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Original poster

What professions give the highest job satisfaction?

77 replies

Cowbells · 21/03/2021 12:30

Just read on another thread a warning to keep your loved ones out of the entertainment industry as it's so brutal and sexually corrupt. I've heard banking and law are crazy hours and heartless. Medicine/nursing and teaching are long hours, underpaid and thankless.

What are the good industries with a healthy work life balance, decent pay and good job satisfaction? Do any still exist?

OP posts:
whereonthestair · 21/03/2021 20:54

I'm a lawyer with a lot of job satisfaction, very flexible (if too much) work. It doesn't matter too much when work is done so long as it is done. So fits around children. Very well paid, family friendly and intellectually challenging.

sherrystrull · 21/03/2021 21:10

@FoodieToo

Teaching in Ireland sounds amazing!

RIftw · 21/03/2021 21:43

Believe me, OP, if you love your job and come from investment management/work in the city, 10.5 hours a day (you forgot a proper lunch break for pilates/piano practice/a walk- vital!) is pretty good for a few hundred K.

But we shall agree to disagree. It all depends on what you see around you/are used to, I think Grin

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Babyroobs · 21/03/2021 22:15

@Cowbells

Just read on another thread a warning to keep your loved ones out of the entertainment industry as it's so brutal and sexually corrupt. I've heard banking and law are crazy hours and heartless. Medicine/nursing and teaching are long hours, underpaid and thankless.

What are the good industries with a healthy work life balance, decent pay and good job satisfaction? Do any still exist?

Nursing may be long hours - most places work 12 hour shifts but only for 3 or sometimes four days a week.
AWryGiraffe · 21/03/2021 22:19

@whereonthestair

I'm a lawyer with a lot of job satisfaction, very flexible (if too much) work. It doesn't matter too much when work is done so long as it is done. So fits around children. Very well paid, family friendly and intellectually challenging.
@whereonthestair what area of law do you work in?
Original poster
Cowbells · 22/03/2021 08:05

@RIftw

Believe me, OP, if you love your job and come from investment management/work in the city, 10.5 hours a day (you forgot a proper lunch break for pilates/piano practice/a walk- vital!) is pretty good for a few hundred K.

But we shall agree to disagree. It all depends on what you see around you/are used to, I think Grin

Ah that proper break for lunch and exercise makes all the difference.

I sometimes do very long days in my job, (which I adore) but I work for myself, so if I have done three 12-14 hour days back to back I take a couple of days off and only do about 2-3 hours and spend the rest of the time out walking or reading.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowbells · 22/03/2021 08:08

[quote OublietteBravo]@Cowbells - if he’s really set on law, then can I recommend a science degree followed by becoming a patent attorney? The professional exams are difficult (which sounds similar to the actuarial ones), but it’s a well-paid and interesting job with sensible working hours (I do 07:45-16:30).[/quote]
Funnily enough he is doing a science degree and is planning on a law conversion. I think he might enjoy that. I'll suggest it. Thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowbells · 22/03/2021 08:12

@SkeletonSkins and @LunaNorth - to me, your jobs both sound like heaven to me.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowbells · 22/03/2021 08:13

Oops. To many 'to me's in that sentence. We're not moving furniture Grin

OP posts:
Ikora · 22/03/2021 09:07

I know someone who was a self employed yoga teacher. She started back in the 1980’s. Very well established and was still teaching four classes a week until she was almost 75. Her students begged her to still teach, she is still in touch with a lot of them. She loved her job.

badlydrawnbear · 22/03/2021 09:51

I am a paediatric nurse, and I get great job satisfaction from that. I work with amazing people, my patients are mostly great (they range from tiny babies to teenagers), every day is different, I enjoy helping people, I laugh almost everyday at work. Yes, it is also exhausting, stressful, frustrating, sometimes very sad (we often cry as well as laugh), arguably underpaid, but I have been doing it for many years and still love it. From that sounds of things, it is a lot better for job satisfaction than adult nursing, but that might be a generalisation.

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 22/03/2021 09:54

Adult nursing.

Hahahaha. Im joking.

