Do you find it appealing to apply your talents towards a meaningful cause? Are you looking for a job that’ll directly contribute to people’s livelihoods and wellbeing? Fortunately for you, there’s a high demand for such professionals. As a matter of fact, research has shown that such jobs are usually the most rewarding. In this article, we list down 5 of the best people-centric career paths available today.
1. Dentist
Dentists specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of oral diseases. Contrary to popular belief, dentists do only treat diseases directly related to teeth. They, among other things, treat diseases of the nerves, gums, and pulp, administer anesthetic to minimize pain, and design prosthodontic devices such as dentures.
Like most jobs, to be certified by the relevant regulatory bodies, you’ll need to have the necessary qualifications. This involves successfully going through dental school.
2. Counselor
If you’re patient, a good listener, and enjoy helping people live through their challenges, you’ll find counseling very rewarding. A professional counselor offers personal support and therapy to people suffering from mental and emotional issues. There are many different types of counselors.
You could choose to be a general counselor, a mental health counselor, a school and guidance counselor, a marriage and family counselor, or a rehabilitation counselor.
A general counselor deals with a wide range of issues, while their mental health, school, and marriage counterparts are more specialized. Becoming a counselor does not require many hours of schooling, and the study options are flexible. For example, you could opt to study online.
3. Social Worker
Social workers advise, support, and sometimes provide resources to individuals and groups to help them through their problems. As a social worker, you’ll typically work with children, senior citizens, families in need, and individuals. Because clients will often be vulnerable and stressed, this occupation requires you to have a lot of empathy.
Typical duties may include visiting clients, arranging for the appropriate resources and care, writing reports, and communicating with colleagues, relatives, and, if need be, other medical professionals. You can be employed by local authorities, charities, and social work agencies. If you enjoy spending a lot of your time helping people, this might prove to be an incredibly satisfying career path for you.
4. Lawyer
The law industry is renowned for its competitive, high paying, and intellectually challenging nature. Most people assume that being a lawyer means that you’ll always be in the courtroom arguing cases.
This, however, isn’t the whole story. You’ll spend a lot of your time researching, drafting up legal strategies, and talking to your clients.
To be a successful lawyer, you’ll need to be a good communicator. This will help you present evidence confidently and clearly. You’ll also need to be attentive to detail, to be a good negotiator, and to be able to exercise critical thinking and analysis.
Your daily tasks will include writing up contracts, attending hearings, representing your client in court, and reading up on any changes in the law.
5.Teacher
As a teacher, you’ll play a key role in shaping the lives of young people. You will be uniquely placed to guide, motivate, and inspire your students to make a positive impact in the world. To be able to do this, you’ll need to be highly adaptable in order to fully support all types of learners in your classroom.
You must also have good verbal and written communication skills, outstanding interpersonal skills, a creative mind, and a solid grasp of your subject of choice. Your day to day activities will range from taking students through course work to grading assignments to arranging for and attending parent-teacher meetings.
The Bottom-line
While jobs that directly involve helping people have been found to be the most rewarding, you should first consider your interests. Almost every job out there contributes in a small way to the society’s well being, so don’t be too fixated on the five we’ve mentioned here, especially if none of them appeals to your interests.