Some positions are idolized because of how they appear on the ‘surface.’

Most job-seekers, and the public in general, fail to understand what these jobs entail on a daily basis. Therefore, these roles remain highly sought after because of all the status and glamor that they are expected to accord a job-hunter.

These careers have created the impression that they are rewarding and it is easy to assume that they will provide a high paycheck and will improve one’s social class. However, most of them are a ‘death sentence’ that people sign up for without realizing. In fact, some of them will leave you broke almost your entire life. Others will subject you to the kind of bossing around that is tormenting.

One of the fields that has earned considerable attention is the business world, but over and over, insiders have revealed that it is not all rosy. In fact, it sucks. But why? One would wonder: because you have to wear suits in your 3-hour meetings and spend the entire time staring at powerpoint presentations that make no sense.

This is just an example of how the corporate world is overrated. Although you may argue that every job sucks in some way, the suck factor in others is overwhelming and unbearable. These are the posts that drive people nuts but look like they are fun on TV.

Landing some of these roles may seem cool at first until, you realize you have almost no time or your pet, and you are not going to be a millionaire.

In fact, you realize that the reality is entirely different from the mirage because you have to make personal sacrifices, perform repetitive tasks, accept low pay, and work for long hours.

Sooner or later, you start spending your working time streaming videos or reading magazines because it dawns on you that you may have miscalculated your moves. You may also start fantasizing about jobs that you wish you had because suckery is intertwined in your career.

What kind of jobs are these?

15. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Why it is adored: You get to fly on Air Force One or Marine One because you are the “Leader of the Free World,” and the self-proclaimed powerful nation on earth. Most of your decisions impact almost the entire world, and you lead one of the best military machinery in the globe.

You also get to sleep in Washington DC at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW because you need state of the art security. If you kick the bucket before your term is over, you are given your last perk: a state funeral. You get to be buried with all the ceremonial elegance and splendor, and you remain forever in history books.

Why it sucks: You will receive considerable criticism for every decision you make, it doesn’t matter what decision you make. Then there is immense pressure to perform; keeping in mind that the entire world is always ‘watching’ your every move.

This is one of the jobs that is known to have the high casualty rate. As of 2016, 43 men had occupied the Oval Office, including Barrack Obama, and out of this number, four sitting presidents have been killed by a bullet. Two presidents have been injured in attempted assassinations, and there have been more than 20 attempts to terminate former, sitting, and presidents-elect.

The security risk associated with this position makes it impossible to enjoy a normal life. In addition, millions of Americans always despise you no matter what you do.

14. MUSICIAN

Why it is adored: Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Drake, Kate Perry and plenty of other multi-talented entertainers have created the impression that musicians live a glamorous life full of travel, tours, and unapologetic promiscuity. Unfortunately, more people adore this kind of lifestyle and ‘worship’ some of these artists and their way of life.

Fans who love your work are always going to shower you with praises and make you feel great.

Why it sucks: The truth is that you have to spend countless hours in the studios working on the same songs. In most instances, you have to give listeners what they want to hear, not necessarily what you want to sing. And that always sucks.

Since most people think they can sing, entry into this industry requires that you cut your teeth with the best, and only the best. Your skills need to be well polished if you want to reach a greater audience and that can mean making so many sacrifices.

If eventually you succeed and produce an album, or two, you need to understand that there are going to be ‘haters’ who are always going to try and underrate your skills. When you open your Facebook in the morning, chances are you will receive more than 200 unsolicited messages from strangers telling you how pathetic you are. It can hurt.

When it comes to earnings, this is one of the industries that has the extremes; while popular musicians can earn millions, newbies earn very little. In fact, before you start enjoying the fruits of your labor, prepare to toil for a good number of years. That has always been the trend.

13. PRO ATHLETE

Why it is adored: The money is always good, and you get to travel to some of the biggest cities in the world. When you visit the local mall, you are likely to get plenty of attention from young fans who want your autograph and endlessly compliment you for your looks.

Most people think you have superpowers because of how you do your ‘thing,’ and members of the opposite sex admire to be with you because you are famous. If you keep your team on top of the charts, you are going to be signed by a bigger team, and your salary quadruples. This is the time you will also receive a call or email from Nike or Puma because they want to endorse you.

