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Are you an obese person and are wondering what jobs are the best jobs you can get into? Obese people can hold many types of jobs, and they can excel in the fields they choose just as their leaner counterparts do.
It is illegal for employers to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity. However, weight discrimination is another matter. It’s just sad that some businesses do not hire obese people. You can’t lose weight overnight and must continue with life despite your size and shape.
But life shouldn’t stop there. If you take a long, hard look at all your employment and career opportunities, you’ll realize there are plenty of ways for people of all sizes to make money. With a positive attitude and confidence in your skills, you can find many jobs for overweight people.
Best Jobs For Obese or Overweight People
Table of Contents
Here are the best jobs for obese or overweight people. Hopefully, this list of jobs will inspire you to look beyond your size and weight and start putting a premium on what you can do.
1. Plus Size Model
Consider being a plus-size model if you’ve always wanted to strut the runway and show off your curves. Plus-size modeling is, in fact, one of the best jobs for fat people, as the modeling world now welcomes women of all forms and sizes. As a plus-size model, you not only make money to promote clothes and fashion brands but, above all, show everyone what body positivity and self-confidence mean.
Here’s a complete guide on how to start your career as a plus-size model.
2. Create and Sell Online Courses
Show your expertise and make money by creating and selling online courses. If you don’t want to be one of those employees trapped in a 9-5 job, then this career path is an excellent option for fat people, skinny people, and even average-weight individuals. You can sell online courses on:
- Skillshare
- Udemy
- Teachable (Most recommended!)
As a course creator, you’ll make courses that aim to help your target audience and get them to take action. You can create courses on anything you have expertise or a high level of skill in, whether you’re great at digital marketing, cryptocurrency, public management, personality development, etc. Also, it’s good to know that online courses can provide you with passive income, so it’s a great way to supplement your day job income.
3. Food Critic
Another great job for overweight people is being a food critic. This job does not discriminate against you based on your extra weight. Rather, it emphasizes your expertise in the restaurant industry, from the establishment’s ambiance to the overall dining experience. Since most of this job involves food, most people are likely to have an open mind about your shape and weight, and you’ll experience less stigma or discrimination.
4. Guidance Counselor
Working as a guidance counselor is another excellent job for the morbidly obese. This job does not discriminate based on size and body type, and your job would be to help students navigate their academic lives by providing emotional support. Many students see their guidance counselors when faced with various unpleasant experiences at school, such as bullying. Being an overweight person yourself, you can model compassion, teaching students to be more mindful and empathetic about others.
5. Pet Sitter
Many obese people have less energy than the average weight person, so choosing a job that does not require you to work too much physically is essential. This is why pet sitting is an excellent job for fat people. You get to have some body movement, but nothing too strenuous. You won’t spend your time sitting and looking at pets. You’ll have to walk them, play with them, groom them, and feed them. This job should give you some exercise without straining you too much.
Here are some of the best places to find pet-sitting jobs:
6. Medical Billing
If you want to work in the healthcare industry as an overweight person, consider getting a career in medical billing. Unlike nurses who need more energy to tend to their patients, a medical biller spends more time sitting down processing insurance claims and payments. Other duties include communicating with patients about hospital balances and collecting payments. Employers don’t have to worry about your extra weight posing limitations in your work. Instead, they value you for your hard work and accuracy.
7. Customer Service Representative
Have fantastic customer skills? You can apply as a customer service representative and get hired even as a fat person. Many companies hire work-from-home agents, which is an excellent advantage if you want to maintain flexibility in your life. As a customer service representative, you will assist customers with their concerns and queries through live chat, phone calls, or email.
Some of the best places to find work-from-home customer service jobs are:
8. Virtual Assistant
Working as a virtual assistant is another excellent job for overweight people. As a virtual assistant, you support clients by taking charge of specific tasks, such as data entry, bookkeeping, appointment setting, scheduling, managing inboxes and calendars, and so much more. If you are adept with business processes and are eager to learn new tools and skills, then this job is worth exploring.
Check out these websites for legit virtual assistant jobs:
9. Blogger
If you don’t want to deal with employers and colleagues in the workplace and would like to instead work by yourself and on your chosen schedule, blogging might be the job for you. As a blogger, you are your own boss, and you can decide how to run your blog as a business. Blogging has nothing to do with your weight. As you establish yourself in blogging, you unlock different ways to make money. Your blog can earn money from ads, affiliate posts, sponsored content, and more.
Here’s my comprehensive guide on how to start a blog and make money from it.
10. Graphic designer
Graphic designing is another fantastic job for fat people who are creative. It is an excellent way to express your creativity while making money. As a graphic designer, you will create marketing materials for the brand or company, including logos, brochures, flyers, and posters. Also, expect to design social media posts and other website graphics.
Employees spend most of the time sitting down and working on the computer, so it’s an excellent job if you don’t want to spend long hours on your feet. You can find many opportunities as a graphic designer on online job marketplaces like UpWork and Fiverr and reputable job boards like FlexJobs. Preparing a portfolio of samples to show potential clients is also a good idea.
You can check out graphic designing job opportunities on:
- Fiverr
- UpWork
- People Per Hour
- FlexJobs (Most recommended!)