MrsSparklyLady · 22/03/2021 10:22

Definitely NOT nursing despite what most people might think Hmm

Boscoforever · 22/03/2021 10:24

I’m an adult NHS nurse and I think it’s the best job ever!
The best thing about it is the craic. My good, the laughs we have. And just the love and support of being in a team, it’s so, so good.
The patients. I always hear people saying how awful and ungrateful the patients are. Well, not in my NHS hospital. They are so grateful& pleasant. Very rarely have someone not nice.
I work in a very busy dept, mon-fri 8-6. I do two and a half days. But I do extra shifts at the weekends through a private company, make great money and zero management hassles.
I skip in to work every day, nursing is my dream, dream job. I’m so lucky.

whereonthestair · 22/03/2021 10:56

@AWryGiraffe I'm an employment lawyer. I know lots of people leave law, or decide it isn't for them but those I know are basically happy with their lot.

Nihonko · 22/03/2021 11:06

I'm a nurse by background.

I would recommend working in research delivery. I advise researchers how to deliver research effectively, setup the projects and deliver the clinical aspects of the research study. If you're a hcp looking for a change it's definitely something to consider.

HildegardNightingale · 22/03/2021 11:07

Vaccination nurse, came out of retirement to do it. I go into work with a big smile on my face and it stays there for 12 hours. Of course no one sees the smile because of the mask, but I have twinkly smiling eyes!

FizzyPink · 22/03/2021 11:14

I imagine it very much depends on your individual interests.
My DP is an elite sports coach and he is utterly devoted to and passionate about his sport so his job satisfaction is extremely high.
On the other hand, I’m not sporty at all and can’t think of a worse job than being outside in all weathers for 12-14 hours a day which he loves.

I think the key is doing something you’re passionate about. I don’t hate my job but I don’t relish it either. But I don’t work ridiculous hours and it pays well so I just get on with it. DP however, is more than happy to give up his free time to do extra work for his clients or watch webinars/listen to podcasts because he’s so passionate about his job.

MindyStClaire · 22/03/2021 11:23

I'm an actuary as well and agree with @Mumoftwoinprimary although I've moved out of industry into education now. Quite niche though as you need to really love maths to make it through the training (less so in many of the more senior roles once qualified).

AlecTrevelyan006 · 22/03/2021 11:56

If you can earn a living by doing something you enjoy then you’re successful.

1sunnyday23 · 22/03/2021 12:22

@Kezzie200

I think accountancy is pretty good. If you chase the big money you will have to do the hours, but there is the other option of part time for decent money and the skills are transferable, so lots of choice if you want to move to work in industry, for example.

Job satisfaction - we won't have the same satisfaction as say a doctor, nurse or carer for obvious reasons. But it's good to be part of a team that improves business and helps owners with business strategy.

Unless you work for the public sector as an accountant Smile
1sunnyday23 · 22/03/2021 12:24

I work in NHS, finance role, and yes it can be stressful at times and we don't earn as much as the private sector, I love my job, have job satisfaction and it's quite flexible and lots of annual leave which helps me a lot

WaveAbout · 22/03/2021 13:04

[quote Foxhasbigsocks]@WaveAbout what is the income for speech therapy? I’ve wondered about retraining in it![/quote]

It's the Agenda for Change NHS pay scales. Newly qualified therapists start at band 5. In my experience it's easy to move up quickly as your career progresses.

I was on band 7 within 4-5 years of qualifying.

Coronawireless · 22/03/2021 13:10

@Boscoforever

I’m an adult NHS nurse and I think it’s the best job ever! The best thing about it is the craic. My good, the laughs we have. And just the love and support of being in a team, it’s so, so good. The patients. I always hear people saying how awful and ungrateful the patients are. Well, not in my NHS hospital. They are so grateful& pleasant. Very rarely have someone not nice. I work in a very busy dept, mon-fri 8-6. I do two and a half days. But I do extra shifts at the weekends through a private company, make great money and zero management hassles. I skip in to work every day, nursing is my dream, dream job. I’m so lucky.
Lovely to hear!
LadyJaye · 22/03/2021 13:48

I work in IT (systems director) and I'm very fond of my job.

A lot of autonomy and, now that I'm in management rather than more junior dev roles, a lot of creative strategic input and working with clients.

I'm also very well paid and my hours aren't quite as insane as the 70-hour weeks I used to put in as a JD. Grin