Best Jobs

The best jobs make you happy to get up in the morning and excited about your accomplishments, while still helping you pay the bills. For this reason, the criteria for selecting the best jobs balance earning power, job stability, and personal fulfillment.

1.

 Software engineer was the top pick in Money Magazine's "Top Ten Best Jobs" list, while the engineering field in general was included in "Excellent Careers for 2006" from U.S. News & World Report. Money calls it "one of the fastest-growing job titles in the U.S." Software engineers must use creativity and math skills for constant intellectual stimulation. There's also a certain coolness factor to being part of the next big tech product.

2.

 Audiologist, a professional who diagnoses, treats, and manages individuals with hearing loss or balance problems, tops the U.S. News & World Report list. The article promises career stability thanks to aging baby boomers with fading hearing and also highlights the personal satisfaction of a career where you help people on a one-on-one basis.

3.

 CareerJournal.com, a Wall Street Journal affiliate, includes two careers in education on its list of "2006 Best Careers" - curriculum and instructional coordinators and high-school special-education teachers. Social workers and counselors were also included in the list, fields often leading to work in an educational setting. All of CareerJournal.com's picks offered intellectually stimulating work, a sense of job security, work freedom, and one-on-one contact with "customers." Turning to higher education, college professor is second on Money's list, and U.S. News & World Report also includes professors because of the mental stimulation of the work, the prestige of the job, and the comfortable work environment.

4.

 Financial advisors came in third on Money's list. Once considered only necessary for the rich, as financial planning became more common, demand for advisors likewise increased. Financial advisors can work at their own level of comfort, whether they want to counsel retirees concerned about their pensions or control the investments of a multimillion-dollar corporation. The career can offer a nice mix of a high salary and personal satisfaction from assisting individual clients.

5.

 Physician assistant was number five on Money Magazine's list and was also touted by U.S. News & World Report. Both sources describe the job as having all of the benefits of being a doctor without the liability and paperwork. You can enjoy the feeling of making a difference in your patients' lives while the supervising physician deals with the business side of the practice. It's also possible to become a physician assistant with only two to three years of specialized training, compared to the decade it may take someone to become a doctor.

6.

 Appearing on both the CareerJournal.com and U.S. News & World Report lists, physical therapists enjoy fulfilling one-on-one work with their clients. They also have a healthy job outlook as aging baby boomers fall prey to hip replacements and other physical disorders brought on by age.

7.

 Number nine on Money Magazine's list and cited by U.S. News & World Report, pharmacy is another promising career in the healthcare arena. Pharmacists can take satisfaction in helping their customers live a better life and choose from a variety of work settings, with pharmacy positions available in hospitals and local discount retailers alike. Demand for pharmacists is expected to rise over the next several years.

8.

 Coming in at seventh place on Money's list, computer IT analysts are a vital part of today's connected world. Whatever your computer or web specialty, from database administrators to networking gurus, there's an office waiting for your assistance. Telecommuting and freelance possibilities offer the potential for work flexibility.

9.

 When it comes to a satisfying career, it doesn't get much better than guiding the spiritual health of an entire congregation. U.S. News & World Report focuses on clergy for this reason, also mentioning the status of the position and generally good salaries.

10.

 U.S. News & World Report includes electrician on its list because it's easier on the body than other trades like plumbing, there's a steady demand for the job, and even in an international economy, electricians are practically immune to outsourcing. It's traditional, respectable work, sometimes overlooked in favor of flashier careers.

Whether you're choosing a college major or pondering your next career move, hopefully this list has given you some food for thought. However, only you know which job is the best job for you. The most important thing is to find a personally satisfying career, no matter what a list says.