The Least Meaningful Jobs

Photo credit: Steven Snodgrass / Flickr

1. Parking Lot Attendants

Parking Lot Attendants have the lowest job meaning statistics of any job on our list -- only five percent say that their jobs make the world a better place. That’s a pretty depressing number. Next time you’re paying for parking, consider a smile or thank you to cheer them up!

2. Gaming Supervisors

Only 20 percent of Gaming Supervisors say their jobs make the world a better place. Next time you find yourself on a serious losing streak at the card table, take a minute to compare your job to that of the staff working the casino. It might take the edge off.

3. (tie) Pre-press Technician

Prepress Technicians work in print shops and factories to ensure that materials are printed flawlessly. The work is challenging and some would say tedious, and it doesn’t exactly leave these workers inspired. Only 20 percent say that their jobs make the world a better place.

3 (tie): Title Examiners, Abstractors and Searchers

Only one quarter of Title Examiners, Abstractors and Searchers say that their jobs are meaningful. Even if you’re a stickler for details and love fact-finding missions, this job title still may not be enough to inspire you as this job primarily consists of reviewing and preparing paperwork.

3 (tie): Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers

Sewing used to be a necessary life skill, and continues to be an enjoyable hobby for many people, but Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers don’t seem to find much to get excited about when it’s their job. Only 25 percent say their jobs make the world a better place.

6. (tie) Weldering, Soldering and Brazing Machine Operators

These workers do hard, unglamorous work for relatively low pay, and don’t even report feeling particularly good about it. However, if you are welding, soldering or operating brazing machines, at least you get the satisfaction of working with your hands.

6. (tie) Counter and Rental Clerks

Next time you have a good experience at a car rental counter, you might want to tell the clerk who helps you – maybe that will nudge up their dismal job meaning statistics. Not only do they feel rather indifferent about their job function, they make a pittance in salary.

6. (tie) Crushing, Grinding and Polishing Machine Operators

This list of jobs with a low sense of meaning seems to indicate that monotony doesn’t inspire workers with the sense that their job is making the world a better place. Only 26 percent of these machine operators said that they felt that their work is meaningful.

6. (tie) Purchasing Agents and Buyers, Farm Products

The fact that these workers feel so negative about their jobs may be of interest to animal rights activists. Purchasing Agents and Buyers for farm products earn just over $40,000 a year and tie for sixth in our list of the jobs with the lowest sense of meaning.

6. (tie) Fashion Designers

Fashion Designer sounds like a glamorous, rewarding job title, but these workers routinely wind up in our list of the least meaningful jobs. What is it about the fashion industry that makes only 26 percent of Fashion Designers say that their job lacks meaning?