Finding Jobs with Good Work-Life Balance

 It’s no secret that millennials seek a balance in their lives so that their professions don’t define them. But the question has always been, “What jobs provide that balance?” Now there is an answer for what the top 20 jobs are for work-life balance.

Here is the list from Glassdoor.com. The report is based on at least 20 work-life balance ratings per job title shared on Glassdoor between July 3, 2013 and July 2, 2014. Work-life balance satisfaction ratings are based on a 5-point scale: 1.0= very dissatisfied; 3.0=OK, 5.0=very satisfied. Numbers next to the titles represent the satisfaction ratings.

1. Data scientist: 4.4
2. SEO specialist: 4.3
3. Tour guide: 4.3
4. Lifeguard: 4.3
5. Social media manager: 4.3
6. Group fitness instructor: 4.2
7. User experience designer: 4.2
8. Corporate communications: 4.1
9. Firefighter: 4.1
10. Equity trader: 4.0
11. Law clerk: 4.0
12. Investment analyst: 4.0
13. Administrative assistant: 4.0
14. Office assistant: 3.9
15. Sales representative: 3.9
16. Help desk technician: 3.9
17. Substitute teacher: 3.8
18. Carpenter: 3.8
19. Real estate broker: 3.8
20. Game designer: 3.8

What’s interesting about the list is some jobs are newer than millennials themselves – some didn’t exist before they were born in the early 1980s. Also interesting is that there are only two public-sector jobs on the list. In generations past, if people expressed concerns about work-life balance, these jobs would have topped the list.

Two of the jobs – tour guide and substitute teacher – are also not what we could consider long-term careers. Both typically lack benefits and, often, full-time pay. However, both rank high in terms of job satisfaction.

So, how does one go about getting these perfect work-life balance jobs ? Here are suggestions for some of them. When it comes to data scientists, this Harvard blog suggests “practitioners with strong programming skills who can build and interpret mathematical models, and communicate the results in a meaningful way, have a promising future.”

To find work as an SEO specialist, you might want to embrace this career preparation from a Bing blogger. “In addition, to keep up with industry sentiment and perspectives, I became an avid reader of many industry blogs, which contributed to my knowledge, not only on technical questions about SEO, but how SEO is perceived by the outside (non-search engine company-based) world. Lastly, I attended a few conferences, which gave me even more industry sentiment understanding for my work,” says Rick DeJarnette.

Tour guide, law clerk, firefighter, and lifeguard are jobs that require defined training. After all, you can’t rescue others without demonstrating abilities in the water. Plus, a museum isn’t going to hire a tour guide who doesn’t know an impressionist from a modernist (don’t ask me – I’m a writer.) Also, firefighters need to demonstrate physical proficiency for their demanding jobs before being hired.

Substitute teachers may not need teaching certification for daily substitute work (but they most likely do for long-term substitute jobs). Working typically requires contacting a school district directly or a hiring agency that specializes in placing substitute teachers.

Carrie Kerpen, CEO of a full-service social media agency, wrote at Forbes.com that people seeking work as social media managers will need experience in at least one of the four following areas: social advertising, customer service, data (because the field is data rich and insight poor), or content.

She adds this advice, too: “If you’re thinking of a career change and want to go into social media, I have just one piece of advice for you — whatever you do, do NOT call yourself a social media ninja, guru, or mastermind. (In what career would you ever call yourself a ninja, anyway? Other than being an actual ninja, of course.)”