Connect with the world's leading business experts.
Get instant access to their expertise via world–class Q&A, Research, and Events.
0
20 Jobs That Are (Much) Better or Worse Than You Thought
If you're looking for a career change or are just interested in what other kinds of jobs are out there, start investigating the job market by taking a look at this list of 20 jobs that are either much better or much worse than you might have thought. Don't end up in an even more stressful, unrewarding job than the one you just left because you were harboring false expectations about the life a doctor or a CEO supposedly leads. At the same time, try searching outside of the box by giving freelancing or tattoo artistry a chance. You just might discover your true calling.
10 Jobs That Are Worse Than You Thought
The glitz and glamour of these 10 jobs overshadow the disadvantages of long hours, minimal recognition and high-stress environments. Think twice before you set up an interview for one of the following jobs.
- President of the United States: OK, so even if you wanted to be the next president of the United States, you probably wouldn't get elected. But ever since elementary school, hasn't every kid dreamed of one day becoming the leader of the free world? If you're still envisioning yourself at the podium, you might need a serious reality check. World leaders get very little sleep and are blamed for every negative trend in security, taxes, the economy and health care. Plus, they almost never have a day to themselves for their entire term. Sure, you get to travel the world and have access to the best food, doctors, airplanes and exercise equipment around, but is it all worth it if you don't have time to enjoy it?
- CEO: CEOs are awarded huge salaries, attend great parties, work in a big office all to themselves and earn respect in their field from co-workers, business partners and even competitors. But just like the president of the United States (although on a lesser scale), CEOs represent their companies in the public eye and are forced to accept the blame and responsibility for whatever goes wrong in their business. CEOs may also get special perks like trips on a private jet or invitations to extravagant parties, but they also sacrifice time with family and friends in the name of work.
- Spy: A sexy spy might make a great Halloween costume, but unless you're seriously ready to dodge real (not plastic) bullets and are willing to sacrifice your identity for a mission no one will ever hear about, enlisting in the CIA to get your kicks isn't a good idea. Officers take a pledge of confidentiality that goes way beyond sharing trade secrets with competitors: Your entire identity is fake, and even if you manage to pull off a blockbuster-worthy performance on your next mission, you won't receive any recognition for it. In addition to jetting off to other parts of the world and keeping your life a secret from friends and family, spies can find themselves in extremely dangerous situations involving prison time, assassins or worse.
- Artist: The romantic ideal of an artist's life includes sipping lattes, napping often and creating wonderful masterpieces, whether in print, on stage or on the canvas. However, most artists could barely afford a latte and have to perform "sellout" jobs in order to support themselves until said masterpieces are complete. An artist must be completely devoted to his or her craft before settling on this frustrating, though sometimes rewarding, career.
- Public-Relations Executive: Throwing fabulous parties, schmoozing with the media and hanging out with high-profile clients is all in a day's work for the fabulous public-relations executive, is it not? It is not. While some public-relations firms specialize in event planning, many executives find themselves begging newspapers and magazines for a few lines of copy and a photograph, crafting editorials for clients, and basically trying to satisfy everyone at once. The cherry on top? Public-relations executives get almost no recognition for their overtime: All of the praise goes directly to the client.
- Doctor: While clever physicians can find niche opportunities to keep them active in research, teaching and treating patients in specialized fields, U.S. News & World Report maintains that these days, "doctors are spending less time than ever with patients and more on paperwork." Besides continually working overtime, as well as "trying to care for noncompliant patients" and chronically ill patients, doctors must also be vigilant against malpractice suits, hospital scandals affecting their practice and more.
- Personal Assistant: Can you imagine what it's like to be Lindsay Lohan's personal assistant? Besides Lindsay's car-chasing escapade involving the mother of her personal assistant just before being arrested for a DUI, the personal assistants of celebrities have likely seen it all. From babysitting to shopping (not always as glamorous as it sounds) to car maintenance, we the daily chores that an assistant has to dignify quickly overwhelm any initial starstruck fantasies.
- Professional Athlete: How great would it be to play the same game you loved as a 10th-grader professionally? Professional athletes can make anywhere from six-figure salaries to tens of millions of dollars thanks to advertising deals, promotional events, tours and everything in between. The downside to being a professional athlete, however, is that your bankable status is as unstable as you are trendy. Brett Favre aside, most athletes are booted out of the industry as soon as they sustain too many injuries or reach a certain age. Consider your career ruined if a scandal breaks out, and frequent trades mean that you'll have to uproot your family and say goodbye to friends all too often.
