Back in March, a survey revealed the happiest jobs in the UK, with members of the clergy coming out on top. But if you’d rather serve the great god of money, there is still good news because chief executives, earning on average over £100,000 a year, came second in job satisfaction. Which is good, I guess, because it’s got to be worth spending so long working hard to reach that position. There are plenty of jobs on the list to make you happy, such as farming & agricultural management roles or secretarial positions, but they don’t necessarily pay a huge amount.
So what if you’re looking for a position that makes you happy and makes you money? Here are a few jobs that have a great balance of job satisfaction, pay well and, most crucially of all, are currently available on Strike Jobs. And in case you’re wondering, publicans came out bottom of the list, 8 places lower than bar staff.
Electrical Engineers:
Rank: 14
Average salary: £44,439
Average Job Satisfaction level: 7.74
Electrical engineers deal with creating and maintaining all things electronic. One of the key factors of job satisfaction is the amount of control and with a position in electrical engineering, you are granted exactly that. Duties include; The design, construction & testing of electrical items, such as security and heating systems, researching customer requirements and liaising with clients and design teams. You’d be in charge of a team, it’s a normal 40 hours-a-week job and you would get to exercise your giant engineering brain.
You would most likely need a degree or equivalent in an engineering discipline, and a number of years experience in your specialised area. You would also need a great deal of passion for the subject, as there’s a lot of problem solving involved, requiring complicated mathematics. But if that’s your passion, and that’s what you’re doing, it’s bound to make you happy.
Click here to see our electrical engineering vacancies on Strike Jobs.
Medical Practitioners:
Rank: 7
Average salary: £70,648
Average job satisfaction level: 7.48
Another factor that attributes a great deal of job satisfaction and happiness is helping others, so being a medical practitioner is about the most satisfying job you can get. It’s not for the faint-hearted, though, and requires a great deal of education, but it’s never too late to start something new. Medical jobs provide tangible examples of positively effecting the lives of others. And it pays pretty well, too.
There’s also a great deal of specialisations within the sector, from anaesthesiology to paediatrics, doctors and nurses, there’s bound to be a position perfect to your interests and passions. But it is difficult work. With long and erratic hours and a lot of duties not for the squeamish, it takes a great deal of commitment and determination. Which is part of what makes it so satisfying.
Click here to see our list of health & medical positions, which currently has over 3,500 available vacancies!
Quality Assurance and Regulatory Professionals:
Rank: 5
Average salary: £42,898
Average job satisfaction level: 7.89
Once again, job happiness comes down to being in control, so why not become grand supreme controller of quality for a company? A huge range of establishments require quality assurance managers to make sure that the services they require are of the standard expected. These establishments include banking, manufacturing and automotive companies, which means you can go for any company that fits your interests. Which is useful, because a great deal of knowledge on the relevant products and output is required if you’re to be assuring customers of their quality.
A degree is generally favourable in these positions, particularly one in business studies or an area relevant to the companies you’re looking to apply to. Great communication skills are a must. A great deal of estimating, researching and preparation goes into the work, but due to your level of control, it can prove to be hugely rewarding.
Click here to browse our quality assurance positions at Strike Jobs.
Human Resources Managers/Directors:
Rank: 19
Average salary: £54,120
Average job satisfaction level: 7.7
As human resources manager, you are in charge of the hiring and training of new employers, to make sure that they are the best fit for the company. You would need to really understand the company, and you would be spending much of your day building relationships. While you are in charge of firing, you would also have to deal with less pleasant duties such as redundancies, so the ability to keep a calm, professional veneer through any emotional breakdowns is important.
There’s a lot to learn in terms of keeping up with current UK hiring laws, and budgeting with a computer. Some universities and companies offer graduate training schemes, but it’s usually about 5 years of experience and a degree-level education that is required for a more senior position.
Click here to look at our human resources positions currently available.
Obviously, results in a chart won’t mean absolute happiness in any job, there are just too many factors. It largely comes down to where you work as well, but there’s not much a massive nation-wide survey can do about that.
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