Why it sucks: The huge salary comes at a price. You have to spend endless hours in the gym because you are required to maintain the right body size and weight. In addition, your marriage/relationship is always at risk because of the numerous sex opportunities that come your way.

As a pro athlete, you can only make money, and plenty of it, ‘within a certain window,’ after which you may become worthless. So, you are tasked with managing your earnings well, or you risk going bankrupt. The reality is that you wear out and sooner or later you are going to be replaced by young turks, even if you are 7 feet tall and 300 lbs.

12. SCIENTIST

Why it is adored: Most people think you are so cool and you get to do different things every day while you try to perform various experiments. At one point, you could be writing papers, running experiments, or teaching students. All of these activities keep your brain active.

You get the freedom to explore and experiment with new things; even if they seem unconventional and people always trust you because of your academic qualifications and because you wear fancy spectacles. You also get the chance to use cutting edge technology that only a few people can understand.

Why it sucks: Since you expect to monitor your results, you mostly have to conduct the same experiment over and over, and it can get incredibly boring. When you have been tasked with discovering and developing new products or technologies, you have to be prepared to take all the blame when the result is unsatisfactory.

Your days are mostly long and tiring, especially when you have the same schedule and you are not getting the expected results.

Most scientists complain about how their income is incommensurate with their level of education, and that is something you have to deal with. Also, get prepared to embrace the high number of people who will be opposing your research work.

11. JOURNALIST

Why it is adored: You get the front seats at big events and tons of free stuff that are mostly cool. In most cases, you have something that you can show – to friends and family – when someone asks what you are doing with your life.

You are always ahead of your pack of friends in terms of information, and there are thousands of readers and viewers – most of them strangers – who love your work.

There are other nice things about this role: you are paid to read a ton, you are always learning, you get to interact with celebrities while you interview them, and you get to travel a lot.

Why it sucks: What people don’t know is that you live with constant deadlines and high levels of stress. You also have to deal with negative comments and sometimes ruthless criticism.

Depending on your field, at times you are needed to be alert 24/7, and you never get time to do your stuff. The viewers and readers demand what whatever they love to see, read, or hear, and if you cannot give them that, you are going to run into problems with your boss.

When working on certain projects, you are going to lose your mind because your boss sets the agenda on how a given resource needs to be exploited. Your superior never cares whether you are on board or not.

The compensation rarely matches the kind of work that you are expected to undertake. Unless you are very famous; Piers Morgan famous. But again, that means the number of people you are going to piss off is tenfold.

10. VIDEO GAME TESTER

Why it is adored: You get to work on different exciting games, and you have access to some of the best games available. You are also likely to have fun when working because gaming is a fun undertaking.

Why it sucks: While gaming for long may sound enjoyable, it gets boring when you have to play the same game over and over. In addition, you are expected to record your activities, and this takes all the fun out of it.

As a tester, you do not play the games like normal people; you are expected to break the games and report any advances, or hitches, to the developers. For example, if you are playing a racing game, you are required to test almost all the cars while trying to ‘unlock their potential.’ While at it, you also need to watch out for any flaws.

Every game has documentation, and it is your work to ensure the two are in ‘harmony.’

The life of a tester does not revolve around playing games the entire day; you will also be required to send emails, attend meetings. One disadvantage about this career is that it’s hard to progress and the pay is usually unsatisfactory.

9. PERSONAL TRAINER

Why it is adored: You look fantastic when you are ripped, and Wendy Williams or Oprah is interviewing you about your career. You also get to build great relationships with people in addition to the health and fitness benefits. In most cases, you are not restricted by geographical barriers, and you can work anywhere on planet earth.

Then there is the status because of the cool stereotype. People think you are not lazy because you are athletic and they assume you receive a hefty pay.

Why it sucks: You are mostly a sales rep, and this means you are always pushing clients into signing up for your services. This comes with the risk of being ‘fired’ if you fail to deliver what you had promised.

Some of your clients expect ‘miracles’ because they have unrealistic expectations about their weight loss. These are the type of clients who waste your time, but you keep them because your bank account needs to be redeemed.

