Science Says These Are the 12 Most Satisfying Jobs. They All Share 1 Key Characteristic
Everybody wants a good job, but here's an important question for you what makes a job good? There are tons of surveys to consult if your metrics are the size of your paycheck or the security that comes from seeking an in-demand profession.
But most of us know a truly good job isn't just one that pays the rent and doesn't unduly raise your stress levels (though those are, of course, a great place to start). It also gives you a sense of fulfillment, the feeling at the end of the day that you've done work that actually matters.
So where do you find a job like that? Soul-searching is no doubt required as one person's dream job is another's personal nightmare, but according to one huge national survey of 27,000 people, there's one particular characteristic that's far and away the most likely to make a gig satisfying.
What do priests and security services salespeople have in common?
When the classic survey crunched the numbers, here are the twelve jobs where workers reported themselves the most satisfied:
Clergy
Physical Therapists
Firefighters
Education Administrators
Painter, Sculptors, Related
Teachers
Authors
Psychologists
Special Education Teachers
Operating Engineers
Office Supervisors
Security & Financial Services Salespersons
That, as you will immediately note, is a pretty diverse list. But according to Tom W. Smith, director of the General Social Survey at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago and the study's author, despite the obvious differences in the day-to-day routines of office supervisors and sculptors, ministers and salespeople, there is one characteristic that unites almost all the jobs on this list.
"The most satisfying jobs are mostly professions, especially those involving caring for, teaching, and protecting others," he commented, according to PsyBlog. Or to put it, even more succinctly, the happiest jobs are those that involve giving to others.
But your mom already told you that...
That shouldn't be a huge shock. Thinkers as diverse as Aristotle and (probably) your mom have advanced the idea that it is better to give than to receive for centuries, but science is finally catching up with this ancient wisdom and finding objective evidence that the most fulfilling activities are those that allow you to give back.
"A burgeoning field of research" shows "that prosocial behaviorvoluntary behavior intended to benefit anothercan boost happiness," report business school professors Melanie Rudd and Jennifer Aaker in Scientific American. They cite studies showing "volunteer work is associated with greater happiness and less depression," research demonstrating "that performing five random acts of kindness one day a week (for six weeks) can increase your happiness," and findings showing that "if you more strongly feel that your work made a positive difference in other people's lives, you feel more positively at bedtime," among other research results.
So if you're looking for a satisfying job, go ahead and weigh all the practical concerns as well as the quirks of your own personality, but don't forget this essential truth if you don't feel your work is helping others in some way (and there are way more ways to help others than you probably imagine), chances are good it won't make you truly happy.
Article Source: http://inc-asean.com/the-inc-life/science-says-12-satisfying-jobs-share-1-key-characteristic/
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VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Diverse (adj.) ~ showing a great deal of variety very different
2. Unduly (adj.) ~ to an unwarranted degree inordinately
3. Succinctly (adv.) ~ in a brief and clearly expressed manner
4. Burgeoning (adj.) ~ begin to grow or increase rapidly flourish
5. Quirk (n.) ~ a peculiar behavioral habit
6. Gig (n.) ~ a job, especially one that is temporary or that has an uncertain future
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What do you think is more important, getting high salary or the feeling that you are able to help someone? Discuss your answer.
2. What is your definition of job satisfaction?
3. According to the article, what are the most satisfying jobs and what do they have in common?
4. Which of the jobs mentioned would you like to do? Explain your answer.
