"Audiologist" was rated as the #1 least-stressful job during 2011 by CareerCast.com, a jobs-advice Web site, which reports that it “is the Internet’s premier career site for finding targeted job opportunities by industry, function and location.” The brief explanation states that “The job is not typically physically demanding or stressful, but it does require a keen attention to detail and focused concentration.”
The 10 least-stressful jobs, as rated by CareerCast, are:
1) Audiologist
2) Dietitian
3) Software engineer
4) Computer programmer
5) Dental hygienist
6) Speech pathologist
7) Philosopher
8) Mathematician
9) Occupational therapist
10) Chiropractor
The ranking system for job stress reportedly compares a number of different job demands that can reasonably be expected to evoke stress, including travel, hiring outlook/growth potential, deadlines, working in the public eye, competitiveness, physical demands, environmental conditions, hazards encountered, own life at risk, life of another at risk, and meeting the public.
As might be expected, in the comments section directly below the “Audiologist” listing, many audiologists emphatically noted their disagreement. For example:
This is just the most ridiculous, inane and just out and out ignorant article. I don’t even know where to start. I have been an audiologist for 25 years and have been dealing with patients with cognitive disabilities, hearing disabilities, physical disabilities….all of whom want you to perform a miracle. Oh, let’s not forget the patients who scream at us, throw hearing aids at us and throw up on us as we try to test their balance. Or the parents who break down and cry because you just told them their beautiful child cannot hear. Any profession that deals with people who have emotional and physical ailments is stressful…
However, other postings note that the article serves as a much-needed promotion for audiology and the need for more audiologists to enter the field, including:
Hold up Audiology community. If you really think about our jobs there is stress during the work day, but not an unmanageable amount…What they are highlighting is how great our field can be. We work hard, but we also reap the rewards…typically on a personal level as opposed to financially. This is a good thing for us…A huge chunk of our workforce will be retiring over the next 10 years, and we need a way to bring more people into our field…this may help. I think it is great that we made the list at all!! At least our profession’s name is getting out there.
SOURCE: CareerCast.com
