Water Cooler Wisdom : The Best Jobs...Or Not?

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Water Cooler Wisdom

The Best Jobs...Or Not?

Money Magazine, in conjunction with Salary.com, has just come out with the Best Jobs of 2006. These folks began by assembling a list of positions that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects will grow at an above-average rate over 10 years and that require at least a bachelor's degree.

Next, they eliminated jobs with average pay below $50,000, total employment of less than 15,000, dangerous work environments, or fewer than 800 annual job openings. Then, they rated positions by stress levels, flexibility in hours and working environment, creativity, and how easy it is to enter and advance in the field. And voila, the Top 10:

1. Software engineer	6. Market research analyst
2. College professor	7. Computer IT analyst
3. Financial adviser	8. Real estate appraiser
4. Human resources manager	9. Pharmacist
5. Physician assistant	10. Psychologist

Personally, I think that whether these jobs are "the best" depends on who you are and what floats your boat. Thus, the list is quite subjective. However, I'd love to hear from those of you who are in these careers yourselves or know someone who is. Why do you think they could objectively be considered great, and why would you recommend these fields to new college grads?

Published Sunday, April 16, 2006 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit

Filed under: Cool Careers, Employment Trends, Job Hunting

Attachment(s): http://www.askmen.com/mediakit/CNN%20Money_files/cnnmoney.logo.gif

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Jeremy said:

A good friend of mine ( I count him as a brother) is a psychologist. And I envy this dude's career. He works for a firm that provides services to employees of large corporations as well as private individuals.

Working six hours for the most each day and collecting a handsome salary at the end of the month is what I admire about his job. He tells me that the best thing he likes is helping people and their families.

His education - BA and MA in psychology
His previous career - priesthood.

He tells me that his career is very rewarding - both financially and spiritually. Not a bad field for new grads to get into.

Hmm... I am happy to see software engineering at the top of the list. My mathematical powers may come in handy after all.

April 16, 2006 4:31 PM

Dr. Success said:

Today new graduates will have on average six careers - not jobs - as a result of continued downsizing, restructuring and industry consolidation. This phenomina has created the need for developing Lifelong Transferable Competencies (LTCs) that can be portable from career to career and job to job. The experts on competencies are Dr. Daniel Golemen (Rutgers) and Dr. Reuven Bar-On (U Texas).

Through four years of research for a new book I have developed 7 universal LTCs required for career success - horizontially across all occupations and job functions and vertically for most level of responsibilities. The sixth LTC is taking control of your own career and managing your Career Plan which has been approved by your boss and a trusted friend. It must be realistic yet stretch you to develop your own 7 LTCs.

Today's leaders in a technological driven global knowledge economy are those who are driven by the need to define and then satisfy their customers/clients (external & internal) changing needs in a resonse time that provides the best value - as perceived by those customers. This requires effective and efficent team-oriented problem solving utilizing technology, a global perspective and cultural understanding
and the development of a SCCA - Sustainable Comparative Competitive Advantage.
Why customers will choose your product/service over all others including substitutes.

The "best Jobs" will only further your career if you can meet the above criteria. Best to those you thrive rather than be consumed by striving and its toxic effects.

April 17, 2006 11:21 AM

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About AlexandraLevit

Alexandra Levit has been there and done that. She's the author of They Don't Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something's Guide to the Business World (Career Press, 2004). Alex has spent all of her post-college career (eight memorable years) in Corporate America and recently founded the career consultancy, Inspiration @Work. She speaks frequently at universities and corporations and has appeared in more than 500 media outlets including ABC News, Associated Press, National Public Radio, the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal.

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Water Cooler Wisdom is a career advice blog by Alexandra Levit, author of They Don't Teach Corporate in College, How'd You Score That Gig, and Success for Hire. Water Cooler Wisdom is sponsored exclusively by Getthejob.com.