Back when I first entered the corporate world, some of the most awful people I met were the ones who worked in higher management and leadership. Basically, I am talking about managing directors and that level of positions.
However, do you really think that it’s the actual profession that seems to attract the worst kind of people? These netizens definitely think so, for they spilled their guts outing these careers. You might even find yourself nodding along in agreement to some of them, so just scroll down to check them out!
More info: Reddit
#1
Politics.
#2
Paparazzi. The amount of deceitful stuff they do to try and force an awkward situation for the target is incredible.
#3
Police.
For every person that wants to make a difference and make the world a better place, there’s 10 good old boys that just want some au-thor-it-tay and a taste of power.
As you scroll through the list, if you think that your profession is also mentioned, don’t take it too personally. It’s just the general observations of netizens. Since I am no expert when it comes to understanding these dynamics, We got in touch withApoorva Kale, an industrial and organizational psychology practitioner.
She stated that it’s not always about the job title. It’s about the environment, the rewards, and how much room there is to act like a jerk without consequences. She explained that some roles come with perks that, unfortunately, can be super appealing to toxic folks.
Think power without much oversight, big rewards for shady behavior, or total freedom to do whatever they want without anyone checking in, Apoorva added.
#4
Pyramid scheme jobs like primerica or Herbalife who prey on innocent ppl.
#5
Volunteer “supervisor” type positions. In non-profit, we sometimes have to rely on volunteers for jobs which would normally be paid positions in corporate. The people who want jobs with power over other people and are willing to do it for free are often some of the nastiest, a*****e people you’ll ever meet. You’re not going to find a normal person for it. You just have to assess if they’ll be tolerable or not.
#6
This may get me down voted to hell, and it may be in my own anecdotal experience but…the military tends to attract the ultra “alpha” male macho douchebags. Maybe they just come out that way, but most I’ve met are like this.
Our expert further stressed that if a job rewards flashy outcomes and doesn’t ask too many questions about how those outcomes are achieved, it might attract people who aren’t just cutting corners, they’re bulldozing them.
“Jobs that offer high commissions can attract ambitious go-getters, but also the kind of folks who’ll say or do anything to close the deal. Public-facing roles that bring fame or status might lure people chasing ego boosts and constant validation. And jobs with little to no oversight? That’s prime real estate for people who want freedom to bend the rules without getting caught,” Apoorva elaborated.
#7
1. Men who work in finance.
…
You’ve never seen or met arrogance until you’ve been a woman on the radar of men who work in finance. They all seem to think they’re hot sh*t & deserve a “hot” woman to go along with their hot car and hot bachelor pad apartment.
#8
Car sales.
Source; Father has been doing it for over 25 years and each and every one of the people he has ever worked with was the s**m of the earth.
#9
Chefs often seem to have substance abuse problems and insanely short fuses. Totally anecdotal, but others seem to have similar experiences.
We also conversed with Apoorva about whether certain industries where ethical boundaries are more frequently tested can attract toxic people. She claimed that it can be true, but also stressed that not everyone in these industries is awful.
However, she asked us to consider high-stakes, high-reward fields like finance, politics, real estate, entertainment, and tech. As per her, these are places where the rules are often fuzzy, the pressure is sky-high, and the rewards for “winning” can be massive.
“That combo tends to test people’s moral compass a lot, and for folks who already lean toward sketchy behavior? It can be the perfect playground!” Apoorva exclaimed.
#10
Debt collectors.
#11
Most party planners are vain mean ladies who were probably mean girls in middle school.
#12
There’s a lot of s**tholes in real estate/property management. They seem more concerned with margin and percentages rather than ensuring their tenants are warm, safe, and living in healthy conditions.
Apoorva strongly believes that sometimes it’s not the job that’s the problem, it’s how the job is sold. She noted that certain hiring practices or job descriptions can unintentionally send a “welcome” sign to people with toxic traits.
“Even the interview process can be skewed, hiring for confidence over competence, rewarding charisma over collaboration, or skipping background checks can all lead to the wrong kind of people slipping through. Basically, if the hiring process celebrates bravado, aggression, or total independence without balance, don’t be surprised when a toxic hire shows up, resume polished, red flags and all,” she sarcastically expressed.
#13
Prosecutors.
I spent time interning in a US Attorney’s office and years interacting with prosecutors at the state and federal level. I’ve never met one that I would invite into my home. They are, to a person, totally obsessed with driving their conviction rate as high as possible even if it means violating the rules and putting innocent people in prison. It’s all about winning with them. They’re more competitive than professional athletes except that they have the power to [ruin] someone’s life for no good reason and will do so just to put another notch in their pistol grip.
