Making a career choice and choosing what you want to do with the rest of your life is supposed to be a liberating experience; however, for some, their choice ends up not meeting individual expectations for fulfillment, financial stability, or growth. Here are twelve career paths that you should probably steer clear of.
Law
While law is a very lucrative and fulfilling field for some, it can be quite the nightmarish career for others. This is especially true for those who choose to specialize in low-income law fields. If you make the mistake of pursuing a career in these fields, you’ll find that your every waking moment is consumed with heavy caseloads and emotionally taxing situations.
In addition, law itself is a notoriously demanding field, and as such, lawyers often have to work really long hours. Succeeding as a lawyer takes much more than passion; you’ll also need a lot of determination and grit to get far.
Advertising
If you’ve ever had the “I’m pretty good at convincing people to do stuff; I should go into advertising.” thought. Take this moment to rethink and be sure it’s what you really want to do. This is because, although advertising can be dynamic, it’s also a high-pressure environment.
As a professional in this field, you’ll need to consistently produce innovative ideas under tight deadlines while working with shrinking budgets. There’s also the job insecurity and internal politics that could make things even more stressful for you.
Librarians
Gone are the days when librarians were regarded with awe worthy of the keepers of knowledge. Now, being a librarian is something of a relic of the past, and librarians are, quite frankly, a dying breed. Saying you want to be a librarian nowadays is like deliberately choosing a world of uncertainties and boredom.
Even an in-depth love for books might not be enough to save you from the challenges you’ll face as a librarian… and there’ll be some really serious ones.
Referees
Another career choice that could end up becoming a horrible one is refereeing. If you follow sports, you’ll already be aware of the fact that bodies like FIFA have introduced video technology into sports refereeing.
Despite only being a recent addition, these high-tech introductions have already proven to be much more accurate and less error-prone than human referees. Aside from this, a particular report shows that up to 70% of people who get into refereeing quit in just three years. Surely, a career red flag couldn’t be “redder” than this.
Journalism
Everyone loves the idea of the perfect journalist who spends time chasing stories, uncovering the truth, and being a voice for the voiceless. It does sound thrilling. But here’s the thing: Being a journalist? It’s a lot less glamorous than you may have been led to believe.
Journalists often face erratic schedules, tight deadlines, and sometimes even dangerous work environments when covering unrest. In addition to this, the pay is nowhere near adequate compensation for the risks involved.
Translators
If you have plans to work as a translator or are already a translator, you might want to consider switching fields immediately. This is because AI tools like Google Translate are already rapidly becoming mainstream.
Now, you might be thinking, “Well, these AI tools aren’t perfect.” Good point; however, they are evolving and growing at a very frightening pace. In a couple of years, translators could become totally obsolete.
Bank Tellers
To be fair, being a bank teller is probably one of the worst career choices on this list, if not the worst itself. For one, it’s one of the lowest-paying jobs in a financial institution, but it comes with a high level of responsibility and scrutiny. So already, it’s evident that the pay isn’t fair for the work put in.
Beyond this, however, there’s also the fact that job security as a bank teller is very low. The rise of online banking has already seen lots of teller jobs disappear, and this is expected to continue still.
Travel Agents
In the age of online travel services and booking apps, the traditional travel agent role is becoming obsolete. People can now tailor their itineraries themselves with a few clicks, thus totally sidelining traditional agents.
Also, agents often work on commission and face pressure to meet sales targets, coupled with the stress of handling unforeseen travel complications for clients. The industry is also vulnerable to global events that restrict travel, adding an element of unpredictability.
Customer Service (Call Centers)
Call center work can be a thankless job. Employees spend hours on the phone, often dealing with angry customers, high call volumes, and stringent work quotas. The repetitive nature of the job, the lack of career advancement opportunities, and the usually low pay contribute to high employee burnout rates. Furthermore, as more companies turn to AI and chatbots to handle customer service, the outlook for this field is bleak.
Real Estate
Television often shows the glamorous lives of real estate agents. However, what you won’t see is the high rate of uncertainty, irregular income, and a saturated market. Housing market trends are often unpredictable, so agents are constantly scrambling to catch up. Beyond this, there’s the intense pressure of meeting a client’s needs. This pressure even keeps them busy almost 24/7.
Public Relations
The world of PR is a pressure cooker of stress. PR managers usually juggle maintaining their clients’ public image, managing crises at breakneck speed, and pitching to sometimes unresponsive media outlets. The constant demand to be creative on the clock and the often blurred lines between personal and professional time can lead to burnout.
Additionally, success in PR heavily relies on fluctuating public and media perceptions, making it a dangerous path for those seeking stability.
Human Resources
Do you have HR friends? If you do, then you’ll have probably heard them tell some pretty wild stories. HR can be a fun place to work in, but it can be pretty frustrating, too. These professionals are the bridge between management and staff, often finding themselves in the middle of workplace conflicts, sensitive company issues, and employee grievances.
They have to juggle maintaining company policy with compassionate employee management, and during layoffs, the emotional toll can be high. The role requires a high level of emotional intelligence, patience, and the ability to remain impartial, which can be exhausting over time.
Retail and Food Service Management
If long hours, weekends, and holiday work aren’t your speed, retail or food service management might just drain your spirits. These managers deal with a high level of stress, demanding customers, and the pressure of meeting sales or profit targets.
In addition to this, employee turnover is high, demanding constant recruitment and training for new staff. Ultimately, the work-life balance is nearly non-existent, and the rewards may seem scant due to the personal sacrifice involved.