Identifying the skill sets you want to use on a daily basis will help you find a career that you truly enjoy. Good listening skills are in high demand. No matter what job you choose, you will undoubtedly put those skills to use. Some careers, however, require more highly developed listening skills than others.
Therapists Must Be Good Listeners
Therapists must listen to and understand their clients and ask probing questions. Jobs within this category include social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors. To train for these careers, you will need to earn at least a bachelor's degree in your chosen specialty. Many times, these careers require advanced degrees. Salaries vary dramatically depending on one's level of education. Specialties can include working with people who have mental illnesses, helping couples work through marriage problems, or counseling abused women or people with drug addictions.
Reporters Often Interview Subjects
News reporters and magazine writers must have good listening skills. They must conduct interviews, asking questions and listening carefully to the answers. News reporters and writers take notes while they listen and then write stories about the topic. Reporters and writers working for large publications in metropolitan areas typically make more money than those working in rural areas. However, reporters must often start out in smaller areas and work their way up to larger publications.
Clergy Help by Listening
If you are deeply religious and want a career that requires good listening skills, consider becoming a clergy member. Clergy help guide people through spiritual problems, including those regarding life and death. They may provide spiritual guidance to the dying or those who are mourning. On happier occasions, they perform marriage ceremonies. Clergy also plan church activities and invest time furthering their religious studies. They represent their respective religious organization in the community.
Lawyers Listen to Clients
Lawyers must listen to their clients to defend their interests in court or answer their legal questions. Not all lawyers appear in court; many spend their time simply advising clients. Lawyers can specialize in topics ranging from bankruptcy, divorce, corporate, environmental or immigration law, among others. Education involves earning a bachelor's degree, attending law school and then passing the state bar exam. Salaries for this field range depending upon specialty. For example, corporate lawyers often make more than those specializing in bankruptcy.
