Best- and Worst-Smelling Jobs

By : Beth Braccio Hering

it may not be listed in the official job description, but being able to deal with smells is definitely part of some positions. While in many cases the aroma can be seen as a job perk (fresh soup simmering from your restaurant's kitchen, anyone?), other occupations can leave workers wanting to hold their noses.

Here are some fields in which success never smelled so sweet (or so awful).

The best-smelling
Baker
Steve Abrams, owner of Magnolia Bakery in New York City, says that his establishment was designed to involve all the senses but that "the most visceral and evocative is that first smell when you walk in the door, which immediately brings you into your mother's kitchen and transports you to your childhood." The product he says creates that experience best: his bakery's world-famous cupcakes.

Other jobs with mouth-watering smells: barista, cook, waiter, movie theater concessions worker

Florist
Coffee brewing and lunches that give off any smell are not allowed at Greens Greenhouses & Treasure House in Fremont, Neb. Florist Joey Schwanke says, "We want people who come into our shop to enjoy the fragrance of flowers." Ardith Beveridge of Koehler & Dramm Wholesale Florist in Minneapolis notes that the "fragrance of the season" is usually the most pronounced aroma in a shop, such as hyacinths and other bulb flowers in spring and fresh greenery in winter.

Other jobs that offer smells from the great outdoors: groundskeeper, fruit picker, logger, landscape architect

Aromatherapist
Aromatherapists use plant-derived essential oils to promote physical and psychological well-being. Some of the smells that aromatherapists may encounter while treating clients: lavender (believed to be good for alleviating headaches), peppermint (used in treating indigestion) and eucalyptus (calming to coughs).

Others jobs where your nose gets a "healthy" workout: herbalist, masseuse, health-food store employee

Fragrance sales
"When it comes to fragrance, there is never one scent that people universally love," says Della Tall, an account sales and public relations associate for Anthousa, a luxury home fragrance company in Seattle. "Because of the varying preferences of our customers, we offer a wide range of fragrances: everything from floral to woodsy to fruity to musky. Some of our best-sellers include aqua verbena; cucumber and green grass; nectarine and red currant; and pomegranate and mint."

Other jobs where beauty is in the nose of the beholder: hair stylist, perfume demonstrator, candle maker, cigar/tobacco shop worker

And the worst-smelling
Zookeeper
The hippos at the San Diego Zoo in California are fed twice a day, and each meal fits into a wheelbarrow. Jabba, a male hippo, is fond of marking his territory and swishes his tail back and forth as he poops to make sure he covers the walls and ceiling of his bedroom as well as the floor. And just when it seems cleanup is finished, chances are he will repeat the whole act again -- up to 10 times in a few hours.

Other jobs for those who don't mind the smell of animals: veterinarian, veterinary technician, pet supply store employee, dog walker, fisherman, slaughterhouse worker, farmer

Waste or recycling collector
It may not be the most pleasant-smelling job in the world, but where would society be without the men and women who collect our garbage and work at dumps? The good news for those in the refuse and recyclable material industry: The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 19 percent increase in the number of jobs by 2018.

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