Great Occupations

CNBC recently posted its most stressful jobs of 2010. Was yours on the list?

The study looked at 21 factors that cause stress on the job, and ranked 200 professions based on how the demands play into the work day.

In the top 10 was Real Estate Agent(ranked #10) with the average Agent working 9.5 hrs. per day, high compeitition, high time pressure, and above average unemployment.

Down from #1 last year, Surgeon ranked #4 with an average of 11 hours per day, high competition, and moderate time pressure. Surgeries generally take many hours to complete all the while requiring precision (including the consequences of the patients life). Other honorable mentions were Police Officer (ranked #5), Taxi Driver (ranked #3), and Corporate Executive (#2).

The Most Stressful? The #1 most stressful job of 2010, according to CNBC, is Fire Fighter. It involves hazardous conditions and long, irregular hours. They work an average of 11 hrs. per day generally under very high time pressure to handle an emergency. The Dept. of Labor estimates the profession will grow by about 19% to about 368,000 Fire Fighters in the U.S. by 2018. Median average wages in May 2008 was around $44,260 with the top 10% earning more than $72,210/year.

Last week on The Job Search Boot Camp Show, we were fortunate enough to have Regina Moser joining us. Regina is a innovative Job Search & Life Strategies Coach and Trainer as well as a Yoga Instructor.

Job Search is in the list of the top 5 major events that cause stress. Regina says there are a number of techniques that you can use during job search to reduce stress. Having a daily or weekly plan can ease the stress. Not having a plan tends to make us feel like we could have been doing more in our job search. However, a good plan which allows time for recreation (and a lunch break) can make our search time more productive and less stressful.

But Wait…There’s More! Regina spoke about a number of other techniques to deal with stress and ways to keep a positive attitude. You may want to listen to the replay at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/JobSearchBootCamp. The replay is also available in Podcast version on iTunes!

Did you know that of the major life events that cause stress, you’ll find job loss or transition listed in the top 10? This, in turn, can negatively impact your health. To see just how much your health might be affected by your own stressors, check out the free “Life Events Stress Test” at http://www.stresstips.com/lifeevents.htm. It’s very easy to do the test - out of 42 possible stressful events, you mark those that you have experienced over the past 12 months. Then it gives you a rating and suggestions back. This is what it told me:

According to the Holmes & Rahe* statistical prediction model your score means a moderate amount of life change and a moderate susceptability (about 50% probability) to stress-related illness. However please keep in mind that there are many variables that interact on health including positive factors such as support from family, friends or work associates.

Notice that a variable that they suggest can affect my health positively is gettting support. If you are unemployed, it’s high time you examine your support system. If you don’t have a support system, go get one.

Check around your community to see if your state-sponsored unemployment programs offer job clubs or job search support meetings. Look at the large churches around town - many of them have career ministries, and if you’re okay with the possibility of adding a little prayer into your job search, then you’ll definitely find support in these kinds of groups. If you have a group of friends or colleagues in your network who are also looking for jobs like you are, form a small group of your own.

Whatever it takes… get some support. You’ll feel better because you’ll know you’re not the only one in the world feeling the way you do. You’ll feel better because of the social contact – if you’re like most unemployed people, you’re probably missing being around co-workers in the workplace. And, finally, you’ll feel better because it’ll help reduce stress and the doctors and therapists say you will be healthier!

Speaking of support systems, tomorrow’s guest on The Job Search Boot Camp Show is the queen of job search support groups. Kathy Lansford-Powell is founder, facilitator and president of the non-profit Launch Pad Job Club. She is an award-winning career expert and job search skills trainer who has spent the last 20 years keeping people “informed, focused, motivated, and entertained as they slog through the job search process.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Angela Loëb is an author, speaker and career coach. Along with partner, Jay Markunas, she helps people gain clarity and develop successful strategies for career transition. Through their company, Great Occupations, they help job seekers and career shifters by offering seminars, webinars, tele-coaching events and individualized coaching services. Listen to them on The Job Search Boot Camp Show. Find out more about their programs & services at www.greatoccupations.com.