Think you have the worst job in the world?
Unless you’re a roustabout, you don’t. This is according to CareerCast.com, which has released its annual Jobs Rated list, ranking 200 jobs from best to worst.
The website says. “Each year Jobs Rated researchers survey 200 jobs – from Accountant to Zoologist – scoring them according to five key criteria: Physical Demands, Work Environment, Income, Outlook and Stress. Some factors remain relatively constant from year to year, but others fluctuate greatly due to changes in the job market, technological innovations or current events. Using data from government sources, trade groups and private organizations, every job receives a score and rank in each category….”
And the best job on the list is….drumroll please…Software Engineer. This is followed by Mathematician, Actuary, Statistician and Computer Systems Analyst. Rounding out the top ten are Meteorologist, Biologist, Historian, Audiologist and Dental hygienist.
Not surprisingly, most of the top jobs require skills in math and/or computing, as well as education and specialized training. There’s a reason to go to school, people.
Software Engineers are needed these days to design everything from operating systems to apps to games. CareerCast explains that they only rank #23 in terms of salary, but two emerging industries: web applications and cloud computing, helped push the job into the #1 spot, bumping Actuary down to #2 (sorry Actuary). The demand for development of mobile applications and cloud software has diversified the field and, apparently, “a diverse job market brings improvements in stress factors such as Growth Potential and Competitiveness, as workers become less beholden to employers or vulnerable to outsourcing.”
Right in the middle at numbers 99, 100 and 101 are broadcast technician, teacher and surgeon, respectively. So, teaching ranks higher than operating, because a surgeon may make $365,258.00 and a teacher only $51,132.00, but the surgeon’s job is far more stressful. You get the idea. Wild card placements one might find interesting are Philosopher at #16, Parole Officer at #18. Who’d have thought those two would be neck in neck?
For the second year in a row, the worst job on the list is roustabout – “Twelve-hour shifts, exposure to the elements in hostile environments, low pay, high risk of injury and isolation from loved ones for weeks at a time are just some of the factors that combine to make Roustabout the worst job of 2011.” An explosion at the Deepwater Horizon facility in the Gulf of Mexico last year killed 11 workers. Also, a seven year suspension of offshore drilling in America’s Eastern Gulf and Atlantic coastlines has worsened the hiring prospects for oil rig workers.
Again, not surprisingly, most of the worst jobs are physically demanding and pay little. Roustabout is followed by Ironworker, Lumberjack, Roofer, Taxi Driver, EMT, Welder, Painter, Meter Reader and Construction Worker.
Not everyone is hip to CareerCast’s methodology and the comments section is full of angry rants calling the list a load of bull.
Some of the less offensive posts include, “So software engineer is a low stress job with almost no physical demands? I’ll remember that next time I pull a buddy out from sleeping under his desk in the middle of a scrum.” And “taxi more stress than an EMT hahahaha, that’s the dumbest thing I have ever read.”
I don’t know. I have a friend who’s an EMT and I doubt he’d give it up to start driving a cab.
Maybe the list is flawed but it makes a lot of sense. Hey, if you’re thinking of a career change, you might want to have a look.
It is certainly interesting for me to read that blog. Thank author for it. I like such themes and everything connected to them. I would like to read a bit more soon.
The actual JOB SEARCH has to be the WORST job: NO PAY, NO BENEFITS or PAID VACATION, HIGH STRESS
I was quite interested in your method of analysis, and, every way that is utilized is likely alright. You have certainly found the best and worst areas. I am very interested in working from a laptop prresently due to physical disabilities because of distance from town, no driving licence for same reason, and very much liking using statistics to develop results. I spent most of my career as a material planner and always enjoyed making that give the factory the best results. That is why I agree with the statistical area as one of the best. Oh yeah, contact me if you can use a disabled smart person.
Thanks.
Tony Vancoillie
I guess working at Wal-Mart would be the most stressful one!
Are you nuts, dental hygienist have no benefits, no pension, no yearly raises and have to tolerate things such as clients crying in the chair, prior to even opening their mouths. Their governing bodies want them to write a book for each appointment and don’t really care how they clean teeth as long as the story is documented. Ontario is flooded with hygienist and these crappy private schools. The hygienist makes the dentist 200 bucks an hour but new grads are working for 20 bucks an hour. Whoever thought this was a top job has never done it and doesn’t know what is currently going on in the profession. Instead of making hygiene a university course the CDHO goes backwards and give liscenses to just about anyone who has some english and basic math skills. Originally you had to be top notch to get into a hygiene course ,not anymore. I’d rather work at Tim Horton’s then with benefits then make the dentist a ton of money and make next to nothing.
Yes, the list is a bunch of hogwash. Software engineer, #1? Most software engineers I know are highly stressed, overworked, and only paid marginally better than average these days. Ten years ago they made money hand over fist but not anymore. Teachers are ranked #100? Most teachers I know are pretty happy with their jobs.. although yes, the pay is not the greatest, the sense of meaning and fulfillment seems to be pretty high, and depending on what level you teach, you can end up with quite good benefits. The only unhappy teachers I know are those who became teachers because they didn’t know what else to do. Parole officer #16? What a joke.. and philospher??? The average person probably has a better chance of becoming a super model than a philospher.
