Falling out of love with your job can be scary. You’ve worked your entire school life, studying hard for your dream career, and you’ve moved mountains to get the right job.
However, after a few years, you discover that your job doesn’t make you happy. The money is good, there is a clear career path in front of you, but you are unhappy. This dissatisfaction is what happens when you end up in a job that seems great on paper but leaves you wanting more. The root of this problem lies in the overwhelming emphasis we place on passion and money.
Contents
Passion and money don’t always go together…
You are told to study something you are passionate about and get a well-paying job in that field. The problem with this is that passion and money do not necessarily lead to happiness at work.
There is no doubt that to be successful at work; you need to be passionate about what you do. However, that passion is usually developed after you enjoy some success and satisfaction in a particular discipline.
Have you found meaning in your job?
Also, the money will bring a sense of fulfillment, but only to a point. When you have enough money to meet all your needs, and you have savings stacked for the future, the satisfaction you derive from more cash diminishes.
So if passion and money will not guarantee job happiness, what will? Happiness in a job is derived from doing something you believe is meaningful.
Before we look at my list of the happiest jobs, let’s explore seven features that could be…
The Key To A Happy Work Life
1 – Engagement
An engaging job is one that actively requires the best of your skills and your complete focus. You are excited every day at work because you know what is expected of you, and you are given the freedom to carry it out to the best of your ability.
This sort of job holds your attention and excites you. This is the kind of job that won’t have you staring at the clock, eagerly waiting for the end of each workday.
2 – Contributing value to the lives of others
A crucial factor in job satisfaction lies in helping others. When your efforts solve problems and bring happiness and progress to the lives of others, you will also derive a profound sense of achievement and satisfaction.
3 – You are competent at your job
Competence beats passion. No matter how passionate you are about your profession, if you are not good at your job, you can’t derive any sense of fulfillment. If you are looking for job happiness, then embrace a job you’re good at.
When you are competent at what you do, you feel a genuine sense of accomplishment with every task satisfactorily completed. This sense of positivity will result in joy and possibly even love for what you do.
4 – There is a clear career path
For many employees, room for career advancement is a crucial factor in job happiness. When you know you’re working towards advancing through each stage of your career, you will be motivated. Motivation is also crucial to happiness and fulfillment in your job.
5 – Your work environment is positive and supportive
Job happiness is impossible in a toxic work environment. On the other hand, when your co-workers are supportive, and your boss is approachable, it’s easier to find happiness in what you do. The quality of your work environment is just as important as the work you do.
When you get positive vibes in your workplace, you will always look forward to work.
6 – Satisfaction with financial needs
Money isn’t everything, but a job that doesn’t pay enough to cater to your basic needs is unlikely to lead to happiness. It will be hard to enjoy working while struggling to meet rent or pay bills. To achieve job happiness, you must be getting paid enough to cover basic living essentials with some money left over for luxuries.
7 – Alignment with the realities of your lifestyle
You may be passionate about your job, and it may also be a well-paying job, but if it doesn’t fit into your lifestyle, you will find it hard to maintain job satisfaction. A job that brings happiness will normally have predictable hours, fair wages, a manageable commute, a flexible schedule, and a level of job security.
So now that we know what leads to job happiness, let’s take a look at 14 of the happiest careers out there.
The Happiest Jobs On The Market
1 – Clergy
Whatever the religion, clergymen and women provide spiritual guidance and assistance to worshippers in their congregation. They lead religious services, give sermons, and coordinate community outreach. Their job involves meeting the needs of others, and their happiness comes from helping others to be better versions of themselves.
Clergymen and women in the United States earn an average annual salary of $60,000.
2 – Teaching
Most teachers claim to gain tremendous satisfaction from playing a vital role in the development of children. Adding value to the lives of others ticks all the right boxes for a happy and fulfilling career, and few other jobs give you as much of an opportunity to do that.
Teachers in the United States can earn up to $70,000, but it’s not the money that brings happiness to teachers. It’s the joy that comes from watching a child that are under your care make leaps in their learning and development. Special education teachers, in particular, derive great satisfaction from helping children with disabilities develop the skills they need to achieve a sense of normality in their lives.
3 – Counseling
Many of the jobs on this list involve working with others to help improve their lives. The role of a counselor also possesses this fundamental characteristic. Counselors can be found anywhere. In schools, in the corporate world, and in private practice. A counselor helps people navigate challenges and to transform their lives for the better.
Counselors can earn as much as $78,000 per year.
4 – Physician or Doctor
The fact that this job is on this list should not be a surprise. Physicians spend years in medical school and residency programs to develop the skills they need to treat their patients. Happiness comes from making a real difference in the lives of others.
Many doctors affirm that they derive immense satisfaction in their jobs, and many choose this career because they want to help others. The pay is not bad either. Medical practice is among the highest-paying professions in the US.
Physicians earn an average salary of $205,000 per year.
5 – Psychiatry
Another job that involves contributing to the well-being of others, psychiatrists help their patients to improve their behavioral flaws and to fix any mental health issues. Immense satisfaction and happiness can be gained from seeing your patients’ progress.
