9 WORST JOBS FOR EMPATHS to Avoid at All Costs!

This article is crucial for your professional growth if you’re an empath. Find out the worst jobs for empaths that are not meant for you!

What’s it like to be an empath?

Empaths are highly sensitive people with a profound capacity to perceive what others are thinking and feeling around them. An empath is a word used by psychologists to describe someone who has such a high level of empathy that they take on the pain of others at their own cost.

Just like any other personality trait, there are pros and cons to being an empath.

Pros of being an empath

  • Empaths are highly intuitive.
  • They have a high EQ. (Emotional Intelligence)
  • Empaths are generous, helpful, and great listeners which makes them excellent friends.
  • They are introverted and often thrive in situations that require creative solutions, and perform great at creative jobs like writing.

Although being around an empath is great for people as they provide emotional support and are constantly available for them, there’s a dark side to it as well.

It’s called the *DARK EMPATHS.*

Who are these dark empaths? Find out in the FAQs below!

Cons of being an empath

  • Since they take on the pain of people around them, empaths often feel emotionally overwhelmed.
  • Saying NO can be very tough for empaths. They have a poor sense of boundaries.
  • Spending too much time around people can drain them.

Am I An Empath?

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Do you think that you might be an empath?

Let’s help you confirm! 

If you agree with the majority (more than half) of the statements given below, then you are an empath. 👇

  • You are often emotional support to those in need. 
  • People feel comfortable opening up to, and confiding in you.
  • You are often unexplainably moody, and feel physically ill.
  • You have the ability to easily “read” other people and know when someone’s lying.
  • You are deeply affected by the emotions of others. 
  • You sometimes experience “sympathy pain” when someone close to you is mentally or physically sick.
  • You have excellent intuitive abilities. You often just know things!
  • You put others’ needs above your own. You are self-sacrificial! 
  • You are an excellent listener.
  • You are often motivated to support the underdog, or emotionally crippled.
  • You love your time with nature and animals.
  • You are easily overwhelmed by crowds of people.
  • You often feel a mix of emotions in a day. You can go from feeling happy to angry or sad quickly.
  • You often feel fatigued and exhausted.
  • You find it immensely painful to watch or read about cruelty, torture, violence, or tragedy.

What are the Worst Jobs for Empaths?

Here’s our list of the worst jobs for empaths. Scroll down to find out!

Worst Jobs For Empaths That Involve Too Many Interpersonal Energies

1. Therapist

What are the Worst Jobs for Empaths?
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The essence of a therapist’s job lies in helping their clients adapt to situations that they find to be uncomfortable or disturbing. As an empath, a therapist might take on their client’s emotions and start projecting the same, thereby defeating the purpose.

The next core responsibility of a therapist is to help their clients deal with past traumas. This could be the reason why this is one of the worst jobs for empaths. Empaths absorb the energies from the people around them. 

Because of their desire to serve others, empaths are driven toward having a career as a psychiatrist. So, as long as an empath can take care of their own energy and restrict absorbing the stress from their patients, they’ll get great satisfaction from helping patients.

Also Check: Best jobs for someone with BPD

2. Attorney

A trial attorney is yet another career on the list of bad jobs for empaths. This is a career that values extroversion and aggressiveness.

Furthermore, the attorney training suggests that lawyers must detach themselves from their clients’ cases. This helps attorneys to make the best decisions for their clients. 

Over-sensitivity of a lawyer may difficult for them to find true facts from the client’s story. Objectivity should be a priority even while arguing in favor of a client.

Worst Jobs For Empaths That Are Too Stimulating

Worst Jobs For Empaths That Are Too Stimulating
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3. Employment at Large Stores like Walmart, Target, etc.

Empaths generally oppose the idea of having to “be on” all day. Employment at large departmental stores, grocery stores, etc. can cause a lot of social anxiety making these the worst jobs for empaths.

The crowds, bright lights, the noise of people talking and loudspeakers, and long hours can be too exhausting for empaths.

4. Stage Performer

Jobs that involve too much noise and stimulation should also be avoided. Stage performers like musicians, dancers, etc. have to constantly face the noise from the crowd, and bright spotlights.

