Talent acquisition professionals and hiring managers typically look at a job from several angles. But when recruiting, does your company consider how stressful a job is?
In light of a new report from job site CareerCast, you may want to add this element to your profile of the job.
Stress Factors
CareerCast looks at the most and least stressful jobs of 2018, using 11 stress factors: travel required; growth potential; deadlines; working in the public eye; competition in the field; physical demands; environmental conditions; hazards encountered on a regular basis; own life at risk; life of others at risk; and meeting or interacting with the public at large.
Most Stressful Jobs
Enlisted Military Personnel, Firefighters, Airline Pilots, and Police Officers – the four most stressful jobs of 2018 – commonly face risk of death or injury, physical demands, and other hazards every single day.
Reporter, Broadcaster, and Public Relations Executive are professions with high public visibility. Nearly three-quarters of the American population is estimated to suffer from public speaking anxiety, so with that in mind, one could understand how these careers are high stress.
Add strict and regular deadlines – a pressing concern for those who work as Event Coordinators, as well as Broadcasters, Reporters, Public Relations Executives, and Senior Corporate Executives – and the causes of stress are evident.
Here are the 10 most stressful jobs 0f 2018, according to CareerCast:
| Profession | Annual Median Salary | Growth Outlook | Stress Score |
| 1. Enlisted Military Personnel (E3, 6+ years of experience) | $26,054 | N/A | 72.47 |
| 2. Firefighter | $48,030 | 7% | 72.43 |
| 3. Airline Pilot | $105,270 | 4% | 61.07 |
| 4. Police Officer | $61,600 | 7% | 51.97 |
| 5. Event Coordinator | $47,350 | 10% | 51.15 |
| 6. Reporter | $37,820 | -11% | 49.90 |
| 7. Broadcaster | $56,680 | -1% | 49.83 |
| 8. Public Relations Executive | $107,320 | 10% | 49.44 |
| 9. Senior Corporate Executive | $181,210 | 8% | 48.71 |
| 10. Taxi Driver | $24,300 | 5% | 48.11 |
Wages and growth outlook are based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Least Stressful Jobs
The 10 least stressful jobs of 2018, according to CareerCast, are:
| Profession | Annual Median Salary | Growth Outlook | Stress Score |
| 1. Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $64,280 | 17% | 5.11 |
| 2. Hair Stylist | $24,300 | 10% | 6.61 |
| 3. Audiologist | $75,980 | 20% | 7.22 |
| 4. University Professor | $75,430 | 15% | 8.16 |
| 5. Medical Records Technician | $38,040 | 13% | 8.54 |
| 6. Compliance Officer | $66,540 | 5% | 8.78 |
| 7. Jeweler | $38,200 | -3% | 9.05 |
| 8. Pharmacy Technician | $30,920 | 12% | 9.14 |
| 9. Operations Research Analyst | $79,200 | 27% | 9.17 |
| 10. Medical Laboratory Technician | $50,930 | 12% | 10.00 |
Wages and growth outlook are based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Although these jobs have the lowest stress scores, CareerCast points out that no job is ever going to be free from stress.
This year’s least stressful job, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, may not work in the public eye, face imminent risk of bodily harm to oneself or one’s patient, and will not typically deal with high travel or workplace hazards.
“However, the least stressful job – Diagnostic Medical Sonographer – isn’t merely conducting pregnancy ultrasounds,” says Kyle Kensing, online content editor for CareerCast. “Their days may include the task of cancer screenings, which can add stress to the job.”
CareerCast notes that how much stress a person feels can vary depending on the field – and stressors can vary dramatically from job to job.