"Workin' 9 to 5 . . ."

No matter what race or species your character is, food and shelter are a primary concern. And even if money isn't a factor, your character must perform some function in order to procure that food and shelter. Is your character a hunter or a farmer? Maybe they work for someone else or own their own business? In the worlds of RPGs, just like in real life, the opportunities to work for a living are almost limitless. And choosing that path for your character can lead to many different life sustaining options.
Here are just a few options of what your character might have done for a living before becoming an adventurer:
Farming
Hunting
Military Service
Tavern / Inn Keeper
Shop Keeper
Potion Maker
Cartographer
Writer
Government Worker
Kingdome Ruler / Despot
Musician
Court Magician
Pilot
Scientist
Bodyguard
Medic
Educator
Religion Practicioner
Slave / Servant
Thief / Assassin
Historian
Pirate
In deciding what your character did / does for a living before (or after) becoming an adventurer, don't forget that a job doesn't always have to be just for making money and sustaining life. Sometime, its can be born out of a favorite hobby or pastime, and in some cases it can even be a lot of fun. Work with your DM/GM to see how your character's past or present job(s) can fit into the current storyline. With just the right spin on it, a DM/GM can use your character's job(s) to launch your character into becoming an adventurer.