Top 12 Most Overrated Careers: CareerCast

Last week's job report revealed that the unemployment rate stayed stuck above 9 percent for yet another month. As scores of Americans look for work there may be some jobs that appear desirable, but are best to avoid.

Many high-paying, prestigious occupations may actually have a lot of downsides, according to CareerCast. While these jobs may pay well, they often come with considerable amounts of stress and long hours that can have an adverse affect on work-life balance.

Indeed, many of the occupations CareerCast identified as overrated are also often viewed as being highly stressful, according to another recent study by CareerCast. Corporate excutives, commercial pilots and photojournalists all count as some of the most stressful jobs, which is part of the reason they ended up in the most overrated jobs list as well. In fact, a recent study found that high-stress jobs can lead to a weakened immune system and in turn more visits to the doctor's office.

But it's not just stress that makes a job overrated. Demanding physical activity, like that of surgeons who spend long hours in the operating room, can also put an otherwise seemingly ideal occupation in the overrated category, according to CareerCast.

Here are the 12 of the most overrated jobs, according to CareerCast:

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Comments

[ipv4]

11:07 AM on 11/03/2011

Oh, I feel so sorry for those occupations where they are close to mid 6 figures. And those poor executives working so many hours, my heart goes out to them.

We should build a monument for all these rich hard working people because their lives are just so difficult.

[MBinNYC]

08:09 AM on 11/03/2011

Doesn't a job need to be "highly-rated" to be "over-rated"? Flight Attendant on the surface seems like the worst job in the world. Airlines overbook, charge extra fees on every thing, airports are over crowded so passengers are angry before they even board the plane...and now the flight attendant has to deal with these people.

And surgeon??? Is there someone somewhere that thought cutting another human open and then putting them back together would not be stressful?? Well if you knew it would be stressful and it is it can't be "over-rated" because it turned out stressful.

[Turtleposer]

09:34 PM on 10/29/2011

There's stress in every job. Sometimes it comes in different forms. Sometimes it's stressful knowing you're making minimum wage (if that) for more than 40 hours a week with no time to look for better jobs. Sometimes you have complete lack of control over your job - try being a phone rep or another customer service job. I once had a fairly easy job which was made extremely stressful because of all of the office bickering. I actually took a more stressful job to get out of the stressful environment with an easy job.

Don't go pick a job based on the lack of stress. There's stress everywhere. You cannot avoid it. Try to find what you love and what you can do well. Also, do good research into which jobs are overhyped by diploma mills and grad schools so that you don't end up with a grad degree while working a high school level job. Consider the likelihood of your being able to pay off those loans once you start working.

But stress? There's stress everywhere. Not having a job at all and a ton of student loan debt is highly stressful.

[TWKT]

08:43 AM on 10/29/2011

UPS drivers make more then most of these people and have better benefits!

[jbeachboy]

03:48 PM on 10/29/2011

maybe the flight attendant only

[ipv4]

11:08 AM on 11/03/2011

Yea, they make a lot more then surgeons and Executives. They have beach house in miami and the hamptons.

[hereyagobeach]

08:27 AM on 10/29/2011

I am A broker and I do better than average i guess, however I wouldn't call it over-rated. I knew what I was getting when I took the job, understanding that I would have to do a lot of work to earn each dollar I made, as well as be OK with the choices I made for my clients and shoulder the responsibility if I hurt a persons retirement. The job is very stressful but I am well compensated, so it is a trade off. The fact that my blood pressure is 110 over 90 is part of the job. And if I had known shrinks made that much I might have married one....

[Mamadea]

03:08 PM on 10/28/2011

W.T.F??

[Kire]

07:12 PM on 10/27/2011

My psychiatrist told me he doesn't even have dental insurance.

[dukeofurl01]

12:11 AM on 10/22/2011

At this point, I'd settle for any career, overrated or not. I'm legitimately jealous of literally anybody with a job. I have a college education.

[hereyagobeach]

08:54 AM on 10/29/2011

I have no college and I was able to find work. And I have held 2 of the jobs on this list. Keep looking there is work, just have to keep trying. Radio Stations are always hiring ad execs. Start small then may be move up.

[ArmyMedic]

06:31 PM on 10/29/2011

There's always the military.

[The Corporate Champion]

02:08 AM on 10/13/2011

Damn, I didn't know psychiatrists made that much money.

[laterthanyouthink]

06:04 PM on 10/14/2011

How do you feel about that?

[The Corporate Champion]

06:06 PM on 10/14/2011

I don't know, I thought there were too many psychology majors out there.

[RenePA]

10:54 AM on 10/15/2011

Your line of questions gave me a good chuckle this morning - thanks!

[almchrl13]

01:28 AM on 11/03/2011

We like to thank you for sharing that with the group,
the fart, not so much.

[jw 6179]

10:01 PM on 10/12/2011

> Average income: $192,065.00

Aw. ): He's only made as much money this year as I have since graduating university in 2002. ):

[SMASH AUTHORITY]

09:34 PM on 10/12/2011

Id be a part time untrained lawyer right now even though i have no college degree, but CAPITALISM wont let me because it says i have to get a 8 year degree or whatever its called.

[laterthanyouthink]

06:06 PM on 10/14/2011

Not fair.

I hear they do the same thing for heart transplant surgeons.

Should be a free market, I say.

[hereyagobeach]

08:56 AM on 10/29/2011

The problem is you would lose every case you took. I would Love to play Baseball and get paid what they do in the majors except I dont have the skills needed

[Disdain]

05:57 PM on 10/12/2011

Overrated? These are well paying jobs. There's a reason they are called work and not vacation. What is the alternative, stay home, do nothing and collect from the government?

[J5K]

07:13 PM on 10/12/2011

Oi weh. Someone obviously beat you with the dumb stick. Work on your reading comprehension, stat.

[Disdain]

07:57 PM on 10/12/2011

Follow your own advice. "While these jobs may pay well, they often come with considerable amounts of stress and long hours". Success comes at a price.

[WhatASweetBegining]

01:16 PM on 10/12/2011

The pay grade is highly inflated for some of these jobs.

[Needtoprogress]

02:50 PM on 10/11/2011

Considering I will be #5 within a year or so thats just wonderful....except im underemployed now and still have to be away from home 4 days out of the week, so nothing changes...atleast this way my salary will be okay and I will like what I do.

[zenb]

02:05 PM on 10/11/2011

I tell you what's overrated... being young. I can't even get a job pushing wheelbarrows of dirt for minimum wage. Jeez, what I'd give to have any one of those jobs...

[Needtoprogress]

02:50 PM on 10/11/2011

well for an airline pilot job, which is actually hiring....about $60k more in debt lol...

[Rev22v20]

03:23 PM on 10/11/2011

Where are you located? I guarantee you I can find you a minimum wage job.

[zenb]

04:34 PM on 10/11/2011

A rural Gloucestershire village in England... don't worry I won't hold you on your quote ;) But seriously... it may be possible to find some work, but for example me and two friends applied at over 50 different places for menial jobs, no success. It's just hard to keep going when you get turned away over and over again.