I understand you don't like the results of the website's rankings. However, these rankings are inherently very bias. In particular, how do you define "best" and "worst"? To one man the best job might be another man's worst - so to attempt to reconcile as best as they can, they compile a score based on a few criteria: Work environment, physical demands, stress, wage, etc. Based on those criteria, the jobs which got the highest score were "best" and lowest score was "worst".

Now, the name "10 best jobs" might be a little misleading, because it should actually probably be "10 best jobs based on work environment, physical demands, stress .." but then that's too awkward, so they simplified.

So i don't think you can really take offense to any survey or summary of this kind, because it's implied that the survey is not saying "this is the worst job in every sense of the word" - it's just saying "according to this criteria that we looked at, this job ranks lower than another one".

I largely agree with Ms. Levinson, esp. with regard to our under-valuing manual work. There really isn't a very large gap between computer science education and that for, say, an electrician. (And I DON'T call a CS degree an "education"; it's vocational training that takes a bit longer (I hold an MS-CS from a pretty good school, so I know of what I speak)). Both kinds of work require significant mental effort, lots of on-the-job training, and a good capacity to trouble-shoot. The skilled trades have the advantage that most are pretty difficult to outsource, so if you're considering what career to take up, I wouldn't rule them out.

The problem is that work in most any field is really not much fun at all any more. If you're not cut out to run your own business, you must suffer with the idiots who currently occupy middle and upper management ranks. I don't know what they are teaching in MBA school these days, but it certainly isn't common sense, or any degree of social skills. And so we must come in to work every day knowing we are working for idiots, knowing that OUR jobs, not those of management, will be cut when the inevitable happens due to mismanagement. The lack of accountability in today's world is generally appalling.

The 10 worst jobs? How would I pick among the current crop of losers?

Ms. Levinson, I just read your blog about Career.com’s list of the 10 best jobs and 10 worst jobs--Your blog is Excellent, Excellent, Excellent. Career.com is out of touch with the real world. Thank you for defending blue collar jobs, which are essential jobs.

So, based on Career.com’s criteria (stress levels, physical demands, salaries, hiring outlook and work environments) I have to wonder what list being the CEO of General Motors or an unemployed investment banker would make. I wonder if someone who’s been out of work for 12 months would turn their nose up at a blue collar job that was offered to them rather than holding out for a job where you measure “stress levels, physical demands, salaries, hiring outlook and work environment.

On the other hand, being a garage attendant meets all of career.com’s criteria—Stress level is low, there are no physical demands, salary is commensurate with what’s reasonable and customary and the work environment is adequate—being part of a respected company or institution and performing a job that brings in revenue--having heat in the winter and a/c in the summer makes for a great work environment.

I wouldn’t trade places with the CEO of GM or any of the out of work investment gurus from Wall Street. If I had to, I’d collect garbage, clean houses or do any honest job for honest pay to take care of my family. Garbage collector is considered one of the worst jobs. Well, I’d say it’s the least glamorous, but it’s an essential job. Somebody has to clear away the trash. A few years ago the garbage collectors in NYC went on strike. Garbage piled up on the sidewalks and streets of NYC and it became a health issue for the city. So, I’d say that garbage collection is an essential job and I applaud the folks who do it every day. They should feel like they’re contributing to the common good, not exactly like the CEO of GM or any of the investment gurus from Wall Street who are now unemployed and may, at some time, become garbage collectors or super market baggers—It’s honest work for honest pay and the pay puts food on the table and clothes on their backs. What’s wrong with being a mature responsible individual who needs to take care of the family’s needs and put that first before working on Wall Street and lying and cheating the American people.