January 6, 2009, - 7:33 pm
Mathematicians: The New “Sexiest Man Alive”?
By Debbie Schlussel
I’m not saying this is how I think–it isn’t. But the fact is that in our base society, a man’s wallet is to a woman’s looks. Each is the determining factor to most, regarding desirability and attractiveness. It is what it is. And many women judge men by their financial worth, with men judging women by looks. You don’t see very many fat, ugly women married to gazillionaires and vice versa.
So, given this looks- and money-obsessed society in which we live, the sexiest man alive is a . . . mathematician?! If wallets are the test, a new study says the best occupation in terms of making a living–steady stream of income, low stress–is that egghead dude who knows all the formulas (in this story, it’s a woman, but you get the point):
Nineteen years ago, Jennifer Courter set out on a career path that has since provided her with a steady stream of lucrative, low-stress jobs. Now, her occupation — mathematician — has landed at the top spot on a new study ranking the best and worst jobs in the U.S. . . .
The study, to be released Tuesday from CareerCast.com, a new job site, evaluates 200 professions to determine the best and worst according to five criteria inherent to every job: environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress.
The findings were compiled by Les Krantz, author of “Jobs Rated Almanac,” and are based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau, as well as studies from trade associations and Mr. Krantz’s own expertise.
According to the study, mathematicians fared best in part because they typically work in favorable conditions — indoors and in places free of toxic fumes or noise — unlike those toward the bottom of the list like sewage-plant operator, painter and bricklayer. They also aren’t expected to do any heavy lifting, crawling or crouching — attributes associated with occupations such as firefighter, auto mechanic and plumber.
The study also considers pay, which was determined by measuring each job’s median income and growth potential. Mathematicians’ annual income was pegged at $94,160, but Ms. Courter, 38, says her salary exceeds that amount. . . .
Other jobs at the top of the study’s list include actuary, statistician, biologist, software engineer and computer-systems analyst, historian and sociologist.
Mark Nord is a sociologist working for the Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service in Washington, D.C. He studies hunger in American households and writes research reports about his findings. “The best part of the job is the sense that I’m making some contribution to good policy making,” he says. “The kind of stuff that I crank out gets picked up by advocacy organizations, media and policy officials.”
The study estimates sociologists earn $63,195, though Mr. Nord, 62, says his income is about double that amount. He says he isn’t surprised by the findings because his job generates little stress and he works a steady 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. schedule. “It’s all done at the computer at my desk,” he says. “The main occupational hazard is carpal tunnel syndrome.”
On the opposite end of the career spectrum are lumberjacks. The study shows these workers, also known as timber cutters and loggers, as having the worst occupation, because of the dangerous nature of their work, a poor employment outlook and low annual pay — just $32,124. . . .
But Eric Nellans, who has been cutting timber for the past 11 years for Pike Lumber, is passionate about his profession. “It’s a very rewarding job, especially at the end of the day when you see the work you accomplished,” he says. Mr. Nellans, 35, didn’t become discouraged even after he accidentally knocked down a dead tree and broke his right leg in the process four years ago. “I was back in the woods cutting timber in five weeks,” he says.
Other jobs at the bottom of the study: dairy farmer, taxi driver, seaman, emergency medical technician and roofer.
Mike Riegel, a 43-year-old roofer in Flemington, N.J., says he likes working “outside in the fresh air.” Since he runs his own business, which he inherited from his father, he can start and end his day early in hot weather or do the opposite when it’s cold.
The study estimates roofers earn annual incomes of $34,164, which Mr. Riegel says is consistent with what he pays new employees. Roofers also ranked poorly because of their hazardous working conditions. “You obviously can’t be afraid of heights,” says Mr. Riegel, who once fell two stories while working on a rooftop in the rain but luckily landed safely on a pile of soft dirt. “I missed some cement by 10 feet.”
While a wallet may be sexy to many women, the fact is that these men in the dangerous, low-paying jobs actually do and produce things. No, they are not from the cerebral disciplines. But there’s something to be said for–and something appealing about–men doing masculine work like this. Some of it is also work that is so hard and physically challenging that it cannot be done into old and even middle age for a living.
Given the way the economy is going, though, many more in our society may have to return to this type of work as manufacturing and white collar jobs disappear and college becomes more and more meaningless.
Interesting. Me? I’m an engineer – I didn’t really make either list.
But I do plenty of logging (1) at my cabin when on vacation. I roofed my parents house (6) the summer I turned 18. And I recently bought a wire feed/MIG welder(8) to play with.
And yeah, I’ve needed stitches after getting into it with a chainsaw, but I was back in the woods cutting timber the next day.
I guess the point of the story was the correlation between income and desirability and attractiveness. Fug that too, I make plenty doing what I do…I drive a 37 year old car and wear sneakers to work. BECAUSE I CAN!!!
I guess the thing that gets me is that I use my free time to do some of these “worst jobs” as hobbies and recreation.
Silly humans.
Richard on January 6, 2009 at 10:23 pm