11. Freelance Writer
Anybody who can write engaging, provoking, and relatable content can be a freelance writer, even if you’re on the heavier side. Freelance writers don’t need to meet clients in person, and the job is often flexible. Since you are a freelance writer, you can also take in as many clients as possible, allowing you to earn even more money. If this is the right job for you, start writing to develop a portfolio to show potential clients. Also, sign up on various freelance writing sites and online job boards to start scouting for freelance writing opportunities.
Some of the places worth checking out are:
Related: How to Become a Freelance Writer
12. Make and Sell Handmade Crafts
One of the fun ways obese people can make money is to indulge in the handcrafting business. Express your creativity and satiate your entrepreneurial spirit with your ability to make astonishing handmade products, including things like fashion jewelry, accessories, apparel, and home decor.
What makes this an excellent job for people with obesity is that it is not as demanding as other physical jobs. Also, a lot of handmade crafts can be made with little upfront capital, so it’s a great way to start a business without shelling out a large amount of money. You can sell your handmade crafts on Etsy, Amazon, local trade fairs, the farmer’s market, etc.
13. Make and Sell Printables and Templates
Are you passionate about making digital products, such as printables and templates? You can cash in on this skill even if you are fat, as your product will be based on functionality, design, and aesthetics. Did you also know that this is a booming industry perfect for many women?
For example, Rebecca Beach made over $200,000 in sales from her printables and templates business. She started as a blogger and later ventured into making and selling PowerPoint and Canva templates. This business generates over $30,000 a month in passive income.
14. Affiliate Marketer
If you have a knack for convincing other people to check out the products you’re using, you could make money as an affiliate marketer. This is another excellent money-making opportunity, as it is very flexible and can be done any time of day. As an affiliate marketer, you must create content promoting a product and earn a small commission for every purchase made through your unique link.
Nowadays, affiliate marketers are seen all over social media. This is the perfect opportunity to engage in this business model if you have a large TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook following. This TikToker said she makes $100 per sale from affiliate marketing.
SkillShare has a lot of affiliate marketing courses you can take for cheap. It’s my go-to site for learning high-income skills! For a limited time, SkillShare offers a free trial for 7 days here.
15. Content Creator
Another excellent and fun job for obese people is to become a content creator. Platforms like YouTube and Facebook pay you to create content about almost anything. You can make content about pets, cooking, dating, marriage, or online games–pretty much anything you love, and you can get paid regardless of your body shape.
Making money as a content creator does not happen overnight, so you must be persistent and consistent. For example, many people make money creating content on Facebook, but first, they need to reach the minimum number of followers and minutes watched on their videos. You must learn how to stand out among other creators, ensuring your videos are unique and engaging.
Easiest Ways to Make Money Online
- Swagbucks – Get paid to answer surveys, watch videos or shop online! Get a welcome bonus here for just signing up!
- Survey Junkie – Answer short surveys and get paid through PayPal, bank transfer or gift cards! Join Survey Junkie.
- MyPoints – Earn points to read emails, answer surveys, shop online, or play games and convert your points into cash. Get up to $10 bonus with your first purchase.
- InboxDollars – Get paid to answer surveys and more. Get $5 free for joining here.
- Buy groceries for other people and get paid for it. Become an Instacart shopper here and get paid up to $16.49 per hour!
- Branded Surveys- Get paid instantly by answering simple questions. Join now!
- Looking for a job? FlexJobs is my recommended job site for flexible, work-from-home jobs. Get an exclusive discount of up to 30 percent off with the promo code FLEXLIFE.
Best Jobs For Overweight People Frequently Asked Questions
What are the worst jobs for obese people?
The worst jobs for obese people typically demand too much stress and physical activity, confine them in small spaces, or where employers impose weight limits. For example, it is not ideal for an obese person to work on physically demanding jobs like construction and firefighting, as well as jobs that require them to stand up for a long time, such as in the retail and hospitality industries.
Is it harder to get a job if you are overweight?
It can be more challenging for some obese people to get a job because some companies have biases and attach stigma to being overweight. They may think that obese people lack discipline, are lazy, and can be discriminated against based on appearance. However, fat people now have plenty of options and can choose to find friendlier workplaces where their skills and talents are given much more attention than their extra pounds.
Weight Loss Tips for Obese People
Is obesity stopping you from getting the job you want or excelling at the job you already have? Here are essential tips to help you stay on track with your weight loss goals.
- Consult a health professional. Before you go into any diet or workout routine, discuss your plans and have a thorough examination with your health professional first. Together, you can set realistic goals to shed unhealthy pounds in the healthiest ways possible.
- Get an accountability buddy. It often helps to have someone to remind you of your goals and bring back focus should you lose track.
- Get enough sleep. Sleeping is crucial in managing stress, staying productive, and maintaining overall wellness.
- Seek guidance. Apart from your health professional, it would be best to seek guidance from a nutritionist and dietician to create a tailor-fit diet based on your body condition and fitness goals. It’s also nice to have a workout instructor (at least to start), so you can be guided appropriately with the proper routines and prevent the odds of getting an injury.
Final thoughts
Focusing on your skills and qualifications when looking for a job is essential, not your physical shape and appearance. There are plenty of places where you can get a good job despite your obesity, so don’t stop seeking the best and most rewarding opportunities!