- Attorney: If you see yourself bustling around the big city fighting for justice and digging up clues like the lawyers crafted by Hollywood, take into consideration that U.S. News & World Report also rates attorneys as one of the most overrated careers of 2008. While "a legal career promises prestige, money, and the chance to use the law to make a difference in society," attorneys are often overwhelmed by loads of paperwork and hours of overtime spent on seemingly frivolous cases.
- Restaurant Owner: Sure, your friends think that you make a mean shrimp creole, but will the critics and the general public? Opening your own restaurant requires more than great recipes: You need a team of devoted, generous investors; a loyal following of customers; and an ample, clean space to serve your food. Besides struggling to attract stellar reviews and an enthusiastic crowd, restaurant owners sacrifice weekends and prime-time evening hours, when their presence is needed at the restaurant.
10 Jobs That are Better Than You Thought
If you're ready for a career change, don't rule out any of these jobs just because you think that they might be too unstable, boring or common. From freelancer to consultant, several of these careers can become the key to a whole new lifestyle, full of job autonomy and creative opportunities.
- Freelancer: Freelancing can introduce a rewarding lifestyle for an individual who craves flexibility and creative freedom. While freelancers do the work that the customer requires, they manage to enjoy more autonomy in their jobs than most professionals. Along with the creative-spirit label, however, comes the unfair social stigma of being unstable or unable to find a "real" job. Freelance pay is often low, as the general outlook of companies that want to outsource is that anyone can write, design or program. If that were the case, though, why even hire a freelancer? The next time you enlist the talents of a freelancer, don't underestimate his or her talents.
- Makeup Artist/Hair Stylist: While even the top makeup artists experience unstable careers, union strikes and less-than-desirable pay, they're sometimes able to manage an employer's budget and experiment with high-end products they wouldn't normally get to use themselves. Makeup artists and stylists are also encouraged to flex their own creative muscles to make the most of their products and try out new looks on the job. Working on big studio projects or on Broadway will allow you to get up close and personal with famous stars. If you're a stylist or a beautician with a celebrity clientele, why not link up with them for a business partnership à la Kate Hudson or Jessica Simpson?
- Librarian: U.S. News & World Report considers a job as a librarian a decidedly "underrated career." If you work for a school, you'll enjoy school holidays, but if not, the magazine still holds that "librarians' work hours are reasonable" overall.
- Cameraman: Cameramen (and camerawomen) for network TV stations like NBC can earn around $60,000 per year, though most in the industry probably make less. The perks? There is no dress code, you have the ability to manage your own equipment, and you can use your own expertise and creativity to figure out how to get the best shots. If you're really at the top of your game, the chance to shoot film for TV shows, movies and commercials with big stars is a possibility.
- Stay-at-Home Parent: True, stay-at-home parents don't make money based on their duties as an errand-runner, a babysitter or a dishwasher. Despite the study that found that stay-at-home moms would earn more than $131,000 annually if they got paid, publicizing the fact that you stay home all day with the kids and the chores won't get you the "ooohs and ahhhhs" that saying you're a doctor or a lawyer will. Special perks for stay-at-home parents that other professionals rarely enjoy include skipping the daily commute; not having to abide by dress codes; and avoiding tedious reports, evaluations and meetings.
- Consultant: Consultants often get to specialize in several different areas, including "working as a speaker, trainer, and writer as well as providing" basic industry information for their clients, according to Job Profiles. If you run your own consulting company or are a partner in a small firm, you may get to dictate your own hours, choose your own projects and work hard to build up a reputable profile in your field as a go-to industry expert. Once you're known around town, other opportunities could open up, like blogging, hosting seminars or even snagging book deals.
- School Psychologist: Just because you're not charging clients hundreds of dollars to sit on your swanky couch doesn't mean that you aren't sitting in a lucrative spot in your industry. U.S. News & World Report includes the school psychologist in its list of the Best Careers of 2008. The median national pay is $62,600 per year, and school psychologists get school holidays, including summers, off from work.
- Journalist: Low pay and minimal creative freedom (at least in your early days) often deter great writers from pursuing careers in journalism, and many instead opt for law school or graduate programs. The life of an experienced journalist, however, is not so bad: Travel opportunities are just around the corner, whether you report on the weather, politics or style trends. Getting to see your name in print is not only rewarding, it's the optimum branding mechanism for when you want to develop your career and explore other avenues later in life. Journalists are also some of the most informed members of society, as their job requires them to be the first to know about economic changes, the law and even community scandals.
