Consider what parts of your job give you meaning and purpose, and read about 10 fulfilling jobs.
Kathleen Walder,
If you’ve ever said, “My job is making me crazy,” (and who hasn’t), you may be onto something. Studies show there’s a correlation between working in fulfilling jobs and well-being—especially when it comes to mental health.
We all have things about our jobs that can be annoying from time to time. But always being unhappy or stressed in your job can contribute to burnout, low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. It can also affect your body by causing psychosomatic symptoms like headaches, dizziness, muscle pain, and digestive problems.
Does this sound all too familiar? It might seem daunting, but you can find work that is fulfilling and that contributes to a happier life. If you’re tired of living for the weekend, read on to learn what work conditions contribute to job satisfaction and the career paths that are consistently ranked as the most fulfilling jobs.
What Are the 12 Components of Fulfilling Jobs?
A number of factors work together to make people feel like they have fulfilling jobs and are satisfied with their work. Employee surveys find that there are 12 main contributors to job satisfaction:
- Opportunities for learning, career growth, and promotion.
- Work responsibilities that are challenging and interesting.
- Autonomy in how to manage the processes and pace of work.
- Good communication, relationships, and trust in supervisors.
- Company values and a culture that is a good fit.
- Good relationships with coworkers.
- Job security based on the company’s financial stability and management’s actions.
- Low-stress environment.
- Pay and benefits.
- Receiving respect and recognition in the form of rewards and incentives.
- Work-life balance.
- A clean, comfortable, and welcoming physical work environment.
10 Careers With High Job Satisfaction
These criteria are a good baseline when you’re considering leaving a position or accepting a new offer, but any job can be satisfying (or brain-melting) depending on what is important to you. Need some direction? Here are the top 10 positions that are frequently cited as the most fulfilling jobs.
Dental Hygienist
What you’d do: If you like the idea of helping patients improve and maintain their smiles, a dental hygienist job might be just the thing to give you job satisfaction. In this position, you would clean patients’ teeth, take X-rays, and give fluoride treatments.
What you need: You can become a dental hygienist with an associate degree in dental hygiene. Take a look at this resume to see what a typical dental hygienist career looks like.
What you’d make: The median salary for a dental hygienist is $34.69 per hour.
Find dental hygienist jobs on Monster.
Athletic Trainer
What you’d do: Athletic trainers are needed by all kinds of people from fitness buffs and construction workers to professional movers—anyone who uses their muscles daily. You can turn a person’s life and well-being around through your knowledge of sports medicine, rehabilitation methods, and injury prevention.
What you need: It’s a multi-step process to become an athletic trainer. You’ll start by earning a bachelor’s degree in athletic training. You can go on to earn a master’s degree, or you can start your career by becoming certified.
What you’d make: Athletic trainers make a median salary of $46,439.
Find athletic trainer jobs on Monster.
Nurse Practitioner
What you’d do: As the population ages and there are fewer primary care doctors, nurse practitioners are needed to fill the gap in patient care. Along with being in high demand, NPs have a lot of autonomy. They spend more time talking with patients and can offer more holistic alternatives for treatment.
What you need: A bachelor’s and a master’s degree in nursing, along with a license and certification are required for nurse practitioners.
What you’d make: The median salary for a nurse practitioner can be quite attractive at $103,494.
Find nurse practitioner jobs on Monster.
Construction Manager
What you’d do: If you like seeing the big picture and watching a project grow literally from the ground up, being a construction manager might be one of the most fulfilling jobs for you. You would oversee every part of a building project. You would be on job sites rather than in an office, estimating costs, creating project schedules, and working with clients and outside contractors like electricians and architects.
What you need: Most construction managers have a bachelor’s degree. Some states also require licensing for construction managers.
What you’d make: $69,422 is the estimated median salary for a construction manager.
Find construction manager jobs on Monster
Physical Therapist
What you’d do: A physical therapist is the bridge between an injured or ill patient and their re-entry into a normal life. You would teach exercise and rehabilitation skills and use tools and equipment to help your patients cope with pain and overcome their temporary disabilities.
What you need: Your path to becoming a physical therapist includes undergraduate education and a degree as a doctor of physical therapy (DPT), a residency in a healthcare facility, licensing, and board certification.
What you’d make: The median hourly pay for a physical therapist is $37.43.
Find physical therapist jobs on Monster.
Firefighter
What you’d do: As first responders, firefighters do so much more than put out fires. Firefighters are an integral and respected part of a community, who respond to other disasters like floods, hazardous spills, and medical emergencies.
What you need: You can start your career as a firefighter at 18, with a high school diploma and a valid driver’s license. After you’re hired, you’ll go to a fire academy and learn emergency medical procedures. A final step is passing a physical and written test.
What you’d make: The estimated median salary for a firefighter is $42,357.
Find firefighter jobs on Monster.
Speech-Language Pathologist
What you’d do: Every day as a speech pathologist is different. One day you may work with a toddler who has delayed speech. The next, you might work with a stroke patient to help him regain communication skills. You might work in a rehabilitation center, nursing home, hospital, or school.
What you need: You’ll need a master’s degree in speech pathology, followed by at least 400 hours of work with a licensed professional. A state license and certification will complete your preparation for a speech pathology career.
What you’d make: The median salary for a speech-language pathologist is $78,827.
Find speech-language pathologist jobs on Monster.
Human Resources Manager
What you’d do: HR managers are in charge of a company’s most valuable resources—their employees. They usually manage a company’s compensation and benefit programs, recruit, hire, and conduct employee training. You could say that HR managers help other employees have fulfilling jobs!
What you need:Human resources managers usually have an undergraduate degree in business and may go on to earn a master’s degree.
What you’d make: The median salary for a human resources manager is $67,598.
Find human resources jobs on Monster.
Chiropractor
What you’d do: Chiropractors can instantly reduce or eliminate their patients’ pain by manipulating and adjusting the spine, helping patients to avoid medication with unpleasant side effects.
What you need: An undergraduate degree and a four-year degree from a chiropractic college followed by licensing qualify you to be a chiropractor.
What you’d make: The estimated median salary for a chiropractor is $65,907,
Find chiropractor jobs on Monster.
Occupational Therapist
What you’d do: An occupational therapist helps people get back to work and return to leading normal lives. You’d work with patients who have physical, mental, or emotional disabilities caused by injuries or illnesses.
What you need: Becoming an occupational therapist starts with earning a bachelor’s degree and then getting a master’s degree from an accredited occupational therapist program. You’ll also need hours working in the field and classroom.
What you’d make: The hourly estimated pay for an occupational therapist is $38.49.
Find occupational therapist jobs on Monster.