What about job satisfaction? A level of stress and even physical discomfort can be gratifying. I was very satisfied as a construction labourer. Providing a negative rating for physical effort is ridiculous! We’re animals, we’re meant to move and exert ourselves and can get depressed by being holed up in an office.
While your list is interesting, I doubt that people (who compiled the list) that have actualaly done the jobs on the list. Anyone who has a job or “career” will be able to give several points on the best and worst parts of there jobs, and with the economy the way it is everyone has stress of some sort or another. There is good and bad with every job not just the best and worst lists.
I wonder where the Security Guard Rates?
Tons of resposability, watching over sometimes Millions of dollars Of equiptment. Protecting lives, safety, and health of Clients. Long lousy hours. All for minimum wage.
With little or no chance of advancement.
HHMmmmmmmmmm……
I’m a hairdresser. Add that to your list of bad jobs!
I would have to disagree with the author.The worst job would have to a furniture mover,low pay,unhappy customers,away from home for months (not weeks) and some who are working for various companies that i know personally have to deal with managers who refuse to pay overtime,vacation pay and even a per diem when away from home for long periods.Now thats what i would have to say is stressful.
Actually the worse jobs like Ironworker, Lumberjack, Roofer, Taxi Driver, EMT, Welder, Painter, Meter Reader and Construction Worker pay more than what is being paid to people in security industry. 10 to 12 hours of standing or patrol and paid just 11-12 bucks. Just not enough for living a respectable life with a family.
haha @ Ken’s comment . No offence.. it is funny and true lmao
THE WORST JOBS ARE CONSTRUCTION JOBS? I THINK YOUR SITE IS VERY BIAS TOWORDS TRADES. YOU SHOULD THINK OF THIS, PERSONS WHO HAVE THE BEST JOBS WORK IN BUILDINGS THAT A PERSON WITH A TRADE (CONSTRUCTION WORKER) BUILT.
SO, YOU SPOILED BRATS THAT WANT EXECUTIVE POSITIONS THAT ONLY THINK ABOUT THEMSELVES, READ THIS STUFF!
I have to agree with the ranking. I am a Computer Analyst and I love my job.
Give your heads a shake. You say the worst in the world and then list North American jobs. Think of a farmer in a mine-filled field in Afghanistan for example
I believe working in a daycare is a very stressful low paying job YOU Can never satisfy parents
where does nursing (RPN) fit in on you list of 200?
I’ve worked in a hospital for 11 yr. and nurses have been cut on units, thereby increasing our already heavy workload. Added to this, our many lessons to learn on e-learning, new electronic charting and increased scoped of practise to come. (all at once!) I don’t receive a salary, but an hourly wage and these e-learnings cannot always be done at work, when there is no time. I’m 56 yr. old and feel I need a change where I will have more job satifsfaction and less stress. Tired of going to school. (Also have a B.Sc. from U of T) Nursing is not what it used to be and I don’t feel health care is valued the way it should be. The sad part is that I like nursing, but if I can’t find a better setting, with better hr. and proper staffing, I need a drastic change. It will greatly help my health and my lifestyle. Maybe you can help with this .Erica Walker. Maybe the career experts have some advice for me. I feel like a small spoke in a big wheel. If you don’t have proper working conditions, money doesn’t cut it.
How about collection agents? Longer hours, less pay and having to listen to the personal problems of the general public all day! Not to mention the pressure of having to produce results and dealing with the immense pressure from the banks demands.
another worst job can also be liking as working as a contract staff of a bank or some company been experienced in some countries especially Nigeria, they denied their staff so many things including medicals, housing etc besides, they gave them money that cannot even feed them talkless of transporting them to office.
I may have discovered the worst boss of all. One who does not pay his employess their wages due because of financial restraints in the company. Labour Board information revealed that an employer must pay wages to the employee first regardless of any unsecured creditor seeking money as well. Any employee reading this information might want to tuck it away for future use.
Obvious none of these people ever worked in a call centre–ever spent your days being paid just above minimum wage to take abuse?
Air traffic controller: great pay, but still the most stressful of jobs. They have the highest rates of heart disease, suicide and addiction than any other. They’re responsible for more lives in a single shift than a surgeon is in his entire career.
I was very surprised to see chef or cook missing from the list
Being unemployed is the worst situation. I’d gladly take any job at this point. Grass is always greener.
Marc (unemployed since June 2010)
The Topic should have been “The Best and worst paying jobs for 2011″
To butress what Marc just said, an unemployed person is the worst and terrible situation in life.
Such a person is normally christened by the society as being lazy, never do well etc.
Every penny genuinely earned is better than being idle and a devils workshop.
There is always hope and faith in GOD for a better tomorrow.
I am peanutely paid but, its still better than staying idle.
It’s a great post, you really are a good writer! I’m so glad someone like you have the time, efforts and dedication writing, for this kind of article… Helpful, And Useful.. Very nice post!