CareerCast.com’s 2016 Jobs Rated Report was recently published for the 28th consecutive year, and it’s fascinating to peruse the findings.

The popular job search website gathered data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a division of the US Department of Labor, to rank jobs based on four core criteria: work environment (physical and emotional requirements); income; job outlook (growth versus unemployment); and stress factors.

It’s especially interesting to note which of the 200 jobs rated were at the top of the rankings, and which were at the bottom of the 2016 CareerCast.com survey.

Top-Ten

With all the talk about Big Data these days, those who can analyze data in order to identify trends and make strategic decisions in the business, public safety and health sectors are in high demand…thereby making Data Scientist the number one ranked job in the 2016 CareerCast.com study.

Math-related jobs dominated this year’s “Top-Ten” list – which also included, Statistician at #2, Mathematician at #6 and Actuary at #10.

With our aging population, it’s no surprise that jobs in Healthcare also made CareerCast’s 2016 “Top-Ten” – with Audiologist in the #4 position, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer at #5 and Speech Pathologist at #9.

In this digital age, jobs in Information Technology were top-ranked in the CareerCast.com survey as well – with Information Security Analyst at #3, Software Engineer at #7 and Computer Systems Analyst at #8.

Bottom-Ten

Media-related jobs have been taking a hit in CareerCast’s rankings in recent years. In the 2016 CareerCast study, Broadcaster and Newspaper Reporter find themselves at the bottom of the “Bottom-Ten” list – ranked at #198 and #200 respectively.

Since all that’s needed to be a reporter or broadcaster these days is a computer and Internet connection, as I can attest, the traditional values and business models of mainstream media have been steadily eroding over the last several years. The proliferation of bloggers, You-Tube’ers, and their niche audience appeal, has caused a profound ripple effect leading to a steady decline in advertising revenues. As a result, for the first time, Advertising Salesperson has fallen into CareerCast’s “Bottom-Ten” as well – ranked at #193.

CareerCast.com’s 2016 “Bottom-Ten” also included jobs in Retail Sales and Pest Control. Firefighters and enlisted military personnel rounded out the “Bottom-Ten” rankings due to the high degree of danger, inherent stress and lower pay scales.

What’s Your Calling?

There’s a myriad of different jobs – from park rangers to pipefitters… psychologists to sales managers…from bankers to building managers…and from flight attendants to fire fighters… and it’s interesting and helpful to see where many of these jobs rank in the 2016 CareerCast.com study.

When it comes down to it, however, your career of choice goes beyond a list of what’s “in” or “out”… what’s “best” or “worst”. As the saying goes, different strokes for different folks. It’s doubtful that a firefighter would be phased about how her chosen profession is ranked.

For so many of us, our profession is more than “just a job”…it’s about the kind of work we do…how we contribute…and the people we meet and work with along the way.

Of course, salary is always an important consideration in the work we choose, but other questions to consider are: How am I wired? (Extrovert or introvert? Best in an office or out in the field?)…How do I want to fill my days?…How do I want to contribute?

This Howard Thurman quote sums it up so beautifully:

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Here’s to doing what makes you come alive.