For compassionate individuals, the typical nine-to-five office job just doesn’t cut it. To be satisfied with your career as a natural-born philanthropist, you’ll need to seek out job opportunities that send a shockwave rippling through your community. Whether that means pursuing a hands-on position with people in need or working behind the scenes to improve the lives of others, the right career is out there.
Finding a job that pays well and helps others is easier than you think. Here are eight careers for the natural do-gooders.
Caregiving
Caring for those who need it requires dedication and compassion, but it is also an extremely gratifying career. Caregivers assist patients who are elderly, ill, injured, or disabled. The level of care will vary from patient to patient and is sometimes as simple as preparing meals or providing companionship. Other duties include maintaining the home, monitoring medications, and offering transportation. For those interested in a rewarding career, start by researching in-home caregiver employment opportunities nearest you.
Behavior analyst
If you want to work with individuals one-on-one to improve their daily lives, becoming a behavior analyst is a worthy endeavor. As a specialist in intercommunication, you will help children and adults modify unhealthy habits. Behavior analysts develop meaningful relationships with their clients and often become heavily invested in their day-to-day work.
Certified nurse-midwife
Helping new parents bring life into the world is an intimate and rewarding experience. Certified nurse-midwives help future parents prepare for their baby and assist in every step of the birthing process. As a trained professional, you will provide medical and emotional support to both parents during the most emotional time in their lives.
Fire captain
For those seeking an exciting and challenging career, working as a fire captain is a perfect fit. Fighting fires protects the community from devastating loss and helps conserve precious nature. As a fire captain, you will be on the front lines of duty while also overseeing the daily operations of the firehouse.
Physical therapist
Also called PTs, physical therapists help patients achieve a pain-free lifestyle. PTs provide personalized sessions to those with chronic pain or who are recovering from illness and injuries. With specialized techniques and practices, you will assist patients in restoring function and mobility and build connections along the way.
Physicians assistant
Physicians assistant is consistently ranked as the number one desirable career in the U.S., and for a good reason. PAs work more reasonable hours than physicians and still make a generous salary. By working under the guidance of physicians, you will perform everything from diagnosing illnesses to assisting in surgeries. Working directly with patients to improve their health is massively rewarding.
Non-profit director
Working for a non-profit can be an emotionally demanding career, but the work done directly improves the lives of others. Whether the organization provides critical services to those in need or lobbies for eco-friendly improvements in local government, nonprofits perform various admirable deeds. As a non-profit director, you will act as the voice for the community you serve.
Family therapist
When a family experiences stress or crisis, a family therapist is there to put the pieces back together. By providing married couples with counseling, you will mediate disagreements and help strengthen their relationships. You might also work with the whole family to work through the loss of a member or a shared trauma. Family therapists often run their own practices or work for a more prominent health care provider.
Final thoughts
Working in a career that helps others is a must for natural do-gooders. By pursuing a job in one of these fields, you will improve the lives of those around you while earning a steady paycheck.