- Nanny: The nanny appears on our list of the most underrated jobs not because it's actually the perfect career, but because many people still don't understand the heavy workload and long hours that nannies face. Thanks to the book-turned-film "The Nanny Diaries," college girls may now understand that getting any old job as a nanny isn't as easy as it sounds. Live-in nannies have it especially hard, as they are required to be arts and crafts experts, tutors, nutritionists, fitness instructors, counselors and more. Depending on their employers, nannies may also find it hard to have a personal life of their own, as last-minute meetings and parties come up, canceling the poor nanny's plans. On an up note, however, The New York Times reports that "as affluent employers have faced growing demands on their own time, many nannies are starting to oversee the parents' lives as diligently as they do (or once did) the children's. And some now say their work has almost as much potential for career development as that of the doctors, lawyers and bankers they work for." So you see, nannies don't just babysit.
- Tattoo Artist: Outside of the tattoo industry, tattoo artists don't get a whole lot of respect. Still regarded by some as a rebellious career choice in which hepatitis runs rampant, the tattoo industry is actually a legitimate, booming business that can turn into an enjoyable, lucrative career path. Most parlors don't open until the late morning or afternoon, and cable TV shows like "L.A. Ink" and "Inked," while not typical of most tattoo shops, have shown us the laid-back atmosphere where tattoo artists come to work. Talented artists can earn decent money, and conventions, guest-artist job openings and other events offer excellent opportunities for travel, career mobility and self-promotion.
Events
- Round Two: Getting the Most Out of Google+ For Your Business Feb 7 @ 11 am PT
- The Social CMO - Integrating the Efforts & Connecting the Dots Feb 8 @ 11 am PT
- How to Sell B2B Products and Services via Paid Search Feb 9 @ 11 am PT
- Social Media and Content Marketing For Business Q&A Feb 14 @ 11 am PT
- The Rise of Pinterest in B2B Feb 15 @ 11 am PT
Related Activity
selected a best answer for
selected a best answer for
25 Comments
I agree with all of the top jobs except Cameraman and Stay-at-Home Parent. Cameramen would be a nice job except that most make horrible wages and can barely find steady work. I use to date one and it was always a month we'd be secure and three months of misery and over charged credit cards. Stay-at-Home Parent is the worst, sure it works out if you have the ideal loving AND earning Husband/wife but I have alot of friends who went that route and in the beginning it was fun but a couple of years in and they're the most miserable people I know.
As a journalist, let me just say No. 8 is a good option. Right up there with railroad brakeman and steamship captain.
There are few journalism jobs available nowadays, let alone good ones. Those vets you speak of are often the first to get laid off when the ax falls. And it's been falling on a regular basis at papers across the country.
How bout software engineers. Not too bad a profession, pays are usually well above average, you get to use your brain. And if you work smart you wont have to work long for most of the quarter.
as an ex-"cameraman" (the term is videographer or photojournalist), it belongs on the WORSE list. sure your perks are absolutely spot on, with is why it's worse than you think:
1) the starting wage is $8/Hr for someone with a BACHELOR'S degree. you will not make $60,000/year until you work in a top 10 city.
2) your hours can be anything from 3AM-12PM or 2PM-11PM. there is no 9-5 here.
3) speaking of hours, when you're on call and it rings in the middle of the night, you know you're heading to the worst area of town for a murder, or a trailer park for a house fire. none of these are fun.
4) at least once a year you will be on extended travel time for the disappearance of a small child. who will end up dead. at the hands of a step-relative. :(
Interesting how some of the "worse" jobs also pay enormous amounts of money, and give people the chance at some kind of power and influence, while the "better" jobs rarely break 5 figures, and many are anything but a steady and reliable source of income, and a lot could be viewed as pretty menial jobs at best. Not that money, power or influence should necessarily be your goals, but having money can sure make things easier in this world. I would rather have been a CEO for a few years (building a decent nestegg) and decide to become a tattoo artist later, than try the tattoo artist thing right out of the gate. It's easier to work a lower-paying job when you have money in the bank :-).
The worse jobs seem, on balance and with some exceptions, the most likely to keep you employed in some form, and expose you to other, interesting (and in some case lucrative) opportunities. The supposedly better jobs (again with some exceptions) seem to be more easily lost and harder to regain.
