10 most satisfying jobs

[Yawper]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:21pm

I'm surprised librarian isn't on the list, unless it's lumped in with education (please let me know if being a librarian sucks - I'm on the verge of applying to grad school to become a research librarian/archivist).

Here are the Top 10 most gratifying jobs and the percentage of subjects who said they were very satisfied with the job:

Clergy—87 percent satisfied
Firefighters—80 percent
Physical therapists—78 percent
Authors—74 percent
Special education teachers—70 percent
Teachers—69 percent
Education administrators—68 percent
Painters and sculptors—67 percent
Psychologists—67 percent
Security and financial services salespersons—65 percent
Operating engineers—64 percent
Office supervisors—61 percent
Survey Reveals Most Satisfying Jobs

[gumbo2]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:23pm

Why are special ed teachers different than Teachers? They are still teachers.

This list strikes me as weird, maybe it's just because of who I am, but being an Office Supervisor or a Security and Financial Services Salesperson sounds horribly boring to me.

[ABSteel]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:29pm

Put me in with those writers.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:31pm

I think porn star must rank alot higher on the list!

[zepka102]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:36pm

::bites tongue about teaching opinion::

[ABSteel]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:37pm

What's your opinion?

[gumbo2]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:38pm

I'm just saying...I know they are different but they are still teaching kids. I dunno. It seemed unnecessary for the sake of the poll to count them as two different jobs.

[zepka102]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:38pm

It's biased... based on my experiences in the field so far

But i agree, spec. ed. should be counted with teachers. Inclusion is becoming a normal thing in school districts.

Updated On: 4/18/07 at 03:38 PM

[Kringas]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:40pm

Where did hand and blow rank on the list?

[ABSteel]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:40pm

I'm biased too.

I prefer writing over a 9-5 job.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:41pm

Well yeah I'm biased too, I wanna be a writer, or at least be doing something creative. I couldn't imagine being satisfied with a 9-5 desk job, but that's just me.

[Yawper]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:49pm

I'd prefer a job other than a 9-5 desk job, but I'm a lot more adverse to poverty.

[RobbO]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:52pm

i'm not satisfied with a 9-5 job either. so that's why i come in at 9:30 and leave at 4.

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 4:07pm

Yawper, a study of firefighters, police officers, train operators, teachers and librarians in England in 2006 found that the librarians tended to have the most problems with stress.

"Librarians complained about their physical environment, saying they were sick of being stuck between book shelves all day, as well as claiming their skills were not used and how little control they felt they had over the career."

My personal experience has been pretty good, but I work in a tiny library that is not open to the public.
BBC Article

Posted: 4/18/07 at 4:07pm

I can't believe you ddin't post the OTHER end of the spectrum-- far more interesting!

In case anyone is interested, these are the jobs with the LOWEST satisfasction ratings and the percentage of people who hold that job that are satisfied:

1) Crack whore .000001
2) Street corner squeegee guy .000008
3) Pooper Scooper .000012
4) White House Counsel .00013
5) Sewage Treatment Plant technician .0008
6) Arby’s .00087
7) AOL Customer Care Representitive .002
8 ) Process Server .0035
9) Betty Buckley’s personal assistant .04
10) Adult Bookstore Janitor .07

Updated On: 4/18/07 at 04:07 PM

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 4:09pm

funny, jkv...two of those require a squeegee!

[Yawper]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 4:57pm

yodamarie78, I work now as the lone bookkeeper/HR person for a company of 40 that's open 24/7/365. I can't even imagine a librarian having this kind of stress.

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 6:20pm

i'm kind of surprised firefighter is only 80%
i've never been hanging out at the firehouse and heard anyone say "man i really hate my job"

i think special ed teachers and regular ed teachers are listed seperatly beacuse you need different training for the jobs. a friend of the family is training to be a special ed teacher and he's taking difefrent classes than people who want to become regular ed teachers.
but then you can break it down even further into special ed teachers and special needs teachers... a special ed teacher helps with academic stuff... a special needs teacher helps to accomadate a student so that they can participate in school... although some kids have a special ed teacher and a special needs teacher.

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 6:37pm

10) Adult Bookstore Janitor .07

Haha...eeewww.

[iHeartMyGeek]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 6:42pm

I know my mother certainly isn't part of the percentage that loooves teaching. She's a nervous wreck all the time, she hates it with a passion but she kind of has to do it.

In any case, I think most of these are kindof weird. Unless we're talking about best-selling authors, I don't think "authors" are all THAT satisfied. I mean, writer's block, no money, frustrated with not getting published...I can't really see these professions have ing people who are universally satisfied in them. Seems like an "off" list.

Posted: 4/18/07 at 7:25pm

What I find odd is that even at the very best, at least 1 out of ten people are NOT satisfied with their job.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 7:37pm

I can't believe Stage Door Johnny isn't in the top 10.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 7:38pm

Star Dresser isn't even on the list.


Where else can you see naked people and get paid for it?


Wait, I know Sueleeen has the answer.....

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 7:39pm

I'd pay to do your job, Diva!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 7:40pm

Hell, you've already worked with Betty....