Does your job make you happy?

What professions lead to the happiest people? It was a simple question that delivered a surprising result from the General Social Survey produced by the National Organization for Research at the University of Chicago.

It seems the big driver for happiness and job satisfaction is interaction with people. Here's the top five - be prepared for a surprise when you reach no 1:

5. Special education teachers: If you don’t care about money, a job as special education teacher might be a happy profession. The wages are low, but the sense of satisfaction and happiness is high.

4. Authors: For most authors, the pay is ridiculously low or non-existent, but the autonomy of writing down the contents of your own mind apparently leads to happiness. I work in a busy office, writing and editing, so perhaps my happiness level is not quite as high as it could be on this, if I was sat in a garden shed all day at a keyboard. But I can testify that there is nothing quite like "nailing it" with a piece of writing. And seeing a book in physical form that is the fruit of your endless labours is truly satisfying.

3. Physical therapists: Social interaction and helping people with problems apparently make this job one of the happiest. But there is also much greater relational warmth and satisfaction in physical touch.

2. Firefighters: Eighty percent of firefighters are “very satisfied” with their jobs, which involves helping people, but also has good hours, good pay and conditions, and often good retirement prospects.

Are you ready for the surprise?

1. Clergy: Levels of job satisfaction for "ministers of religion" are on top of the pile for job happiness. The pay levels are rarely great. The hours are often ridiculous. The people sometimes snippy and difficult. But the joy of serving the Lord, teaching his Word, sharing the best news in the world, and rejoicing with heaven when sinners repent leads to it quite simply being "the best job in the world" Little wonder then that Paul's letters with expressions of thanksgiving and joy:

For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God - 1 Thessalonians 3 v 9

And if you're in full-time ministry and reading this, it's just possible you should repent of any grumbling you have done about your job... It may be that you would be helped by reading this book about serving with joy.

Call back at the blog on Thursday for the top five worst jobs!