"Economists have been forecasting that the multiple-career work life is about to become the rule," said MONEY's executive editor Craig Matters. "But that doesn't mean people will simply be looking for more money. They often have a non-financial goal that's just as important, if not more so. What makes this list of careers unique is that it factors in those quality of life motivators."
"Workers still consider cash to be king, but not by as wide of a margin as in the past. Today, workers look at a broader financial picture -- placing greater emphasis on health benefits and vacation time than ever before and often prioritizing non-financial goals reflecting a true 'total rewards' perspective," said Bill Coleman, senior vice president of compensation at Salary.com. The top three non-financial rewards were passion for the work, flexible scheduling and career advancement opportunities; however, the importance of the rewards differed by each "second act" group.
People in their second acts share a common priority - a passion for the work. "Passion is the new king," said Meredith Hanrahan, chief marketing officer at Salary.com. "This isn't their first time at bat; the majority of 'second-acters' aren't willing to the make the critical trade-offs for just any job. Time is precious, child care is costly and they are more honest about what they need. It isn't about advancing to the next level or networking. For most in their second acts, people want their contribution to matter; they want a passion payoff. It's not optional; it's the new requirement."
To compile the list of best jobs, MONEY and Salary.com surveyed more than 12,000 people, of whom more than 7,000 indicated they were planning a career change or had recently done so. Those 7,000 were surveyed further to identify the fields they were most interested in and the things that were most important to them.
