So here are the Top 10 thankless jobs you probably didn't know about (unless you belong to this category)
1. Farmers :
The stuffed turkey with that finger-licking gravy you had for Thanksgiving was raised by a farmer. But a snowball has a better chance of surviving in hell then you going out for a few beers with that farmer. Almost all the food on your dinner table was grown by those whom you would never meet.
2. Teachers :
Unlike farmers, you know your teachers better. But how many did you personally thank on your Graduation day. Think about it, no matter how small of a role they played, they still helped you become a partner in your firm. For the amount of work that they put in, teachers, some would argue, do not get paid enough. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) quotes high school teachers earning a yearly median salary slightly in excess of $50,000. High school and middle school teachers, especially in the disadvantaged areas, suffer abuse from students as well. With the ever increasing incidents of shootings in schools all over the country, teachers; lives are not that safe as previously thought.
3. Social workers :
Social workers help many get back on their feet. They also diagnose and treat emotional, behavioral and mental issues. But what do they get in return? It is not uncommon for social workers to be abused, both physically and psychologically. Their yearly median salary is only slightly above $40,000 and they usually work long hours including evenings and weekends.
4. Military :
A lot of what you take for granted is actually assured by that unnamed soldier who stands on the wall and promises you a peaceful night’s sleep. The U.S. military, from the beginning, has sacrificed so that the American way of life can be preserved. Yet more than often their job is not appreciated and sometimes even criticized (remember the returning soldiers from Vietnam). They work unimaginable long hours, and serve in the most inhospitable environments and do not make a “killing” when getting paid for their services.
5. IRS Agents :
They review tax returns, collect overdue tax payments, identify taxes owed and conduct audits. As no one likes to pay taxes, obviously everyone hates them. In short, they get the government its dues owed by eligible citizens. In return they earn less than a yearly median salary of $50,000 and absolutely no gratitude from the general public for performing their duty.
6. Garbage collectors :
Just think about it, without them the neighborhood where you live would become virtually unlivable. Think about the filth and stink filling up the streets. And how many times do they get a thank you with a smile? BLS quotes an annual median salary figure of a little over $22,000 for them.
7. The window cleaner :
The squeaky clean windows that you see on Sears Tower and other skyscrapers is the not the work of the weather gods alone; humans keep them clean and that too from the outside. Hanging by a thread, they hardly ever get a thank you from the person sitting comfortably on the other side talking on the phone as he casually turns and gives them an indifferent glance. They also make almost as much as the garbage collectors.
8. Paralegals :
Paralegals are those unsung heroes who assist lawyers during trials. They help with drafting, opinion writing, and conducting legal research. They also do every day office work like keeping track of case files, etc. Yet they hardly ever receive the same gratitude as a lawyer standing next to them. There is also a big disparity between the two when it comes to yearly median salaries which in the case of lawyers is in excess of $100,000 while paralegals barely make $46,000. You call this justice!
9. Interns :
Apart from Monica Lewinsky who became famous for all the wrong reasons, interns hardly get noticed at work or receive a thank you from their employers. Often we don’t even know their names, we just call them ‘
coffee with two sugars’ and if we are having a good day a ‘please’ in the end makes us feel good about ourselves. Usually they don’t work for money, just a good reference or some respectable mention on their resume.
10. Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers :
They are the ones who pick up your 9-1-1 call. Without them there is a slim chance of an ambulance, police car or a fire truck reaching the site. They are behind-the-scene people who are calling the shots but hardly ever get noticed. In return for their invaluable services they earn slightly in excess of $35,000.
I wanted to add two more to the list, politicians and parents, so help me out here. Is politics a thankless profession? Is parenting largely a thankless job too? Let’s see what you have to say.
