Considering that Americans spend roughly 35% of our total waking hours dedicated to earning a living, it is smart to determine early on  if your chosen career will be a source of enjoyment, or anguish.

There are many factors that go into determining if a job is a pleasant experience, or a grueling one.

What makes a job a GREAT JOB?

Certainly compensation is a critical factor,  when choosing a career. According to data pulled from Payscale, the occupations listed on the accompanying  infographic  are forecasting the highest growth with the strongest need for additional candidates within the next 12 months.

What kind of environment does your job provide? Is it a manufacturing environment, with all that that entails, including potentially  noxious fumes, machinery noises, or does it entail sitting under fluorescent lights all day? Giving some thought to the types of environments that you enjoy, as opposed to those that physically make you sick or at the very least result in headaches or general discomfort, is important information as you consider the types of work environments you want to pursue.

Does the job itself require lots of interaction with the public, or do you primarily work independently? Which do you prefer? Some people enjoy lots of contact with other people, and others thrive working by themselves.

Do you enjoy doing the same thing every day, becoming very proficient at it, or do you crave a more varied work environment?

Outlook or career path is also a critical component when planning out your career and job changes. The smartest people make career decisions based on where  a job will position them 1, 3 and 5 years down the line.  What kind of earnings can you expect if you stay in your current role and continue to be proficient, learning new skills? What is the next step up the ladder, and more importantly, do you want that role and the duties and responsibilities associated with it,  or do you want to stay where you are at?

Work related stress is also a critical issue when evaluating a role. According to a study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 43% of full time employed people report that their job has a negative effect on their stress levels. It pays off to give some serious consideration to the amount of stress that a job will provide, weather that be in commute times, deadlines, travel requirements, etc.

Hopefully this Best Jobs 2017 Infographic will give you some food for thought, as you evaluate your own career path or help your children decide which career path to pursue. There are many variables in dictating what makes a job a dream job or something that you dread, and it is so important for so many reasons to really give some thought into the above questions, so that you can choose wisely. Life is indeed short, and it is truly a crime to spend 35% of it doing something that you do not enjoy.

As Confucius so wisely said, Choose a Job You Love, and You Will Never Have To Work a Day in Your Life

And even more applicable, as Simon Sinek recently stated, “Working hard for something that you do not sincerely care about causes stress. Working hard for something that we love is called passion”.

Take the time to find something that you love, and make it your life’s work.