Most Stressful Jobs Survey

From LoveToKnow Stress

Do you know if your job is listed in the top eight of the Most Stressful Jobs Survey conducted by CareerCast.com? It is if you are a real estate agent, a physician’s assistant, or a photojournalist. These professions are among the most stressful jobs according to the ranking system used by JobRated.com that evaluated the results of 200 jobs listed in the survey.

Survey Results

The results of the Stressful Jobs Survey indicate that people with jobs that put the life of another, or their own life, at risk have the highest stress levels. Other common factors of the top three jobs are demanding schedules that may change at any time, long shifts, and extended lengths of time away from home.

The following eight jobs are considered the most stressful according to the CareerCast survey.

  1. Surgeon
  2. Commercial airline pilot
  3. Photojournalist
  4. Advertising account executive
  5. Real estate agent
  6. General practice physician
  7. Newspaper reporter
  8. Physician assistant

Visit CareerCast.com to view a list of all 200 jobs.

Criteria for Evaluating the Jobs

The criteria JobsRated.com used to evaluate the different jobs were specific factors of five general categories that are part of each job. The five categories included:

  • Stress
  • Working environment and conditions
  • Hiring outlook
  • Income
  • Physical demands and exertion

The categories, the specific factors, and the ranking system are explained in the methodology section of the survey report.

Stress Factors Used in the Most Stressful Jobs Survey=

For the survey, 21 job demands that cause a stress response were assigned a range of points. The higher the demand levels of a particular stress factor, the more points that job received. The following are the stress demands used in the survey.

  • Life at risk
  • Life of another at risk
  • Stamina required
  • Precision required
  • Quotas
  • Deadlines
  • Competitiveness
  • A win/lose situation
  • Advocacy
  • Working in the public eye
  • The use of tools or machines
  • Environmental conditions
  • Required lifting
  • Physical demands such as climbing or bending
  • Initiative required
  • Working outdoors
  • Meeting the public
  • Detail
  • Confinement
  • Hazards encountered
  • Speed required

On the Job Stress

Although your job may not be ranked in the top eight of the most stressful jobs, chances are you are one of the many people that feel work related stress. According to a survey by CareerBuilder.com, approximately 75-80 percent of workers feel pressure on the job. Many of the workers experience job burn out that results in a higher incidence of physical and emotional illnesses including:

  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Digestive diseases
  • Skin disease
  • Migraines
  • A weakened immune system

The effects of job related stress not only have a detrimental effect on your health, it also affects your family, your social life, and your career.

Coping with Job Related Stress

Whether you are in a job that ranks at the top of the stressful jobs survey or not, knowing stress management techniques to use in various situations is a valuable tool. In certain instances, laughter is a great way to reduce stress in the workplace. At other times natural stress relievers such as deep breathing exercises, aromatherapy, or taking a walk may be more appropriate.

Resources for Coping with Job Related Stress

The following resources provide helpful information on coping with work related stress.

  • Help Guide provides information and guidance to those that are feeling the effects of work stress including the warning signs of excessive work stress, how to break bad habits, and improving your emotional intelligence.
  • Blue Collar Job Stress from LoveToKnow explains the unique set of stressors of blue collar workers, how stress affects worker’s health, and provides stress coping strategies.
  • The Job Stress Network provides information on all areas of job related stress.

Wherever your job placed on the Most Stressful Jobs Survey, learning how to reduce the stress in your life will make you happier and healthier.



 


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