Why Is Mathematician Ranked as America's Best Job?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the ranking of mathematician as the best job in America according to a report by JobsRated.com. Participants explore the implications of this ranking, compare it to other professions, and share personal anecdotes related to job safety and experiences in various fields.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants reference the JobsRated.com report that ranks mathematician as the best job, followed by actuary and statistician, suggesting a preference for jobs that require analytical skills and solitude.
  • Others question the validity of the ranking, suggesting that it may reflect outdated adages about work and safety.
  • Concerns are raised about the dangers of lumberjacking, with participants sharing statistics and personal experiences related to injuries in that profession.
  • A few participants humorously discuss the absurdity of job rankings and the concept of the "best job in the world," referencing a job offer in Australia that involves living on a tropical island.
  • There are discussions about the safety measures in various professions, including mining and construction, contrasting them with the perceived safety of being a mathematician.
  • Some participants express skepticism about studies conducted by commercial entities, suggesting they may not be reliable.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether mathematician is indeed the best job, with multiple competing views on the validity of the ranking and the safety of various professions. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the merits of different jobs and the criteria for determining the "best job."

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying opinions on the reliability of job rankings and the safety of different professions, highlighting the subjective nature of job satisfaction and safety perceptions. There are references to specific studies and anecdotal evidence that may not be universally applicable.

Math Is Hard
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..Mathematician!

at least, according to this site:

http://www.careercast.com/jobs/content/JobsRated_10BestJobs

Compiling research on 200 different positions, this year's JobsRated.com report ranks mathematician as the country's best job, followed by actuary and statistician -- three jobs for which a calculator and solitude are prerequisites. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Monty Python troupe made famous the song, "I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK." Unfortunately, our study finds that lumberjacks have the nation's worst job, followed by dairy farmers and taxi drivers, which seems to bear out the old grade-school adage that "it's better to earn a living with your head rather than with your hands."

I can think of worse jobs than lumberjack.
 
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Mathematics news on Phys.org
Calculators are prerequisites for Mathematicians?
 
Math Is Hard said:
bear out the old grade-school adage
(Math "best alias in America" Is Hard didn't write that, careercast did.)
Beware of studies that bear out old adages.
 
Its good practice to not pay attention to studies performed by .com's.
 
Math Is Hard said:
..Mathematician!
I can think of worse jobs than lumberjack.
Have you seen the accident statistics (at least in the US) for lumberjacks!
All mathematicians have to worry about is being hunted by Shadowing lemmas.
 
lumberjacking is a good way to die. fisherman ain't so great either.
 
Proton Soup said:
lumberjacking is a good way to die. fisherman ain't so great either.
At least at sea they make an effort at some safety.
I work as a consultant occasionally in mining and you have to jump through all sorts of safety hoops even in less 'economically developed' countries.
Lumberjacks and small scale construction projects always look like they are competing to find new ways to kill themselves.
 
How could this possibly be dangerous?



Then again

 
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  • #10
I always thought it was the high heels that made lumberjacking so dangerous.

 
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  • #11
Aww, they missed the army guy in the tutu.
 
  • #12
Try this!

Australia offers 'best job in world' on paradise island
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090113/od_afp/lifestyleaustraliatourismoffbeat_20090113032028

SYDNEY (AFP) – An Australian state is offering internationally what it calls "the best job in the world" -- earning a top salary for lazing around a beautiful tropical island for six months.

The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the winner's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.

In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of "a few minor tasks" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.

The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.
. . . .

But watch out for http://goaustralia.about.com/cs/practicalinfo/a/irukandji.htm, http://goaustralia.about.com/cs/practicalinfo/a/moreperils.htm
 
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  • #13
Did you miss my post astro? :wink:
 
  • #14
Tsu has worked with many loggers who sustained terrible crush injuries. She has been in the medical field for over thirty years. She has also worked at a number of world-class hospitals where she saw many horrible, horrible injuries. But she will tell you that logger injuries are some of the worst.

Funny, but rarely if ever have I heard the word "lumberjack" since I moved to Oregon; or for those not familiar with the great NW, Oreegun. :biggrin:
 
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  • #15
Ivan Seeking said:
Tsu has worked with many loggers who sustained terrible crush injuries. She has been in the medical field for over thirty years. She has also worked at a number of world-class hospitals where she saw many horrible, horrible injuries. But she will tell you that logger injuries are some of the worst.