#14
For profit college “Admissions Counselor”.
AC: So Jack, what do you like to do in your free time?
Me: Baseball, poker. . .
AC: uh huh, yeah. Yep.
Me: code, trav. . .
AC: Cool cool cool. Sounds like you have important goals and you are taking your direction in life seriously.
Me: actually. . .
AC: So it sounds like you are ready to take that next step and grow up and be successful.
Me: I’m 40 and bored . . .
AC: Hahahaha, I feel you man. So it sounds like you are ready to take the next step. . .
#15
Pro athletes. Obviously not a universal truth but some of the worst people I’ve ever met were on this track.
Lastly, we asked our expert’s advice about what companies should do while hiring for big roles.
She concluded: “Don’t just fall for confidence or a flashy résumé, as toxic people often know exactly how to impress in interviews. The key is to ask the right questions, get honest feedback from past coworkers, and make sure you’re hiring for values, not just vibes. A little extra digging now can save a whole lot of chaos later.”
Well, those are some extremely wise words that all hiring professionals can heed, don’t you think? Anyway, folks, that’s it from our end. Now, we would love to hear your thoughts about this list. Also, in case we have missed out a few, feel free to jot them down in the comments!
#16
Working with the disabled. I see so many people treating them like garbage. It’s a nightmare.
#17
It may not be a popular opinion, but prison guards.
#18
School administrators. The rules they come up with…
#19
Entertainment draws a lot of narcissists.
#20
Bouncers.
#21
Commercial music scene. Too many people involved who generally think that they are special or unique and when they don’t get their way turn out to be back stabbing and malicious. Alternative music attracts the opposite from my experience.
#22
Reddit moderating.
#23
I have met many pro poker players, from the days when the WSOP main event did not break 100 entrants to the present time. There are of course some very nice people but I have seen some of the worst behavior from top pros, especially in the days when there was no penalty from mistreating dealers or fellow players. Scotty Nguyen is one the biggest a******s I have met anywhere, not just poker and you can see him berating another player on camera maybe 10 years ago. I cannot prove, but have on pretty good authority, that his “day job” is pimp. (Not high class girls, either.)
Of course, poker because of the pressure brings out bad behavior in people, also.
#24
Local councillors.
Power mad in their own little fiefdoms
#25
Cleaning toilets in a stadium… the sheer amount of d***s, d***gies and all the s**t that goes on in here is astounding! You know you’re in a tough spot when most of your colleagues are “former” m**h addicts with all their front teeth missing (except for the canines) and they’re so d**n thin you could literally carry them in your arms.
Also, many taxi/limo drivers are on [substances] and a good chunk of them gets their first stroke before the age of 40.
#26
Driving schools. Every time I try calling one, they either don’t answer, or they just try to shut me up then hang up on me. Is it in the job description to be an a*****e?
#27
Those d**n carnivals and their carnies.
#28
This is completely me generalizing but I’ve never had a good, intelligent manager so I’m gonna say management.
#29
Gold mining.
If you ever want to watch friends become enemies, watch businesses collapse and all sorts of betrayal than go work in the small scale gold mining business. You cant trust anyone, everyone is out for themselves, and will take you for a ride easily if your not careful. The work attracts drifters, felons, con men. The stories I ve heard from the old timers about the s**t that goes down out in the wilderness are amazing and terrifying too. Back in 92 a guy brought his family out to live on the claim he was working, he hit it big and everything was going great, except his wife vanished to Australia with the 500 ounces of gold and a new husband. An old fellow got 3 of his fingers crushed in a vice for being caught claim jumping on land owned by hells angels, all sorts of strange disappearances and unsolved m*****s.
Gold makes good men do terrible things. edit: hay look I got a reddit nugget.
#30
Air traffic controller.
Source: am an air traffic controller (no Breaking Bad jokes, please) who spends all day around other controllers. They’re insufferable and miserable people whom I generally can’t stand being around.
#31
Therapists, Psychologist and Psychiatrists. Crazy how people who are supposed to help you actually don’t give a sh!t or don’t listen to you.
#32
Priests.
Any type of religious leader, really.
#33
I work for a great marketing start up and one of the many benefits is we get to work from home 3-4 days a weeks. I didn’t know this when I applied and they have a very extensive interview process.
When I had my final interview, the owner explained to me that it’s remote work.
She had gone further to say that when they included it in any job descriptions, they got upwards of 2,000 resumes, and the few people they did interview, all lied on their resumes about their experience. And not little lies, it was obvious they had ZERO experience whatsoever.
So any kind of remote work probably attracts awful people who are lazy.
#34
Tow Truck Drivers.