A reporter's job figures among the ten worst professions, alongside the likes of butchers, waiters and dishwashers, as per a new study by the US-based consultancy CareerCast which has named a software engineer's occupation as the best for the year 2012.
The annual study has ranked a total of 200 jobs from best to worst on the basis of five core criteria such as physical demands, work environment, income, stress and hiring outlook.
It mostly covered the jobs in the US and is based on data from the US Bureau of Labour Statistics and other government agencies.
Among the ten worst jobs, the study has named a newspaper reporter's occupation at the fifth position, after that of a lumberjack, dairy farmer, enlisted military soldier and oil rig worker.
Others in the ten worst jobs for 2012 include waiter/ waitress, meter reader, dishwasher, butcher and broadcaster.
"As the digital world continues to take over and provide on-demand information, the need for print newspapers and daily newscasts is diminishing. To be sure, both jobs once seemed glamorous, but on-the-job stress, declining job opportunities and income levels are what landed them on our worst Jobs list," the report noted.
The study has also listed out ten most stressful jobs and none of these occupations figure in the list of ten best jobs.
CareerCast has ranked enlisted soldier, firefighter, airline pilot, military general, police officer, event coordinator, public relations executive, senior corporate executive, photo-journalist and taxi driver among the most stressful jobs.
On the other hand, job of a software engineer has topped the list in the best jobs category, followed by actuary, human resources manager, dental hygienist and financial planner.
Software engineers earn a median income of more than USD 88,000 with few physical demands and minimal stress, it noted.
The report further said that those in the top categories earn between USD 68,000 to USD 104,000 annually (Rs 30-50 lakh a year).