Among the best oxymorons out there, "low-stress jobs" ranks toward the top. After all, chronic job stress is real.
We’re not talking about the occasional aggravation of losing a computer file or the annoyance of having to listen to a co-worker talk on speakerphone. Serious workplace stress can be mentally draining and leave you feeling depleted and defeated. It can even lead to insomnia, mood swings, anxiety, depression, and an overall lower quality of life. If you’re feeling any of that, you probably also dread going into work each day.
But what if you could seek out low-stress jobs?
In a healthy job market, it’s an especially great time to dig down and figure out what type of work stresses you out. That way, you can explore roles without those attributes. Here’s how to get started.
Figure Out Your Stress Triggers
Determining if a job is stressful will vary from person to person. Your stress might stem from your schedule to the work environment to the nature of the work itself. If you don't work well under pressure, you may find an accounting career to be tedious and high-pressure, but someone else may love the adrenaline rush of tax season. Likewise, one person may be fine with a flex schedule that changes from week to week to avoid rush hour commutes, while another may prefer a standard 9 to 5.
Make a list to determine what makes you happy about going to work and what makes you dread it. Note that stress triggers may change as you mature through your career.
Some common sources of stress may include having more responsibility than you can handle, working under tight deadlines, number- and data-crunching, and having to meet quotas. Others might have to do with if you prefer working in teams or autonomously, how comfortable you are with public speaking, and whether or not you are comfortable with traveling.
Find Low-Stress Jobs That Match Your Preferences
Once you figure out the most common causes of your work-related stress, you can start to narrow things down. Before you get to specific offers from various companies, think about your industry and the different opportunities therein. Are there roles that are better suited for you than others?
Perhaps you were pulled in a direction that you didn’t entirely love and that caused you stress. In that case, you might figure out how to return to work you’re more passionate about. For example, in a field like healthcare, maybe you took on a more administrative position, but you really miss working with patients. You have to think practically, as well. If your hate having an erratic schedule, avoid jobs that require you to be on call.
Research Roles
If you’re exploring a new career direction, informational interviews with peers in your network are a great way to get honest and thorough feedback on a certain job’s stress levels. You can also read people's personal blogs or articles written by professionals in related roles. Oftentimes, you can get a snapshot of daily tasks and challenges, as well as what they enjoy most (and least) about their jobs.
Another idea: Reach out to your college's alumni department to see if they can connect you with someone who has a job you're interested in or who works at companies that interest you.
Observe Organizations
Sometimes stress is more a product of who you work for rather than the type of job.
If you do get the opportunity to go on site during informational or traditional interviews, pay close attention. How are you greeted? How do employees treat each other? That includes observing body language and trying to pick up on if there is camaraderie or tension among employees.
You could also do some sleuthing online and on social media to read employee reviews and to get a sense of employee turnover. Some employers also feature videos about the workplace culture. While these tools may not tell the full story, they can help you get a feel for what a company expects from its workforce and whether or not it provides a supportive environment.
Ask the Right Questions
Once you enter the job search phase, it’s important to interview prospective employers as much as they are interviewing you. Ask about the daily tasks and responsibilities of people in the same role. Ask about the average number of daily hours the job requires.
Even more telling is inquiring about the company’s culture. Do hiring managers mention valuing work-life balance? Does the company have a flexible work-from-home policy or are employees always required to be in the office? Does the paid time off policy fit your needs? Is travel required?
Some other questions include:
- Describe a typical day on the job.
- Describe your busy season.
- Why do you enjoy working here?
- How would you describe your supervisory style?
Trust Your Gut
Oftentimes, if you have a gut feeling, it’s wise to follow it. Is there something about a job posting’s tone or list of responsibilities that makes you feel uneasy? Perhaps the job application process itself was unnecessarily tedious and stressful. Or, when scheduling an interview, the hiring manager appeared to be highly stressed and overworked themselves. Any of those can be red flags that you may be entering a stressful job situation.
Get Job Search Help
Low-stress jobs do, in fact, exist. It's up to you to research workplaces and recognize the signs before you decide to join the team. The more job offers you have, the easier it is to make comparisons. Could you use some help with that? Make a profile on Monster today—for free! We can set you up with recruiters, send you customized job alerts, and much more. Let Monster help you find a job where you'll be able to do your best work.