Waking up at 5 a.m. also sucks, especially on a bad day when you do not feel motivated or energetic. Those are the days you wish you had a different job because, after all, you are tired of touching sweaty people as you direct the movement of their limbs.

A personal trainer does not get a hefty pay as most people assume.

8. LIFEGUARD

Why it is adored: You get to swim whenever you like, and you spend most of your time busking half-clothed. You also get the chance to tan while getting paid for it.

Whenever you’re the pool is unoccupied, you get time to work on your moves or read your favorite book. This is the kind of job that provides you with the much-needed relaxation.

Why it sucks: When you spend so much time in the sun, you can get awful headaches. Sometimes, it’s too cold to swim, but since you are getting paid for it, you have to dive into the pool because you don’t want your employer to believe you are getting paid for nothing.

What people don’t know is that the work of a lifeguard can get incredibly boring to the extent where you can go for two years without a saving a single soul. But wait until summer comes and you are forced to spend most of your time yelling at amateur swimmers who are trying to access the deep-end.

Keeping your eyes on the pool for six or seven straight hours is rarely fun. But when you wear sunglasses and stare like a statue, some people think you are having the time of your life.

7. CHEF

Why it is adored: You are the go-to person for cooking-related advice, and you have the skills to prepare amazing dishes. There are also plenty of job prospects. You can work in several establishments because many people need your services.

If your skills are well honed, you get the chance to work in a 5-star hotel where you can prepare food for celebrities while earning six digits. And when you get fed up working for other people, you can use the money you have made to start your restaurant or establishment.

Why it sucks: While you may have the qualifications to work in a big establishment, it usually comes with plenty of responsibilities and stress. You will be required to spend several hours on your job; directing and instructing your juniors because you want to make the best meals.

In certain circumstances, you may be required to work until late because one of your fryers malfunctioned or there are just too many visitors, and your expertise is needed in handling food equipment and mixing ingredients.

This is also one of the most competitive careers because there are plenty of chefs out there who can outdo you if you cannot stand up to the occasion.

In most cases, you will rarely hear people praise you for the good work, but there will be plenty of tongue lashing when you don’t put the right amount of salt on the food.

6. SMALL BUSINESS OWNER

Why it is adored: Starting your own business is unlike any other job because it’s an avenue to an entirely different lifestyle. You are the “Chief of Everything,” and that means you have complete control of your time and personal life.

You are your own boss, and no one has the power to fire you. This role gives you the chance to put your ideas into practice and gives you the personal satisfaction of creating and running something that you enjoy.

When you finally ‘make it,’ you become the talk of the town and you can brag about it because you are not a 9-5er.

Why it sucks: Your high school friends think you have all the time to do whatever you want, but in reality, you spend countless hours figuring out how you are going to pay your employees and your taxes.

A small business owner has to sacrifice family time and spend more hours strategizing the next move. Unlike a regular employee, you are well aware that you need to safeguard your investment or fail terribly. This means spending sleepless nights because you are trying to meet deadlines and to improve your establishment.

Income inconsistency is a common thing, and there are times when you have to sacrifice paying yourself because you have to prioritize your employees. During such times, you are forced to forgo vacations or lay off employees because you need to save the business.

5. LAWYER

Why it is adored: There is always the possibility that you will ‘hit the jackpot’ when you take a high-profile case. You also look cool in a new suit and a black briefcase. Most people admire you because you can speak fluently and the judge pays attention to what you have to say. You also earn some bragging rights because you can set people free even after they have sinned.

Why it sucks: Most lawyers appear ‘intelligent’ in most TV and movie courtroom dramas, but the career is not as glamorous as it seems. In fact, lawyers don’t always spend their days defending high-paying clients.

When you are starting, you have to be content with mediocre pay because no one trusts you and you have no reputation. Most lawyers have so much work and are sometimes forced to carry work home because deadlines must be met.

Occasionally, you have to defend criminals, and this means douchebaggery will be your second name because you have to instigate immoral acts in both writing and speech.

Don’t get surprised when your client fails to take your advice. They do from time to time. Another thing to keep in mind is the high number of adversaries that you are going to garner because of the frequent quarrels that you have in the courtroom. This chamber at times turns into an open-air market.

