7 Top altruistic careers where you can simply help others

If you’ve ever felt the urge to spend your life in the service of others, you aren’t alone. Countless others spend time daily helping others and have a job that allows them to do so. If you are looking to join them and are interested in finding a job that isn’t just a paycheck, there are many altruistic careers available where you can help others every day.

In this blog, we will cover:

• 3 characteristics of altruistic careers

• 7 altruistic careers for helping others

3 Characteristics of altruistic careers

When learning about the best careers for altruistic people, consider the characteristics of these types of careers. The goal when working in this type of job is to care for others and make their lives better. 

These are the top three characteristics of the types of careers for altruistic people:

• Purpose and empathy. To be successful in an altruistic career, you need compassion and empathy for others and a desire to contribute to the greater good.

• Social impact and advocacy. When working in one of these careers, you will be more focused on prioritizing social impact and advocacy than on your gains.

• Ethics and activism. Strong ethics are crucial with these career types as are a desire to raise awareness of the struggles of others.

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7 careers for altruistic people 

Before you choose the best career for yourself, spend time reflecting on the various types of careers for altruistic people. Here are seven careers that allow you to help people every day:

1. Nurse

One of the most recognizable altruistic careers, nursing is a field with a wide range of options. In this role, you may find yourself working in a hospital, medical office, or even a patient’s home. Nurses, especially registered nurses, are continually in high demand, which means this is a stable and growing job market.

2. Teacher

Helping the next generation learn and grow is at the heart of this field. As a teacher, you may work with students of varying ages. Preparing lessons and performing tests are a big part of a teacher’s career, but so is caring for children and helping shape them into great adults and human beings.

3. First responders

As a first responder, you will be the one people rely on in the middle of an emergency. Some examples of the roles include firefighters, police officers, and EMT workers. In these altruistic careers, you will help others by offering aid during their time of need.

4. Youth development coordinator

Shelters, schools, and outreach programs are all common places where you may work as a youth development coordinator. Often, this role involves working with at-risk youth and steering them on a bright path. To be successful, you may need experience planning social events, teaching sports, or even hosting parenting classes.

5. Veterinarian

Not all altruistic careers focus on helping people. Sometimes, they focus on helping animals, such is the case with veterinarians. As a veterinarian, you will care for the health of pets in your community by administering vaccines, caring for sick or injured animals, and providing education materials to pet owners.

6. Humanitarian aid worker

Humanitarian aid workers help whenever there is a critical situation around the world. This could include during natural disasters or wartime efforts. In this role, you will be providing aid to communities in the way of food, supplies, shelter, and medical aid.

7. Fundraising managers

Non-profits are known for the good work they do in helping others in the community and around the world. As a fundraising manager, you can ensure the organization has the funds to continue its work. You will manage campaigns and promote the non-profit at events where donors may be present.

Regardless of which altruistic career you are most interested in, we are here to help you get started. Check out our career path service for guidance!

Key takeaways

1. Altruistic careers involve helping others and the community.

2. Some characteristics of an altruistic career include empathy, purpose, social impact, advocacy, ethics, and activism.

3. Nurses, teachers, first responders, and humanitarian aid workers are just a few examples of careers for altruistic people.