Number 8, Journalist, is no longer true. There is very little room for advancement in the field nowadays, so your "early days" of low pay and lack of creative freedom are interminable. Those of us who are inclined to be journalists are often stuck at Number 1 - freelancers - which offers the terrific combination of low (irregular) pay, insecurity and zero benefits!
If you want to gamble your education and career for the possibility of schmoozing with other back-patting journalists crowing on and on about how you hold our leaders accountable, shine a light on the shadows of our society, and other such BS, go ahead. If you want real skills, study just about anything else.
I'd put business professor on the good list. Six figures, summers out of the classroom, very flexible hours, no direct reports, no real boss checking your work, consulting opportunities if you want them, state pension and the list goes on. Working at a top research university will make for some long years (until and likely beyond tenure), but if you end up at a rung or so below, it is the best pay/stress ratio I could imagine.
just wanted to say to Ross that actually bringing up children is a "job" - just one with no pay which is continually devalued as a valid role in a society where people can only seem to measure their personal worth by their financial status. I don't see any shame in choosing to stay at home and care for your own children. Equating mothers with "coach potatoes" is an indication of total ignorance about the physical and emotional effort it takes to nuture a family and keep the family home running everyday.
Oh, and i agree with everyone who says journos should be on "worse" list. I'm in PR and know loads of journalists who have come over to the dark side
Take it from me PR Exec is not what you sign up for or see in the movies.
You spend most of the time dodging serious legal and assignment deadlines and when you're not overclocking on the time, you spend the rest worrying about the security of your job - and not in a "will they fire me tomorrow" kind of way but "will the Johnson case not perform as well as we had hoped". If you mess up a case you're screwed for life - the PR circle is so very small, that if you mess up a big case - everyone will know about it and unlike any other job in the world, you will be a pariah in the field.
To prospective students and people looking to get into it, avoid the field if you can't give up your social life for it.
Yeah, cameraman is way off. Sure, you do get to shoot some fun stuff like concerts and meet celebrities, but for the first 5-15 years you'll be on the streets with a news reporter shooting crappy stories, most likely in crappy weather, and for little pay. If you're unfortunate like I was to be in Canada or 50% of the States back when I did this you'll spend a good 6 to 8 months of the year freezing your rear end and fingers off. Then, during the summer, you get enjoy the thrill of second and third degree sunburns, and feel what it's like to stand around balancing a 30 pound camera on your shoulder, trying to stand perfectly still while being pushed and shoved by ten people doing the exact same thing as you.
Camera person: actually a worse job than you think.
Who would of known, you can surf the internet for a living.
Bush had at least 875 days of payed vacation.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/11/politics/uwire/main3927378.shtml
and I don't think you can convince any CEO to quit their job for any of the jobs in your 'jobs that are better than you think' list.
Now that I look at the list again, perhaps it's just a article to be taken lightly as freelancer and journalist are in the better list.
This is a pretty good article, but some of them I just can not agree with. This is especially true of a professional athlete. They get paid ridiculous amounts of money to play a game. Nearly anyone I know would absolutely love to be a professional athlete. However, the article mentions three negative aspects of being a professional athlete. Let's analyize these a little bit.
1. "Most athletes are booted out of the industry as soon as they sustain too many injuries or reach a certain age". Well duh, you are paid based on how well you perform. Besides, by the time an athlete hits age 40 or has sustained enough injuries that he can not play anymore, he has probably earned millions of dollars already. Considering this would put him in the top 1% of income earners, I think it's safe to say this is not at all a bad thing. Plus, this gives the average professional athlete a change to retire at around age 40. How is that a bad thing? They then have all the time in the world to follow other endeavors, spend time with families, and attempt to spend the huge amounts of money they have amassed.
2. "Consider your career ruined if a scandal breaks out". This one is all too simple: Don't take steroids/drugs or carry illegal weapons, etc. This is true of any aspect in life; if you break the rules/laws, you can get into trouble. It is not like there no way to avoid a scandal from happening; you are in 100% control by simply not breaking the rules. I do not see how this is at all a bad thing. Besides, most professional atheletes these days get away with just about anything but murder.
3. "Frequent trades mean that you'll have to uproot your family and say goodbye to friends all too often". This point actually holds a moderate amount of strength as it is true that a trade will force you to relocate. However, it is quite presumtuous to use the word 'frequent', as the average professional athlete is not traded all that often. In fact, many people may see this as a good thing as they get to travel to and live in different cities throughout their career. Therefore, I do not think this is that big of a deal for an average player. In fact, take a look at professional athletes these days, they constantly go for the team that will pay them the most money, so clearly their priorities are not to avoid 'frequent trades'.
