What makes a good job “the best job”?
Is it having a manageable workload? Sociable hours? A friendly boss? Or is it just about how much PG Tips is stockpiled in the kitchen?
According to recruitment site Glassdoor, it boils down to three factors: earning potential, job satisfaction, and number of job openings.
Using these measures, it identified the top 25 jobs in the UK – and almost every one includes the word “manager” in the title.
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In first place is audit manager with a median base salary of £52,000 and an average job satisfaction rate of four-and-a-half out of five.
1/10 Lecturer – £36,513
Almost £10,000 more than the median UK salary. Experience required.
Istock Photo
2/10 Business analyst
What do they do? Nobody knows, but they are handsomely rewarded for it. Must speak fluent jargon.
Istock Photo
3/10 Teaching assistant – £20,300
Istock Photo
4/10 Research assistant – £21,370
The world of academia pays surprisingly well according to the survey.
Reuters
5/10 Warehouse worker – £16,800
Despite what Mike Ashley might be paying.
Reuters
6/10 Tutor – £16,500
Private tutors can command upwards of £50 per hour.
Istock Photo
7/10 Beauty consultant – £15,000
Reuters
8/10 Brand ambassador – £15,020
This is actually Max Verstappen representing several brands. He earns more than £15,020.
rex features
9/10 Office assistant – £14,560
Harder than it looks.
Istock Photo
10/10 Front desk manager – £14,520
Front of house. The face of the operation.
Reuters
1/10 Lecturer – £36,513
Almost £10,000 more than the median UK salary. Experience required.
Istock Photo
2/10 Business analyst
What do they do? Nobody knows, but they are handsomely rewarded for it. Must speak fluent jargon.
Istock Photo
3/10 Teaching assistant – £20,300
Istock Photo
4/10 Research assistant – £21,370
The world of academia pays surprisingly well according to the survey.
Reuters
5/10 Warehouse worker – £16,800
Despite what Mike Ashley might be paying.
Reuters
6/10 Tutor – £16,500
Private tutors can command upwards of £50 per hour.
Istock Photo
7/10 Beauty consultant – £15,000
Reuters
8/10 Brand ambassador – £15,020
This is actually Max Verstappen representing several brands. He earns more than £15,020.
rex features
9/10 Office assistant – £14,560
Harder than it looks.
Istock Photo
10/10 Front desk manager – £14,520
Front of house. The face of the operation.
Reuters
PWC, one of the UK’s biggest accounting firms, is currently recruiting for an audit manager. Among a list of responsibilities, it cites “managing a portfolio of client and delivering high quality audit and assurance service” in addition to controlling auditing staff and identifying ways to maximize the relationship with clients.
Finance manager comes in second, with a median base salary of £60,000, followed by marketing manager, product manager and sales manager.
On Glassdoor’s website, the company explains that in order for a job title to be considered for the list, it must receive at least 30 salary reports and at least 30 job satisfaction ratings as shared by UK-based employers in the last year.
As for job openings, it clarified that this number represents the number of active job listings listed for that employer on Glassdoor as of 2 January this year.
The company published a list twice the size for jobs in America, and the first few inclusions, aside from marketing manager, were noticeably different.
The top spot was occupied by data scientist, which boasts a median salary of $108,000 (£82,590). This was followed by nursing manager, marketing manager and occupational therapist. The full US list can be seen here.
See Glassdoor’s full list of the 25 best jobs in the UK below.
1. Audit Manager
Median base salary: £52,000
Job satisfaction: 4.5 / 5
Job openings: 1,124
2. Finance Manager
Median base salary: £60,000
Job satisfaction: 3.8 / 5
Job openings: 2,001
3. Marketing Manager
Median base salary: £42,500
Job satisfaction: 3.9 / 5
Job openings: 1,966
4. Product Manager
Median base salary: £52,500
Job satisfaction: 3.8 / 5
Job openings: 1,697
5. Sales Manager
Median base salary: £42,000
Job satisfaction: 3.8 / 5
Job openings: 2,795
6. Risk Manager
Median base salary: £60,000
Job satisfaction: 3.9 / 5
Job openings: 1,111
7. Data Scientist
Median base salary: £46,000
Job satisfaction: 4 / 5
Job openings: 995
8. Operations Manager
Median base salary: £42,000
Job satisfaction: 3.7 / 5
Job openings: 2,226
9. Design Manager
Median base salary: £55,000
Job satisfaction: 4.1 / 5
Job openings: 719
10. Business Analyst
Median base salary: £40,000
Job satisfaction: 3.7 / 5
Job openings: 2,949
11. Front End Developer
Median base salary: £35,000
Job satisfaction: 4 / 5
Job openings: 1,841
12. Commercial Manager
Median base salary: £57,000
Job satisfaction: 4 / 5
Job openings: 701
13. Business Development Manager
Median base salary: £37,060
Job satisfaction: 3.7 / 5
Job openings: 3,915
14. Project Manager
Median base salary: £39,000
Job satisfaction: 3.6 / 5
Job openings: 7,320
15. HR Manager
Median base salary: £49,000
Job satisfaction: 4.1 / 5
Job openings: 664
16. Contract Manager
Median base salary: £40,000
Job satisfaction: 3.7 / 5
Job openings: 1,687
17. Communications Manager
Median base salary: £43,700
Job satisfaction: 4.1 / 5
Job openings: 651
18. Software Engineer
Median base salary: £43,000
Job satisfaction: 3.5 / 5
Job openings:4,876
19. Executive Assistant
Median base salary: £37,000
Job satisfaction: 4.1 / 5
Job openings: 853
20. HR Business Partner
Median base salary: £49,000
Job satisfaction: 3.8 / 5
Job openings: 753
21. Engagement Manager
Median base salary: £48,000
Job satisfaction: 4.3 / 5
Job openings: 405
22. Web Developer
Median base salary: £31,000
Job satisfaction: 3.9 / 5
Job openings: 1,586
23. Recruiter
Median base salary: £25,000
Job satisfaction: 4.4 / 5
Job openings: 2,862
24. Solutions Architect
Median base salary: £70,000
Job satisfaction: 3.4 / 5
Job openings: 1,597
25. Software Developer
Median base salary: £37,000
Job satisfaction: 3.5 / 5
Job openings: 3,088