Funny, but rarely if ever have I heard the word "lumberjack" since I moved to Oregon; or for those not familiar with the great NW, Oreegun. :biggrin:

I did that work when I was in college (and fire fighting too). It is fun, but you are right about it being dangerous. Engineering is better.
 
  • #16
Kurdt said:
Did you miss my post astro? :wink:
Yes, I did. :rolleyes: I saw the .uk and thought it was about something in the UK.

Meanwhile - Demand for "best job in the world" crashes website
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090114/lf_nm_life/us_job_dream_website
SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) – The chance to be the caretaker of a tiny tropical island in Australia has sparked so much interest around the world that a rush of applications crashed the website advertising the post.

The job, which offers a salary of $105,000 to spend six months on the Great Barrier Reef island of Hamilton, has been inundated with hundreds of thousands of prospective candidates.

An official from the state of Queensland, which is offering the position, said the job was created as an antidote to the global economic slump and was being advertised in 18 countries including the United States and China.
Too much of a good thing, eh?
 
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  • #17
Astronuc said:
Yes, I did. :rolleyes: I saw the .uk and thought it was about something in the UK.

Hey, didn't you know we own Australia. *hides*
 
  • #18
Actually since the link was to the telegraph - they probably think they still do!
 
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  • #19
Kurdt said:
Hey, didn't you know we own Australia. *hides*
Once upon a time. :biggrin:
 
  • #20
Step 1 - ship troublemakers to distant colony.
Step 2 - give colony independence.

Worked 2 out of 3 - they should have kept Canada!
 
  • #21
Wow, I can't believe "historian" made the top 10 list!
 
  • #22
mgb_phys said:
Have you seen the accident statistics (at least in the US) for lumberjacks!

Speaking of which, did Evo ever get that chainsaw? :bugeye:
 
  • #23
mgb_phys said:
Worked 2 out of 3 - they should have kept Canada!

I thought they did. If you want to be a Canadian citizen, you have to pledge allegiance to the Queen of England.
 
  • #24
berkeman said:
Speaking of which, did Evo ever get that chainsaw? :bugeye:

She is still here, right? Clearly she never got one. :biggrin:
 
  • #25
Ivan Seeking said:
I thought they did. If you want to be a Canadian citizen, you have to pledge allegiance to the Queen of England.
You do to become an Australian as well - but we just left that bit into annoy them!
 
  • #26
Best Job in the World offering crashes web site.
Demand for "best job in the world" crashes website
Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:34am EST

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The chance to be the caretaker of a tiny tropical island in Australia has sparked so much interest around the world that a rush of applications crashed the website advertising the post.

The job, which offers a salary of $105,000 to spend six months on the Great Barrier Reef island of Hamilton, has been inundated with hundreds of thousands of prospective candidates.

An official from the state of Queensland, which is offering the position, said the job was created as an antidote to the global economic slump and was being advertised in 18 countries including the United States and China.

Local media said technicians had to restore the website (www.islandreefjob.com) after it could not cope with the volume of interest and crashed for several hours. Some sections are still not up and running.

Duties for the so-called "best job in the world" include feeding ocean fish, cleaning a pool and collecting deliveries of mail that arrive by plane.

The successful candidate will have to go scuba diving, snorkeling and hiking and enjoy at least 25 nearby island resorts. Thrown in is a luxury three-bedroom home and transportation to and from the island.

No skills, nor experience is needed, and there is no age requirement. The job starts in July.

(Writing by Miral Fahmy, editing by Dean Yates)
http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE50D15K20090114
 
  • #27
Would it be unreasonably cynical of me to think that some PR guy at the Oz tourism office just earned themself a bonus?
 
  • #28
mgb_phys said:
You do to become an Australian as well - but we just left that bit into annoy them!
One only needs to pass the Vegemite test to become Australian. :biggrin:
 
  • #29
I can't become an Aussie because eating Vegemite or Marmite would kill me within the hour. Probably a good thing, because trying to fly "home" would kill me due to adverse reactions to fragrance chemicals before I ever got out of the US.
 

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