Database administrator, quality assurance engineer and executive recruiter are probably not the three jobs that spring to mind when you think of the professions with the most cheerful and fulfilled workers. But they top a new list of the happiest and unhappiest jobs compiled by the online jobs site CareerBliss.
The list comes from an analysis of 25,000 reviews by the site’s users, collected over the past year. The reviews included 7,800 different job titles. CareerBliss asked users to rate their jobs on a scale of one to five in each of 10 categories:
Work-life balance
Relationship with boss and co-workers
Work environment
Job resources
Compensation
Growth opportunities
Company culture
Company reputation
Daily tasks
Job control
CareerBliss gave each category equal weight. It only rated jobs for which it received at least 25 reviews, combining similar job titles, like communications specialist and public relations representative, into a single job. It wound up evaluating a list of 169 different job titles. Top jobs like CEO weren’t part of the mix, nor were rock star or NBA player. “The jobs on our site are middle-market,” says CareerBliss CEO Heidi Golledge.” In other words, some exceedingly happy professionals, like movie stars and best-selling authors, weren’t candidates for the list. Other jobs that you might associate with unhappiness, like poultry factory worker, also weren’t considered.
Nevertheless, Golledge insists the data is valuable for both workers and managers. “It is vital to understand how employees in these positions feel about their work environment,” she says. “Whether you are someone looking to transition into one of these careers, or are currently in one of these jobs, the list can help arm you with the information you need to understand the rewards and challenges.” The information can be useful to bosses too, especially supervisors of unhappy employees like security officers (No. 1 on the unhappiest list), bank branch managers (No. 2) and accountants (No. 3).
Why does database administrator rank as the No. 1 happiest job, and what exactly does the work entail? Here’s the Bureau of Labor Statistics description of the job: “Database administrators (DBAs) use specialized software to store and organize data, such as financial information and customer shipping records. They make sure that data are available to users and are secure from unauthorized access." That may not sound too exciting, but according to the BLS, the job is reasonably well-compensated with a mean annual wage of $79,000 and the demand for DBAs is on the rise. The BLS predicts the field will grow by 15% between 2012 and 2022. Golledge says the job has become more popular as DBAs’ roles have changed, with technology moving to the center of what many businesses do. “Because of their importance inside organizations, they can be the key driver of success,” she says. In the survey, DBAs gave especially high marks for the quality of their daily tasks and for job control.
People in the No. 2 job, quality assurance engineer, work on testing and monitoring software. The job entails policing bugs and maintaining databases. Like DBAs, these professionals are increasingly central to what companies do. Quality assurance managers gave especially high ratings for their work environment. CareerBliss lists a salary range of $41,000-$71,000 and up to $91,000 for senior QA engineers. This job didn’t make the top ten happiest list last year.
Executive recruiters come in at No. 3. Also known as headhunters, these professionals seek out and hire candidates for high-level jobs. With the economy picking up and the demand for talent surging, especially in the tech industry, Golledge says people who hold this job are becoming much happier. According to CareerBliss’ data, they earn an average of $51,000, topping out at $104,000.
On the unhappiest list, it’s no surprise that security officers rank as the least happy job. They patrol company property, looking out for vandals and monitoring employees’ comings and goings. The job can be boring, there is rarely room for advancement and the mean annual pay is a low $27,240, according to the BLS.
The second-most-unhappy job is bank branch manager. Golledge points out that this is a job with a lot of stress, not much support, and demands that include making every account balance to the penny. With cell phone apps now able to handle most basic banking chores, branches are less and less relevant and the employment picture for managers precarious. Also once you’re a manager, it’s tough to advance further in your career. At least the salary is decent. CareerBliss pegs the average at $59,000.
Accountants clock in at No. 3 on the most-unhappy list. Golledge says that this is because they don’t have much room for growth in their jobs. The work can be both tedious and pressurized, especially this time of year. Even though accountants tend to earn well, with a median income of $71,000 according to the BLS, they are not a happy bunch.
For the complete list of the happiest and unhappiest jobs, see our slideshow above.
