If you've ever watched a TV news reporter deliver a live report and
thought, "that'd be a great job," think again. Broadcast journalists,
along with their print brethren, newspaper reporters, are among the
worst professions in the U.S., according to new survey by CareerCast.
One reason those two positions rank as low as, say, butchers and dairy farmers, is simple: the pay is low. Broadcasters earn an average $27,324 a year, while newspaper reporters -- at $35,725 -- do only slightly better. Butchers and dairy farmers, meanwhile, earn about the same: $29,156 and $33,119, respectively.
It isn't only meager earnings-potential, however, that makes these jobs and other low-rated professions among the worst jobs of 2012, the job-search portal says. Other factors include poor working conditions, high stress and long hours.
That's likely one reason that enlisted military personnel for the first time were included among this year's worst jobs. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq resulted in many military members being deployed multiple times to areas of conflict, exacting a toll on both their professional and personal lives. Further, at an average annual income of $36,261, no one in the enlisted ranks is getting rich.
But it isn't all doom and gloom. On the other end of the spectrum, there are jobs that -- as CareerCast Publisher Tony Lee puts it -- "have few physical demands, minimal stress, a good working environment and a strong hiring outlook."
Those include jobs such as software engineer (average annual salary, $88,142), which topped this year's list. Other winners include: human-resource manager ($99,191); dental hygienist ($68,109); and financial planner ($104,161).
Those jobs, as with many others that ranked high, generally require a college degree, suggesting that despite the recent debate about the value of attending college, those who do tend to have better jobs.
"While it's true that some people are happy washing dishes, waiting tables or slicing meat as a career, job seekers who want to compete for the nation's best jobs need to gain a competitive edge by expanding their knowledge and skill set with a college education," Lee says.
He adds that many of the nation's worst jobs don't even require a high-school diploma.
To see how the best and worst jobs of 2012 fared, check out CareerCast's latest rankings.
Source: AOL
One reason those two positions rank as low as, say, butchers and dairy farmers, is simple: the pay is low. Broadcasters earn an average $27,324 a year, while newspaper reporters -- at $35,725 -- do only slightly better. Butchers and dairy farmers, meanwhile, earn about the same: $29,156 and $33,119, respectively.
It isn't only meager earnings-potential, however, that makes these jobs and other low-rated professions among the worst jobs of 2012, the job-search portal says. Other factors include poor working conditions, high stress and long hours.
That's likely one reason that enlisted military personnel for the first time were included among this year's worst jobs. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq resulted in many military members being deployed multiple times to areas of conflict, exacting a toll on both their professional and personal lives. Further, at an average annual income of $36,261, no one in the enlisted ranks is getting rich.
But it isn't all doom and gloom. On the other end of the spectrum, there are jobs that -- as CareerCast Publisher Tony Lee puts it -- "have few physical demands, minimal stress, a good working environment and a strong hiring outlook."
Those include jobs such as software engineer (average annual salary, $88,142), which topped this year's list. Other winners include: human-resource manager ($99,191); dental hygienist ($68,109); and financial planner ($104,161).
Those jobs, as with many others that ranked high, generally require a college degree, suggesting that despite the recent debate about the value of attending college, those who do tend to have better jobs.
"While it's true that some people are happy washing dishes, waiting tables or slicing meat as a career, job seekers who want to compete for the nation's best jobs need to gain a competitive edge by expanding their knowledge and skill set with a college education," Lee says.
He adds that many of the nation's worst jobs don't even require a high-school diploma.
To see how the best and worst jobs of 2012 fared, check out CareerCast's latest rankings.
Best Jobs in 2012 vs. How They Fared in 2011; Midlevel Income
- 1. Software Engineer (no change); $88,142
- 2. Actuary (up 1); $88,202
- 3. Human Resources Manager (new job for 2012); $99,102
- 4. Dental Hygienist (up 6) $68,109
- 5. Financial Planner (up 10); $104,161
- 6. Audiologist (up 3); $67,137
- 7. Occupational Therapist (up 10); $72,110
- 8. Online Advertising Manager (new for 2012); $87,255
- 9. Computer Systems Analyst (up 4); $78,148
- 10. Mathematician (down 7); $99,191
Worst Jobs in 2012 and How They Fared in 2011; Midlevel Income
- 200. Lumberjack (down 2); $32,114
- 199. Dairy Farmer (down 15); $33,119
- 198. Enlisted Military Personnel (new job for 2012); $36,261
- 197. Oil Rig Worker (up 3); $32,132
- 196. Newspaper Reporter (down 8); $35,275
- 195. Waiter/Waitress (down 56); $18,088
- 194. Meter Reader (down 2); $35,171
- 193. Dishwasher (down 26); $18,044
- 192. Butcher (down 10); $29,156
- 191. Broadcaster (down 63); $27,324
Source: AOL