Would you describe yourself as a helpful person? Are you the type of person who goes the extra mile to help others out, donates to charity, and is that go-to friend when people are in trouble or just need advice?
If you love helping others, then it makes sense that you might want to make a career out of it. People are always going to need help in a wide range of different ways, and it is the amazing, selfless people who work in the various careers available that center around helping other people that make it possible for them to get the support and assistance that they require. Maybe you are interested in a career where you can do some good in the world and spend each day at work knowing that you are making a difference, whether it be small or large, to the lives of others. If you are the type of person who could not imagine walking on past a homeless person and always stop to help if you see somebody hurt or in trouble, there are various caring and helping roles that might be the perfect fit for somebody like you.
People are always going to need support and help with their health, education, mental wellbeing, and much more. There are several career options available that are focused on being there for and helping people who need it most. You can choose from career options where you will be providing practical help to others, or in some cases, helping in more abstract ways depending on your preferences. Some people enjoy working in a role where they can offer immediate, tangible help that has instant and obvious results, while others prefer working with people over a longer period of time to offer help and support them in meeting their goals. If you can’t wait to get to go to work every day knowing that you have been able to make a real difference to the lives of the people that you are working with, here are some of the best career options where you can help others.
School Counselor
Working as a school counselor is a very rewarding job where you get to have a direct impact on the lives of the next generation. Working within mainly high schools, the school counselor is responsible for the wellbeing and the success of their students. School counselors may deliver lessons to help students with topics such as social skills and more, along with getting to know students on an individual basis to offer help and advice in various situations. Students may come to you as a school counselor if they are experiencing a conflict with their peers, so you will need training in conflict resolution in schools along with excellent listening and communication skills. School counselors often help students apply to college and are there to support and cheer them on at all stages of their academic careers.
Career Counselor
If you are interested in a role where you can help other people lead a more fulfilling professional life, then you may want to consider becoming a career counselor. The role of the career counselor involves helping people reach their full professional potential and supporting them to get into a job that is an ideal fit for them. Career counselors often work with teens and young adults who have recently graduated or are soon to graduate high school or college to help them find and land the best job for their interests, but you may also work with older people who are looking to change their career. Career counselors often work in educational settings like schools and colleges. You will spend your time getting to know your clients and what they are most passionate about when it comes to work in order to provide tailored advice.
Social Worker
A career as a social worker gives you the chance to help people in many different ways. Social workers will often be responsible for caring for and supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our society such as people with mental health disorders, victims of abuse, and very elderly people. In this role, you may find yourself working with people who have serious psychiatric disorders to help them get the correct healthcare and safe accommodation or working with children who have been placed with a foster parent. Social workers help people in a wide range of situations and from all walks of life including people escaping domestic violence or families who are living in poverty. You will play a part in family court cases and make recommendations to the court.
Probation Officer
If you are interested in a role where you can help people turn their lives around, then it might be worth considering a career as a probation officer. Probation officers work directly with people who have been convicted of a crime, either upon their release from jail or if sentenced to probation. The main responsibility of this role is to help people keep on the straight and narrow by meeting with them regularly, getting updates about their life, and in some cases conducting drug and alcohol tests when necessary. Probation officers offer support and help to people who have been convicted of crimes and may work together with them to get them into accommodation, paid work, education, and anything else that may help them continue with a changed life as a changed person. While you may not be able to help everybody that you work with in this career, you will certainly get a chance to play a key role in helping some of your clients become very different people and lead a satisfying life free from crime.
Medicine
Getting into medicine and becoming a physician is a great career choice if you are good at science and want to help others. Physicians work with patients in a wide range of settings and can choose to specialize in a range of different areas. For example, you might want to get into primary care where you can work with people of all ages who need help and treatment for a variety of conditions. Or you might consider specializing in areas such as pediatrics, oncology, gynecology, and various other areas that are available. However, if you are interested in this career, bear in mind that it will take a long time to get qualified. Most medical students spend between eight and ten years training before becoming a physician.
Nursing
Another medical career that you may be interested in getting into if you want to help people with their health is nursing. Nursing is often viewed as the ultimate career for people who want to help others, as this is all you will be spending your time doing while you are at work. If you have ever been to hospital or another medical setting where nurses work, you may have already had first-hand experience of the help, care, compassion, and support that nurses provide. If you are naturally very empathetic and like the idea of being there to support others during what might be some of the hardest and scariest times of their lives, there are plenty of reasons to consider working in nursing. Along with being able to help others every day, nurses also have great career prospects with lots of career advancement opportunities to consider once you are qualified with a BSN.
Nurse Practitioner
An advanced nursing role to consider if you want a career where you can help others is a nurse practitioner. To work in this role, you will need to first qualify as a registered nurse and gain some experience working in nursing before going on to get an advanced degree in nursing. Nurse practitioners have more responsibilities and autonomy in comparison with registered nurses, including the ability to diagnose patients, refer patients to treatment, and prescribe medication without having to be supervised by a physician. Currently, it is a great time for anybody interested in a nursing career pathway to consider getting into a role as a nurse practitioner as the demand is very high. With fewer medical students choosing primary care, nurse practitioners are being hired to fill the additional roles and make sure that the shortage of primary care physicians does not have a negative impact on patients.
Mental Health Counselor
One role where you can really help people with their lives is as a mental health counselor. If you have excellent listening skills and enjoy talking to others to work through their problems and find a solution that works well for them, then you may be a good fit for this job. People go to see a mental health counselor for various reasons, but it is most often to help them work through mental health conditions that they are struggling with or that are affecting their lives. In this role, you may be helping clients find healthy ways to cope with conditions like anxiety, for example, by finding out more about their lives and helping them decide how they are going to put the healthy coping strategies you introduce them to into practice. You will also have the chance to specialize in certain mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder or addictions.
Psychologist
Working as a psychologist may give you the chance to help people with their mental health even further. There are several different psychologist roles to consider when you have the right qualifications, including a clinical psychologist or counseling psychologist. Psychologists also work in various other areas including sports, education, and much more. In this role, you will be working directly with patients to diagnose and treat various mental health disorders and conditions. You will be working with clients to treat ongoing mental illness or to help them cope with a range of difficult life problems like illnesses, injuries, or mental health crises. To become a psychologist in any field, you will need to earn a doctorate in psychology, which takes between five and seven years.
Teacher
If you are passionate about a certain subject and want to help others while working with your favorite subject every day, there are plenty of reasons to consider a career in teaching. Teachers don’t just provide education to their students, but there are also there to help students reach their full potential and provide support in a variety of areas. School teachers in particular will often work closely with their students to help them be the best versions of themselves and create a positive future. If you like the idea of working in a role where you can help people reach their full potential and make your mark on future generations, teaching might be ideal for you.
Policing
Another role that may be worth considering if you want to be able to help others and make a positive impact is law enforcement. If you want to make your community a safer place and enjoy the idea of working in a fast-paced environment, a career in the police might be right for you. Police officers and other professionals in law enforcement are not only responsible for working to keep the streets free from crime. The role also involves providing safety education to the general public and working to support and help victims of crime through their ordeal. If you think you might enjoy a role with a degree of risk with no two days the same, where you can help others at the same time, this might be one to consider.
Personal Trainer
If you are passionate about health and fitness and are considering getting into a career that involves this, becoming a personal trainer is a great way to help others. Personal trainers are becoming more and more in-demand, and clients are often willing to pay a lot of money to have somebody work with them to help them meet their health and fitness goals. This is also a great role to consider if you want an option that allows you to easy become self-employed.
If you are interested in helping others as a main part of your career, there are lots of great roles to consider.