4. SOCIAL OR WELFARE WORKER

Why it is adored: Most of them work for a not-for-profit and get plenty of satisfaction from helping others and earning some kind of status in the public eye. As a social worker, you can find employment in several settings because your skills are always needed.

The opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives makes your work relevant and meaningful.

Why it sucks: Some areas can be extremely dangerous, especially when you have to work with violent individuals or inmates. Even though you feel satisfied, most of the roles are emotionally draining because sometimes things don’t go your way, especially when you had invested your feelings.

The workload can at times be overwhelming, and it mostly is, and when the pay is not commensurate, you may feel burdened.

You must also be willing to deal with strange behaviors, like getting yelled at, because some ill-mannered fellows are too selfish and want to have everyone’s share. These are kinds of people who are also going to try defrauding you. So, you better watch out.

3. FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Why it is adored: Traveling is always fun because it gives you the chance to see and explore the world. So, why not get paid to travel while meeting interesting people and experiencing different cultures?

People generally feel like this is hardly work because you spend time in some of the best hotels. With the diversity that comes with being a flight attendant, you are able to broaden your view on a lot of issues, and you can start to appreciate the differences in societies and people.

Why it sucks: While you get to travel, most of the times you are airborne and the only visible things are dark clouds and the blue sky. So, forget about taking beautiful photos in the air.

You also tend to have a hectic schedule, and you rarely have time for your family or pet. As a flight attendant, you are always on the move, and you do not get to enjoy the holidays because they are the peak season when there is a ton of work.

When it’s stormy, or when the number of people traveling doubles, expect delays and frustrations. You also need to find a way of dealing jet lag because it is now part of your life.

2. DOLPHIN TRAINER

Why it is adored: looks like the perfect career because most people have an affection for animals. This is one of the rare chances to witness firsthand how dolphins are intelligent, and people treat you like a celebrity because they are amazed by your animal skills.

When Sea World posts videos of its affectionate and playful dolphins, you will probably feature somewhere, and the whole world will know you are that daring being. Most people also think that spending so much time in the sun is better than sitting in a cold cubicle.

Why it sucks: when you get emotionally attached to the animals, you may start to wonder why they have been confined, yet they should be swimming in the deep sea. You may also not be aware, but it takes great work and effort to make a dolphin responsive to instructions. During the entire time, you will mostly be smelling fish.
Dolphins are not all friendly, they can be aggressive at times and can be unpleasant to work with. A high number of dolphin trainers have reported that they were injured at one point during their career. As a trainer, you are also at high risk of infectious respiratory diseases that are transmitted from by these sea creatures.

You also have to understand that your work is to ‘manipulate’ animals for food. This is the kind of job that can get boring because it involves performing repetitive tasks. Don’t expect to be very creative in this role.

1. CEO

Why it is adored: Everyone wants to be Zuckerberg, or Elon Musk, or Tim Cook. Everyone wants to be talked about when they walk into a room, whether it is full of journalists or ordinary people; it doesn’t matter.

CEO’s are considered to earn millions because they have the power to ‘order’ everyone around. They drive posh cars and leave in fancy houses because their bank accounts can support their extravagance.

Why it sucks: A CEO must be alert 24/7, and the reason is that so many things could go wrong if they don’t monitor the ‘pulse’ of the business.

In most cases, hundreds of people, if not thousands, rely on your decisions and this means several people watch your actions. If you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, you can make or break a career with a single word or action; so, forget about flirting with the new intern at the end-year party. In fact, the bigger the corporation, the more problems you are likely to face.

Yes, you have the freedom to make decisions, but your actions have to be regulated by a board that can sometimes be a pain in the ass. These members sit in a board meeting and set unrealistic goals then expect you to ‘get on the ground’ and perform a miracle. This is why CEO’s put in more work, more than even company employees.

Since you are at the helm of your organization, there are very few people who can advise you, and you have to keep in mind that taking the wrong turn can mean losing your position.

The last thing is that you are always going to deal with customers from hell. They will get on your nerves, but there is nothing you can do because the client is always right.

Sources: askmen.com, forbes.com, businessinsider.com, inc.com, businessnewsdaily.com