Top 10: Misleading Career Paths

As a child, you may have been told that growing up in America is all about pursuing your dreams. There are unlimited opportunities in this country. You can be anything you want to be. And we agree.  

Having said that, unemployment has been hovering around 10% and doesn’t appear to be dropping any time soon. Only about one quarter of recent college grads have found work. And many highly qualified adults who have been laid off since the recession began are having trouble finding a job that pays them suitable wages.

We don’t want to discourage anyone from pursuing their dreams. However, we strongly encourage you to do your research before you accept that nonpaying internship or commission-only sales job that has “unlimited income potential.” Too many people have wasted years of their life pursuing their ideal career only to find out that the work wasn’t what they bargained for. So, plan your career with eyes wide open. You can start by perusing the following 10 career paths that look good from a distance (think glamour and great wealth), but up close might not beat that thing you have going on at the pizza place by that much (think boring and low paid).

No.10 - Engineer

What you expect: Strolling above the clouds on a half-completed skyscraper or gazing down the side of the Hoover Dam as it undergoes repairs.

What you get:  Lots of science and math. Lots and lots of science and math. You’ll be spending more of your time at a desk than on a bridge. It comes in at No. 10 because the pay can be good (the average salary is roughly $100K) and there are a lot of specialties to choose from (electrical, nuclear, environmental, just to name a few). 

No.9 - Archaeologist

What you expect: Your uniform is an Indiana Jones hat and whip, and you spend your days dodging Nazis through the alleys of Istanbul clutching a ruby amulet that belongs in a museum.

What you get: You’re an academic, not an action hero. You’ll work in museums, manage programs relating to research, or administer collections and exhibitions. You’re often dependent on government funding. That means lots of bureaucracy and red tape. The pay isn’t so great either. According to the American Society of Archaeology, the average salary for an archaeologist with an advanced degree and several years of experience managing projects and staff is approximately $45,000.

No.8 - Stock broker

What you expect: You read the Wall Street Journal until the opening bell rings, then you get on the phone with your clients and start screaming at them like Jim Cramer to sell General Electric, buy Apple and take a short position on Microsoft.

What you get: Years of frustration and failure trying to find the clients to scream at. When you start out, your broker bosses (who make a commission on all of your clients too) will want you to do business with your family and friends. They know that most people who start out in a commission-only sales job only last about nine months, but when you leave, you’ll leave some of your clients behind.

No.7 - Sports management

What you expect: Getting paid to do what you’re doing right now. Watching a lot of sports and getting rid of all the guys on your team who suck, and drafting the players you knew would be good all along.

What you get: Unless your dad owns the team, you’re going to start out doing an unpaid internship. You’re not the only one who thinks it would be cool to work for a sports team, so of course the teams are going to take advantage of all the free labor they can. You may move up to an entry-level position selling season tickets or doing group promotions, but the path from there to General Manager isn’t as easy.

No.6 - Architect

What you expect: The same thing George Costanza expected. There’s nothing higher than an architect. You use your creativity and your vision to plan the future look of a great city.

What you get: First of all, dim job prospects because the real estate bust has brought so many large construction projects to a grinding halt. If you do get work you’ll be at your tilty desk with a T-square trying to keep some rich people happy with their latest home renovation.

No.5 - Lawyer

What you expect: Turn on a network prime-time TV show, and chances are you’ll see lawyers arguing passionately in front of judges trying to keep their innocent clients out of the electric chair.

What you get: Three words: student loan debt. The three-year investment of hard work and money might be worth it if the job market were better, but many established lawyers were laid off since the recession began and are having trouble finding work. Also, even if you do trial work, the bulk of your time is spent poring over mountains of documents and waiting long hours to depose potential witnesses.

No.4 - Airline pilot

What you expect: Soaring above the world, exotic destinations and hot stewardesses.

What you get: They’re not called stewardesses anymore. They’re flight attendants and they’re old and they hate their jobs. You’re not soaring as often as you think either. You’re limited to a certain amount of hours each month in the cockpit. Many more hours are involved in flight preparations and sitting around waiting. You do get to travel but you won’t have much discretionary cash when you land in Bali. On average, the first year starting salary with a major airline is $36,000.

No.3 - Sales rep

What you expect: You’re good with people and you can speak well, so the orders will just pour in.

What you get: A tough time getting in the door. Depending on the product or service you represent, you may find that the competition is stiff or that inertia prevents many businesses and people from switching away from the provider they currently use. If you’re considering a sales job and you see the term “unlimited income potential” you may want to keep on looking. That means commission-only (no salary), which means you could make a million dollars a year (unlikely) or you could make zero dollars a year (possible).

No.2 - Chef

What you expect: People love your bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches, so you’ll be a hit in the kitchen.

What you get: One of the most thankless, stressful careers out there. The hours are awful and you’re spending most of your time shouting at slow wait staff and being shouted at by deranged bosses. Mean salary ranges from the mid-30s to the mid-40s. Top chefs earn much more but they also work years to get to that level. In the meantime, expect to do your share of prep work and clean up.

No.1 - Sex therapist

What you expect: Porn stars and strippers (or at least cheerleaders) in your office -- helping them reach new heights of ecstasy. “OK, Candy, now let me show you a variation on that position.”

What you get: Couples therapy. Many of them middle-aged or older. You listen to them talk about their fetishes, their dysfunctions and their lack of confidence all day. And that’s when you’re established. Getting relevant experience in the field requires working for family planning organizations, support organizations for sexual assault, rape, HIV-AIDS, other STI-type clinics, and crisis support centers.