Everyone is equipped with the ability to be empathetic to some degree, but empathy is a skill that some people seem to naturally hone better than others. People with a strong ability to empathize with others are good at listening and reading body language. They are able to put themselves in another person’s situation and understand the emotions that person is feeling. Empathy is such a great talent that there are some careers that are well-suited for people with these skills.
1. Counseling
Since empathetic people are naturally good at listening, they also make great counselors. There are several career options in the field of counseling. A counselor can work in schools, in private practice or in a rehabilitation center.
The function of a counselor is to listen to their client and help them comprehend difficult situations or guide them toward good decision-making practices. Basically, a counselor is a person that can be counted on when times get tough, also a counselor should have a LPCC degree online or other psychology degree.
2. Social Worker
Social workers help people who are in need. In that aspect, their job function is similar to counseling, but it is also quite different. Social workers will generally get involved in a person’s life to the point that they’ll help them acquire something they need—perhaps even counseling.
A social worker needs to genuinely care about people in order to perform their job well. People who go into this field believe they have the skills to make a difference.
3. Pediatrician
Are you good at talking to children? Many adults find it difficult to get on the same level as a young child and speak their language. Yet, that’s what a pediatrician does every day they get up and go to work.
Understanding children takes a certain amount of empathetic ability. A pediatrician has to listen to more than just a child’s words. They must watch their body language and understand vital readings. Becoming a pediatrician requires years of hard work, but it’s a rewarding job.
4. Human Resources
When people think of a business degree, they think of CEOs and corporate ladders. But there are many different branches of a business degree. Business degree options even include Human Resources.
The HR professional sees an employee through their career development. They’re there on the day the employee is hired, and they’re still there when the employee continues to retirement. During all that time they’ve helped the employee manage emergency time off, vacations, career developments and even some of their training.
Because an HR professional is so involved with the different aspects of a person’s employment, they need to have good people skills and they need to be active listeners. They also need to be compassionate when an employee is struggling.
These types of careers aren’t a good fit for everyone. Some people lack patience while others simply don’t enjoy other people. If it’s in your nature to be kind and patient, then you’ve likely built up a strong empathetic personality and one of these careers might be right for you.
