Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, and most humans are empathetic to some extent, as it is ingrained in our biological and societal nature to live and work in groups, take care of our families and communicate with each other.
Still, some of us are more empathetic than others and there are special places for these people in society.
If you’re particularly empathetic, here are some career opportunities that can help you make the most of your compassionate nature.
1.Teaching
Empathy is an integral part of being a great teacher. Students who feel like their teachers genuinely care about them are much more likely be seriously invested in their education.
The beauty of the education field is its variety; you can decide to teach kindergarteners, adults, senior citizens and everybody in between.
One in-demand option that is particularly suited for empathetic people is special education, where you’ll be able to use your compassionate nature to really make a difference.
2. Dental Assistant
Dental assisting is another career possibility in the booming health care field. Dental assistants have duties all around the office, including providing dental care to patients and assuming some clerical duties. Dental assisting is particularly suited to empathetic people due to the pervasiveness of dental fear in our society.
Approximately 75% of Americans experience some form of dental fear, and for many this fear is so intense that they avoid the dentist all together. Who better to help ease patients’ fears than a compassionate, caring dental assistant guiding them through their visit?
No formal schooling is required to become a dental assistant, though you can easily find dental assistant schools that can give you a leg up in the hiring process.
3. Counselor
Counseling is the ultimate career for an empathetic person. People who seek counseling generally need some kind of help with their lives, whether it’s dealing with loss, grief, addiction, psychological disorders, or a whole host of other issues. With their inherently compassionate nature, empathetic people are especially well equipped to help guide patients through the healing process.
The Labor Department predicts that employment in the counseling field will grow faster than average, about 18% in the next few years.
The requirements to become a licensed counselor vary from state to state, but a master’s degree is usually necessary, making this a good option for empathetic people interested in higher education.
4.Medical Assisting
The health care field is moving toward creating a more compassionate environment for patients, and they’re looking to hire empathetic people to help make this happen. While most of the job market has been suffering, the health care sector has been flourishing.
One particularly enticing option is the career of medical assisting, which is expected to grow by 34% in the next few years.
Medical assistants play a crucial role in all different types of health care facilities, caring for patients and making sure the clerical aspects run smoothly.
The best part: medical assistant training can be finished in 1-2 years or less, meaning you can be on the job and helping heal people before you know it.
