Title: We can imagine a life without ‘influencers’ but not without health professionals
Subtitle: Annual survey reveals the most loved and hated professions in society
Now that the dreaded selectivity has passed and it is time to choose a career, there are many young people who seriously question that question they have been hearing since their earliest childhood: What do you want to be when you grow up? The choice is not alien to some clichés and in the end it will lead us to practice a profession that is one of the most hated or one of the most loved, which may influence when making a decision. There is even an annual classification that in 2023 places politics as the most hated profession and medicine or teaching as the most loved.
And it is that the topics have that: they reduce to a single concept a much more complex idea in reality. To continue with this year’s classification, politics is often associated with a lie, compared to the dedication to service attributed to doctors and teachers. Although, as in everything, the exceptions are many and the reality is diverse. All in all, the study carried out to configure this ranking reflects that the most significant factor when assessing certain professions as hateful is their lack of value to society. While the key factor behind the most loved work is its potential to help others.
If the most hated job is that of politicians, it is followed closely by insurance brokers, telemarketers, influencers, tax inspectors or lawyers. Journalists, firefighters and police are very evenly matched. And, at the top of the list, health professions such as nursing or medicine and teachers.
Stereotypes reflected in popular culture may have some influence. Just take a look at series like “Grey’s Anatomy”, “House” or “The Good Doctor”, which present health professionals as heroes. But we must not forget other determining issues such as the pandemic, which brought healthcare professionals to the fore. That makes them highly respected jobs, and they’re certainly useful and socially significant. Can we imagine a world without influencers? Yes. But we cannot imagine life without health professionals.
Interestingly, 68% of those surveyed believe that having a socially hated job has advantages and 88% believe that there are some disadvantages to having a socially loved job. The profession does not always define us, at least not in our totality; however, 77% believe that judging someone based on their profession is acceptable.
To carry out this study, the people surveyed were presented with a list of professions, proposing good or bad associations and those perceived as neutral. For each job, they were asked to specify feelings on a five-point scale, from very positive to very negative. When making the list, therefore, very positive feelings towards the profession were taken into account and they were organized in descending order.
In a society where people’s career choices are influenced by factors such as societal value, potential for helping others, and personal interest, it is clear that health professionals hold an esteemed position. While influencers may hold sway in the digital world, the real heroes continue to be the doctors, nurses, and teachers who dedicate their lives to improving the health and wellbeing of others.