the animals being most active and the temperatures being most bearable.
While there are no formal qualifications for becoming a Farm Hand, a background in farming or animal care can be a plus. Above all, you’ll need physical resilience, the ability to withstand different weather conditions, and an early riser’s spirit.
12. Park Ranger
- Average rate: $16.03 per hour
- Average salary: $41,680 per year
Park Rangers, also known as conservation officers or forest rangers, wake up with the wilderness to safeguard and manage national parks, forests, or historical places.
Their days involve patrolling the park, upholding regulations, protecting wildlife, and even leading educational tours for visitors. The sun’s first rays mark the start of their day, preparing the park for its daily visitors.
Becoming a Park Ranger generally requires a degree related to environmental sciences or biology. Experience in law enforcement or outdoor leadership can also give you an edge.
13. Gym Receptionist
- Average rate: $19.90 per hour
- Average salary: $33,074 per year
A gym Receptionist, sometimes referred to as a fitness receptionist, is the first friendly face you meet at a fitness center.
This job has you overseeing tasks like checking in gym-goers, addressing membership queries, managing payments, and keeping the reception area spick-and-span.
While a high school diploma, customer service prowess, and computer know-how are the basics, a bit of gym familiarity or a dash of fitness enthusiasm can give you that extra edge.
There Are Jobs for Early Risers!
Whether you see yourself as a Gym Receptionist or a Veterinary Technician, this list is bursting with options for morning enthusiasts.
Do you have a favorite among these roles? We’re all ears!