Biologist Rated Nation''s Best Job, Reports CareerJournal.com

CareerJournal.com (www.CareerJournal.com), the
executive career site from The Wall Street Journal, today announced that Biologist was rated the nation''s single best job in terms of low stress, high compensation, lots of autonomy, and tremendous hiring demand. The nation''s best and worst jobs are posted on CareerJournal.com today, and are published in a sourcebook, The 2002 Jobs Rated Almanac (Barricade Books), now available in bookstores.
The terrorist attacks and related anthrax and chemical weapons fears are one reason why biologists are in demand and receiving greater respect from their employers, says Tony Lee, editor in chief and general manager of
CareerJournal.com, and contributor to The 2002 Jobs Rated Almanac, authored by Les Krantz. The recent completion of the human genetic map, and genetically altered agriculture, have also had an impact, Lee adds.

Biologist displaces financial planner, which was ranked as the nation''s best-rated job in 2001, but still makes a strong showing in the No. 3 spot this year. Actuaries, who work autonomously and with little stress helping insurance providers and others determine risk, rose to No. 2. omputer
systems analysts and accountants round out the top five.
While the Monty Python comedy troupe made famous the song, I''m a Lumberjack and I''m O.K., the life of professional lumberjacks couldn''t be much rougher.
In terms of work instability, poor pay and pure danger, lumberjack ranks as the nation''s worst job. Prospects aren''t much better for commercial fishermen, cowboys, ironworks and seamen, who labor aboard commercial ships
among pirates and hurricanes.
If avoiding stress is the primary goal of your next job hunt, you might consider becoming a medical records technician, janitor or forklift operator, among three of the nation''s least-stressful jobs, says Lee. If finding a stable, healthy environment that doesn''t require long hours is your most critical issue, consider opportunities as a statistician, mathematician or computer systems analyst, he adds.
The criteria to determine the most and least appealing career opportunities include environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands, security and stress. Each occupation is ranked using data from such sources as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as studies conducted by a wide range of trade associations and industry groups.

The listing below shows the 10 best and worst jobs overall, according to The 2002 Jobs Rated Almanac:
Best Jobs Overall Worst Jobs Overall
1. Biologist 1. Lumberjack
2. Actuary 2. Fisherman
3. Financial planner 3. Cowboy
4. Computer systems analyst 4. Ironworker
5. Accountant 5. Seaman
6. Software engineer 6. Taxi driver
7. Meteorologist 7. Construction laborer
8. Paralegal assistant 8. Farmer
9. Statistician 9. Roofer
10. Astronomer 10. Stevedore