10 happiest careers in America

[Stinky The Clown]

This link goes to a slideshow on the WBAL-TV (ABC affiliate) web site. It is a bit slow to load, but no harm will befall you.

There are some on the list that really surprised me. I'd like your take on them.

http://www.wbaltv.com/slideshow/money/27398808/detail.html

[Brickbat]

1. It seems to me that those workers are happiest about the actual work they do, but many of those same

workers (such as nurses, nonprofit workers, and customer service people) are often fighting for better respect and pay on the job, which saps a lot of happiness from one's work. In the legal profession, I suspect the happiness begins when one starts getting paid for the work, which can take more than a year, depending on the internship you're doing.

The customer service one blows me away. Did they interview only people who answer the phones at small companies that still value customer service? Because damn, no one ever sounds happy when I'm calling to get something straightened out.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. One of the best jobs I had was being an operator at a small answering service.

We had clients who were doctors, labs, attorneys, small businesses. I had the midnight shift from 10p to 7a. With hours like that, I really had job security. I enjoyed interacting with callers, even the bad ones. I used to brag that nobody ever died on my shift and that includes a caller who was about to commit suicide and his psychiatrist brushed him off. The pay wasn't great but I did overtime and made up for the lack of compensation. The reason I moved on was the business was sold and essentially abandoned by the new owner. And BTW, that boss was one of the best I ever had.

[CBHagman]

5. I can affirm that it wasn't necessarily the pay that brought...

...the satisfaction. In fact most of my happiest work memories are from jobs where I barely made anything at all, but the purpose, the energy, the people made the difference.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. I didn't want to point it out in the OP, but . . . .

. . . . customer service is what blew me away, too.

[treestar]

8. Thinking about it, I can actually see that

Because you are instructed to be nice to the people calling in, which may promote a positive vibe. If you can resolve the problem, that would be satisfying.

[treestar]

7. Not everyone in the legal profession gets paid a lot

Lawyers on average have surprisingly low income. The average is dragged up by the few who make the big bucks.

The happiness factor is likely the fact that it is interesting - never boring, that is. Ironically, those making the most money might have the least interesting jobs.

[CBHagman]

3. Huge surprises.

I'll admit that there were some careers I wouldn't have thought of at all (procurement, accounting), but the real surprises were the legal profession and customer service. I would have thought that customer service was a totally thankless job.

By the way, I spent many, many years in jobs that involved working the public, and derived a great deal of satisfaction from making people happy. Yet I still associate the area itself, customer service, with the possibility of great frustration on both sides.

From what I've read, customer service is one area where Americans have traditionally had a chance to shine (My experiences in Europe are limited, but I've never forgotten that frosty salesclerk in Lindau). Nowawdays, however, you could easily structure your life so that you have absolutely no contact with a human being while, say, banking or shopping. And you can barricade yourself behind devices even on public transportation. It makes me wonder whether we will grow starved for human contact or wean oureselves away from it.

[newfie11]

4. I worked 40 years in medical, X-ray tech (Reg. radiological technologist)

Worked in hospitals in large cities coast to coast and border to border. When I started in the 60's hospitals were fully staffed with techs, then in the 80's it was "work smarter not harder" and you worked your ass off.

The last job I did was as a Mammo tech on a mobile unit that went to small rural areas in SD,NE,WY,MT, and ND. I loved that job but the work was very hard, very long hours, moving 600 pound mobile machine over mud( or grass or gravel), bridges collapsing as driving over, etc).
When I retired they had to shut it down as no one would do it. LOL.

Point is sometimes the enjoyment in the job is not what you do but if you are appreciated. Worked on it for 15 years.

[alsame]

9. Very surprising. I always thought the happiest people were those

who could make a living from their talents and passions - artists, writers, dancers, musicians, etc.

[Odin2005]

10. My current job at a thrift store is the first job in which I ENJOY going to work.

I'm the book guy there and I love when we get old and/or rare books. One of the books we have for sale is a rare hard-cover science fiction graphic novel from the 70s called "The Trigan Empire", it's worth about $100!!! :wow:

[Safetykitten]

11. Odd and probably completely wrong. Customer service? The writer should work at

a cable company call center for a year, then get back to us.

[tawadi]

12. Accounting? Admin clerical?

Really?