Reporter’s job worse than garbage collecting
The study has taken into account four parameters - work environment, income, employment outlook and the job stress.
FEATURE
NEW YORK: A news reporter’s job is the worst among all the professions – worse than even that of a lumberjack, dishwasher or garbage collector among others, a new survey has claimed.
The study of 200 professions, conducted by a US-based human resource consultancy CareerCast, has taken into account four parameters – work environment, income, employment outlook and the job stress – and found the job of ‘actuary’ as the best of the all.
It mostly covered jobs in the US and is based on data from the US Bureau of Labour Statistics and other government agencies.
As per the annual survey, the reporter’s job has gone from bad to worse in the past year, as it was ranked fifth worst in the 2012 study.
Also, the software engineer’s job was ranked as the best last year. In this year’s study, newspaper reporter has been ranked last at 200th, below the likes of lumberjack (199), enlisted military personnel (198), actor (197), oil rig worker (196) and dairy farmer (195).
About news reporter’s job, the study said, “…(It) has lost its luster dramatically over the past five years and is expected to plummet even further by 2020.” On the other hand, job of an actuary, who interprets statistics, has topped the list in best jobs category, followed by biomedical engineer, software engineer, audiologist and financial planner. Actuary earns a median income of US$87,650 with few physical demands and minimal stress, it noted. The study said that a reporter earns a median income of US$36,000 per year.
Other careers which are ranked among the lowest are flight attendant (191), photojournalist (188), waiter/waitress (185), broadcaster (184), butcher (183) and maid (181).
The jobs of fashion designer (182), painter (174), photographer (172), author (156) have also ranked lowly in the list. Among others in the top 10 best jobs for 2013 include dental hygienist, occupational therapist, optometrist, physical therapist & computer systems analyst.
- Agencies
been there, done that...though I do agree on all the four parameters - work environment, income, employment outlook and the job stress - are not necessarily better than being, say an engineer or a statistician BUT being a journalist, just like any other career has it advantages, its plus points, its fun - and those elements have kept the journos stay doing what they do best - news writing! yes, the pay is slimy, the work is stressful, involves a whole lot of waiting sometimes out in the rain or under the scorching sun just to get that glimpse of the Ministers or to get their brief response(s) - the sweats feel rewarded once your piece went published/on-air. THUS, those who wants to do journalism should only do it for all the right reasons - passion and the love for journalism and nothing more, and these are the same qualities/reasons subscribed by those media practitioners - they love the job, the adrenaline rush, the sweats, the sun, the rain, the madness, the stress, the cheap salary - all for bringing news to your front door/tv screens/computer's monitors/smartphones' screens. I have done it, I loved it and love it still and if needs to do it all over again, I would, anytime. respects to all fellow journos. keep the journalism spirits alive!
