The Best and Worse Jobs of 2012

The Best

The world is going digital, and Software Engineers who can help with that transformation are reaping the benefits. Their pay is great, hiring demand for their skills is through the roof, and working conditions have never been better. And that’s why the job of Software Engineer ranks tops in our annual Jobs Rated report on the nation’s best and worst jobs for 2012.

Of course, any job may seem like the best job if you’re unemployed and the improving economy hasn’t ushered you back into the workforce. But there are qualities that make some professions more desirable than the rest of the pack. Again this year our researchers looked high and low to find those occupations that ranked the best in five key areas: Work Environment, Physical Demands, Job Outlook, Income Levels and Stress. And it should be no surprise that Software Engineer ranks No. 1, followed by Actuary, Human Resources Manager, Dental Hygienist and Financial Planner.

“I absolutely agree that Software Engineers have the best job. I love my job and most of the people who are drawn to this field are passionate about it,” says Phil Danne, Lead Software Engineer for Livio Radio in Michigan. Although there are ample job opportunities for qualified Software Engineers, Danne warns recent graduates, “You can’t earn your college degree and bank on just those skills for the rest of your career. You have to constantly be seeking out latest knowledge and skills to succeed.”

This year, there are several professions that are making their inaugural appearance on our Jobs Rated Top 10 Best Jobs list.  Human Resources Manager ,  Financial Planner , Occupational Therapist and Online Advertising Manager are all rated as a Top 10 Best Job for the first time due to a combination of high incomes, great environments, good job growth and relatively low unemployment rates…

Source:

via The 10 Best Jobs of 2012 | CareerCast.com.

The Worse

There are days when we all feel like we have the worst job in the world. But when you actually quantify aspects of every job and compare one to another, there’s a definite measureable difference between jobs that are considered pretty good and those that aren’t.

Physical labor, declining job opportunities, a poor work environment and high stress are all pervasive attributes among those jobs that comprise our 2012 Worst Jobs List.

Staking claim to the top spot in this year’s Worst Jobs list is Lumberjack. These timber harvesters scored in the bottom 10% in all of our ranking categories except income, where they ranked in the bottom 25%. Unemployment for Lumberjacks is very high, and the demand for their services is expected to continue to fall through 2016. And while working outside all day may seem like a great job perk, being a lumberjack not only is considered the worst job, but also one of the world’s most dangerous.

“The second you lose respect for the trees or the tools, it can come back and bite you,” says Jake Rosa owner of Dry Brook Custom Sawmilling in Upstate New York. As for job prospects, Rosa says, “It’s not that the demand for the job is declining. It’s finding people who want to do it and work hard at it that is declining.” He adds, “We’re still using paper and wood products all the time, but nowadays, kids would rather play video games instead of working hard and getting their hands dirty.”

For the first time ever, two different media jobs made our Worst Jobs list: Newspaper Reporter and Broadcaster. As the digital world continues to take over and provide on-demand information, the need for print newspapers and daily newscasts is diminishing. To be sure, both jobs once seemed glamorous, but on-the-job stress, declining job opportunities and income levels are what landed them on our Worst Jobs list…

Source:

via The 10 Worst Jobs of 2012 | CareerCast.com.

The List

Source: careercast.com