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY off base with journalist. As a former journo, everyone I know in the field hates it. Its low pay, bad hours and the industry is dying. Also it is extremely difficult to from a small paper to something like the Washington Post or NY Times. Take a peek at angryjournalist.com. Those are the people in the trenches. Sure its great for the ones that are at the big dailies with a killer beat, but even at a big daily with a crappy beat makes it an awful job. Plus journalists usually have very bad people skills and the work environment is very toxic.
For worst jobs, how about Airline Pilot?
Huge investment to get into the industry, really nasty job instability and a continuous degradation of benefits. Add to that long, irregular work hours, many of which are unpaid. The travel is a mixed bag--international pilots tend to have longer layovers and more interesting destinations. But for domestic pilots, how many times do you really need to see Cleveland, Des Moines or Needles? Then again, you might be on reduced rest and only get 8 hours from getting off the plane to getting back on for dinner, sleep, breakfast and traveling to and from the airport. Long trips can strain family and friend relations, as well. Leaving a spouse (and kids) at home for six-to-twelve days at a time has led to many an aviation-related divorce.
Then, of course, there's the passengers, who will blame the flight attendants (a job with most of the pilot downsides and without the pay) and pilots for delays or uncomfy seats or any of myriad issues with air travel that pilots have no control over, whatsoever.
Maybe you could include some technical jobs at the good ones as well.. reasonable pay, learning opportunities, nice projects..
THANK YOU for including PR executive on the "worse than you think" list. I absolutely love being a PR exec, but I meet way too many college students who think it's a Samantha Jones kind of job. When I speak at my alma mater, the first thing I say is "if you think PR is about fun events and party planning, you're wrong." At least three chins hit the desks.
Strong writing and researching skills, paired with understanding how business works, are the three top qualifications for a PR job in my book.
I surf the internet for a living!
For the most part lol
A lot of it is web advertising and such, but the internet can be used to make hefty sums of money. At least for the people who are able to sort the "get rich quick" scams from the legit business opportunities.
Hello I just got laid off my job after 1 years, and would like to join your group, if you would allow me to show you my sales and customer service experience. I know my sales experience isn't long, but my customer service skills is advanced.Please contact me at (770) 882-6114.
There's a movement to radically change California government, by getting rid of career politicians and chopping their salaries in half. A group known as Citizens for California Reform wants to make the California legislature a part time time job, just like it was until 1966.
latest trend
This is what I’ve been looking for! Thank you so much for sharing this! You are a few important tips in there, i'm also bloged on http://limosbusesjets.com & just signup on http://bit.ly/4zTwpz A search on the issue, and there was agreement on most of the web log.I appreciate you as a customer for doing business with us... A customer is the most important visitor on our premises.
TRU DAT!!
Freelancer and Consultant are pretty much the same. Stop trying to pad the article with useless, duplicated crap!
what about musician? or professional rock band player?
http://www.rockbandmusicvideos.com/videos/15-Crush-crush-crush
..
Unfortunately, the librarians are slowing going the way of the dinosaurs. I've thought to open a library, however I would prefer to primarily stock eastern religious material (to offset the monotheistic hobwash that our society is eviscerate from) and due to the fact of that low demand, I don't envision success there.
I have some interest in freelancing and consulting, but the only field I can say I really expect to get into would be considered art (the lamp-shade business). Now that I think of it, I find it odd that only one of the listed jobs include actually producing something (the artist). Woe is the state of this nation, without producing goods as a foundation to our economy. They way the economy seems to be worshipped (far beyond any deity), I'm surprised more people don't actually work for its integrity.
Finally, I'm disappointed with the fervor over the economy, since it is hugely flawed and this article helps elucidate its short-comings-- That efforts, productions without financial vestments are not considered by it. A stay-at-home mom, worth $130k annually, makes no money. Volunteerism is not accounted for by the economy.
Come on people! Wake up! Help out a stranger today. Try to help the guy out next to you. You'll get the help you need if you do. You must discard the western indoctrination you've been subjected to. You are not separate from the environment. You are part of nature, too, not apart from it. All things are interconnected and when you hurt a part, you hurt the whole.
Oh, I give up. I'm moving to India.
Answer This Question