They have to offer high physical stimulation to keep their audience engaged making this one of the bad jobs for empaths.

Worst Jobs For Empaths That Are Too Stressful

5. Doctor, Emergency Services

Doctors save the lives of many every day. So this does not really make sense to include it in the list of worst jobs for empaths, right?

Here’s the thing!

High-stress jobs like ER and surgery are not suitable for empaths because of their tendency to get burnout fast especially if they are not given enough downtime or rest time.

Some days can be pretty gruesome working as a medical practitioner. But, despite it, they are supposed to maintain their calm and think objectively for the sake of their patients.

Also, doctors have to share both good and bad news with the patients and their families. They witness their stress and pains through the process. All this can drive them to anxiety and depression because of over-thinking and putting themselves in their patient’s shoes.

6. Defense Personnel/Firefighters

Both defense and firefighting are not easy jobs for an average person, let alone for the highly sensitive and emotional empaths. 

Defense personnel and firefighters undergo rigorous training, field expeditions, and work under extreme conditions making these bad jobs for empaths.

Although being heroic and self-sacrificial, these careers might attract empaths. But the ongoing physical and emotional trauma inherent in these jobs may be too stressful for empaths.

Also check: Best Stress-Free Jobs Without Degree

Worst Jobs For Empaths That Are Too Draining

Worst Jobs For Empaths That Are Too Draining
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7. Sales

Being exposed to different kinds of emotions and energy makes sales one of the worst jobs for empaths. Many empaths despise selling, especially when they are introverted. 

On a bad day, you will be dealing with irrational customers who think they know better than you about the company’s products and services. 

Dealing with the public drains them too much. Empaths can also pick up on other people’s emotions and tension, which might make them sick.

8. Politics, Public Relations

Other stressful jobs that make the worst jobs for empaths include politics and public relations. These careers value sociability, passive-aggressiveness, the ability to engage in small talk, overthoughtfulness, sensitivity, and deep thinking.

Moreover, both politicians and PRs are always under the critical scrutiny of the public. Their job involves constantly outsmarting their competitors with their witty ways. 

Empaths can not carry out such emotionally draining tasks as they will spend most of their time and energy thinking about others’ feelings.

9. Corporate Jobs

The corporate world has its own set of issues making these bad jobs for empaths. The corporate attitude of “this is how it’s done” does not sit well with empaths. This remark blatantly disregards the needs of an individual. 

Empaths are independent thinkers who will question things if they do not seem right at work. They want to understand why a choice was made so they can make sense of it in their minds. 

Regular team meetings, as well as power-hungry, opportunist team members, are stressful for empaths, who thrive on their own.

How to Manage Your Empathy Without Getting Drained?

While the above-listed jobs are described as not suitable for empaths, one must always believe in possibilities. When empaths are happy at work, they may thrive and make significant contributions to their fields.

If you want to try your luck at these jobs, you must learn to manage your empathy and take control of your emotions.

But how? Try using these 5 tips!

  1. Learn to set healthy boundaries.
  2. Try ignoring your inner critic sometimes.
  3. Practicing mindfulness by setting aside time to tune in and reconnect with yourself.
  4. Practice self-love and self-compassion.
  5. Spending time in nature or around animals can be great too.

Also check: Creative Ways to Reduce Stress at Work

FAQs:

1. What jobs should empaths avoid?

Empaths should avoid jobs that involve too many sensory stimulations; are highly demanding – both emotionally and physically; involve loud noises, and that indulge in the transmission of interpersonal energies.

2. What is a dark empath?

The term “dark empath” was coined by psychologists in the year 2020 to describe a personality trait. Dark Empaths are the people who face trouble dealing with emotional empathy. 

In simple words, dark empaths identify what others are going through, even if they don’t feel sympathy for them or the desire to help them.

According to Nicole Cain, dark empaths possess “fractured empathy.” This so-called fractured empathy occurs alongside three traits known in psychology as the dark triad:

  • narcissism
  • psychopathy
  • Machiavellianism

Hey there! I am Avipsa Lakhanpal. I'm a passionate writer and a self-taught artist. I like writing on subjects relating to academics, career, e-commerce, and general knowledge. I write with the sole aim of assisting my readers to their complete satisfaction.

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