PARIS: Few employees have a job description as dangerous as Yannick Devesvre’s. And with good reason: He is a storm and tornado hunter.
Originally from Lyon, he now travels all over France and the world to record these meteorological phenomena and thereby help scientists to understand how they occur.
The storm chaser gives people a glimpse of his dangerous missions on social networks and especially on TikTok.
47,400 people follow him on the short video platform. His posts do not fail to evoke reactions of awe and horror from Internet users.
In some they even inspire vocations. But this activity is anything but harmless: Tim Samaras died on May 31, 2013 while chasing the El Reno tornado in Oklahoma. That’s why Yannick Devesvre also uses social media to draw public attention to the dangers of his job.
breaking taboos
The Frenchman isn’t the only one showing followers the reality of his unusual job on TikTok.
The app is full of videos featuring such unusual careers as animal behaviorist, photographer and drone pilot, or even sheep and alpaca clippers.
Katherine McRose first got into professional shearing by randomly responding to an ad on Craigslist, according to USA Today.
The American has since opened her own sheep and alpaca clipping business with her partner Darion. She shares her unusual everyday life with her 2.7 million followers via the TikTok account @rightchoiceshearing. While many people find her shearing videos comforting or entertaining, Katherine McRose says they’re primarily educational. They seek to challenge preconceived notions about the world of professional shearing and what the job entails.
Sabrina Beringuier-Salhi takes a similar path with her own TikTok account and takes her followers behind the scenes of her job as a funeral director. With her 51,500 followers, she shares all the secrets of her profession.
From outlining the protocols and sharing personal anecdotes to explaining what you should learn to get into the business of death, she explores and discusses every aspect of this still largely taboo activity.
The success of these reports reflects the curiosity disillusioned young professionals have for jobs they didn’t know existed.
Young people have very different expectations than their elders, which explains why they want to move away from traditional office work patterns.
According to a report by Zety, more than 70% of Gen Z members are willing to take a pay cut for rewarding or meaningful work.
But are they really ready for a career as a luxury picnic organizer or glass artist?
Ayanna E Jackson, HR expert and career coach, agrees. “I could see someone finding their passion, career turning point, or side job through these videos,” she told HuffPost. “The world of work is not just made up of lawyers, teachers and marketing managers.”