The job requires a doctoral degree, and you can earn up to $77,000 a year.
6 – Nursing
Providing specialized care in medical institutions, nurses make a difference in the lives of others every day. This is what brings happiness to their work. It’s tremendously gratifying to watch people that you helped get better. As tiring as the job can be, nurses go home every day knowing they have helped a patient on the road to recovery or, sometimes, even having saved a life.
The average annual wage of nurses is $74,000, and there are many job opportunities within the profession.
7 – Fire Fighting
This job can be found on everyone’s list of happy jobs, and for good reason. Firefighters save lives and property. They are the first responders in an emergency. These heroes go through extensive training, and their fulfillment comes from putting all that practice to work. As well as putting their lives on the line to save others from dangerous situations.
Firefighters can earn an average of $52,000 a year.
8 – Company Executive
Fulfillment and happiness in this job comes from setting goals and objectives for a company and leading a group of people to achieve these aims. Company executives are leaders, and when you are a successful leader, you will feel a great sense of satisfaction in your job.
They are also well paid; the average annual salary of company Executives is $105,000.
9 – Software developer
We are all reliant on the technological tools they create, and no wonder they feel happiness in their jobs. Software developers design and build software tools and applications, finding solutions to a host of problems.
The job demands a high level of creativity, and putting those talents to work provides a lot of satisfaction. A lot of happiness can be derived from coming up with innovative technological solutions to improve the industry and alleviate social problems. Learn more every day, and your skills will only improve as you tackle new challenges.
You will also be well paid as the average annual salary of a software developer is $107,000.
10 – Civil Engineer
Civil engineers build our roads, dams, skyscrapers, and any major infrastructure that our communities rely on. It is a broad field, so if you’re interested, you will need to specialize in a specific area. A civil engineer can gain remarkable satisfaction from creating structures that help society to function properly. These structures will also remain as a testimony to their efforts, reminding them of a job well done.
You will need a civil engineering degree and a license to get started. You can earn, on average, $79,000 per year.
11 – Gardening
Next in my rundown of the happiest jobs, Gardeners don’t earn as much as the other professionals on my list, yet the profession remains one of the top happiest jobs out there. Any gardener will tell you that their happiness at work comes from working outdoors and interacting with nature every day.
Demonstrating that nature can be nurtured, shaped, and transformed, brings a lot of satisfaction. Gardeners also get to enjoy the effect their work has on others. It’s no great secret that spending time in a garden can have a therapeutic effect on people.
The average gardener earns around $30,000 per year.
12 – Surgeons
Often surgeons are only needed when health issues become critical. This puts them in a position to save lives a lot of the time. There is no greater happiness than giving a person another chance at life. As a surgeon, you will spend years mastering your craft, and you have to choose an area to specialize in.
It’s also one of the highest paying jobs, with an average annual salary of $243,000.
13 – Dentist
Everyone needs a dentist, and they get a lot of satisfaction from their jobs. As a dentist, you will treat gum and dental health issues. You will also be responsible for regular check-ups for your patients. As kids, many of us didn’t enjoy a visit to the dentist, but they play a crucial role in the health of their patients and job fulfillment, and thus happiness comes from that.
Becoming a dentist will put you among the highest earners in the US, earning an average of $174,000 a year.
14 – Dog Walker
If you love walking in the great outdoors and animals, what could make you happier than being a professional dog walker?
There are 64 million households in the United States that have dogs. A large number of owners don’t have enough time in their busy schedules to properly walk their dogs. If you’re the kind of person that prefers canine company to life in an office, this is a career that should put a smile on your face.
You won’t become a millionaire doing this, though. Professional dog walkers earn an average of $32,000 a year.
Land Your Happy Job With The Perfect CV!
Let’s help perfect your calling card with these great online resources, such as Your Guide To A Stand Out Modern Resume: Make Your Resume The One That Stops the 6-Second Scroll, how to Modernize Your Resume: Get Noticed…Get Hired, and The Damn Good Resume Guide.
I also highly recommend reading up on the Knock ’em Dead Resumes: A Killer Resume Gets MORE Job Interviews!, along with the Knock ’em Dead Cover Letters: Cover Letters and Strategies to Get the Job You Want, and the ever-popular Resumes For Dummies, all available online in 2023.
Finally, how about How to Write the Perfect Resume: Stand Out, Land Interviews, and Get the Job You Want, and the excellent, Resume: Writing 2023 The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Resume that Lands YOU the Job! to make sure you stand out from the crowd!
The Happiest Jobs – Final Thoughts
In conclusion, picking the right career path is crucial in finding happiness in your work life and life in general. It’s all well and good chasing the highest salary possible, but if that’s at the expense of job satisfaction, what’s the point?
We spend a large number of our waking hours at work. Not enjoying what you do for a living will have a negative effect on other aspects of your life. In short, happiness at work goes a long way toward creating the best circumstances for a positive outcome for the rest of your life.
All the very best with your career and making it as happy as possible.