Empathy is a hugely important skill in the workplace. This is because it can help us build human connections and trust, create supportive work environments, and even support our clients and colleagues. The good news is that if you are an empathic person, there is a wealth of jobs that you find suitable and satisfying. Read on to find out what they are.
Medicine
Empathy and compassion are crucial elements to any successful medical career, as they help with diagnosing and treating patients most effectively and humanely. Indeed, it can be very easy to feel like just a number or even a piece of meat when you need medical treatment and the best doctors, nurses, midwives and therapists help remind people that they are human, and treat them in a patient-centred way.
Routes into medicine are multifaceted and range from formal university qualifications and then residency for doctors, to on-the-job training for healthcare assistants. Nurses typically also complete undergraduate degrees, and like doctors, continue to learn and further specialize as their careers develop. Another option is to become a Physician Associate, which requires less training than a doctor, but allows the individual to aid a doctor in patient care with supervision.
Massage Therapy
A less typical career, massage therapists use their empathy in a hands-on way, relieving muscle tensions and aiding in relaxing and healing. There are plenty of opportunities for massage therapists to work in spas or clinics, and many go on to develop their own private practices as well.
Just like any career, proper massage therapy training is required before you can gain your state license, which allows you to practice. The great thing is that you can learn real massage skills on a flexible class schedule, and even get proper practice on real clients, so you will be well prepared to succeed in this field.
Counselling
Empathetic people often find their way into counselling positions because their empathy can be very supportive to their clients and also provides them with excellent insight into how their issues are affecting them. There is a range of different counselling types that you may wish to consider, from mental health counsellors to school guidance counsellors. Some also choose to go down the psychotherapist or psychiatry route. Although the former will require certain academic qualifications such as an undergraduate degree in psychology and a master’s in a related field, the latter usually requires qualification first as a medical doctor.
Teaching
Another career where empathy is a big bonus is teaching. This is because teachers need to use empathy to work with their students and find the best ways for them to learn and thrive. Teaching in special educational needs in particular can be an excellent choice for the empathetic, as a great deal of patience and investment is required to help students overcome any learning barriers.
Routes into teaching include getting a specific or non specialist undergartde degree. Although in the latter case you will need to do a additionbal post graduate course. It is also possible to get qualified while working in a school in some cases. Once in the field, development routes include subject specialists and pastoral.
