Two hundred. That’s how many careers that Barbie has had in the over sixty years since her debut in 1959, and this multi-talented Jackie-of-all-trades is showing no signs of retiring anytime soon. With a résumé as extensive as this one, there are bound to be a few surprises here and there. We’re taking a little peek into the “work history†section and reporting on the most surprising careers you didn’t know Barbie had.
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Surgeon
Barbie was teaching children what nurses do as early as 1961 and has since traversed the entire medical field as a doctor, dentist, veterinarian, ophthalmologist, and paramedic. Her stint as a surgeon was probably the most intense medical job that Barbie ever had, but she took up the challenge in 1973, complete with scrub tie cap and facial mask. Funko even brought the design back as a collectable vinyl figurine.
Film Producer
Barbie is no stranger to performance. She’s been a dancer, singer, rapper, musician, and actor, after all. (Are you still a triple threat when you can do more than three things?) But even Barbie needs to pursue new artistic challenges from time to time. Barbie tried out being on the other end of the camera in 2003 when she became an independent film producer as part of the 1 Modern Circle™ collection. No word yet on the Rotten Tomatoes reviews.
Robotics Engineer
The past ten years have seen a technological explosion, and Barbie was up to the challenge, taking on jobs as a computer engineer in 2010 and a game developer in 2016. In 2018, she decided to take further strides into the technology by adding robotics to the list. Her robotic creation and laptop showing a related computer program are meant to inspire young minds to explore the wonders of the STEM field.
US Marine Corps
The marine corps is known for having one of the most rigorous training regiments of all the US military. Barbie apparently not only put in the work but had the grit and determination to be promoted to sergeant in 1991. This is especially impressive given that of the nearly 200,000 marines serving at that time, only about .5 percent of them were women. Of course, knowing Barbie, we shouldn’t be surprised. She was also in the army, navy, and air force, after all.
McDonald’s Cashier
Given she’s been the president of the United States, a McDonald’s cashier may be one career you didn’t know Barbie had. But in 1983, Barbie showed everyone that every career is important by joyfully taking a job at the globally recognized fast food chain. While no one has asked her opinion about her time at McDonald’s, we’re sure she was loving it.