The phrase ‘if you can’t do, teach’ is one of the most incorrect and ridiculous in the world.

Education

Teaching is a way to make a huge difference in the world, by helping to form the minds of young people. It isn’t just about teaching kids how to do algebra and when you should use a semicolon – rather, being a teacher means that you’re also showing them the correct way to behave and how to interact with other people.

This is more obvious with little kids as you teach them how to share and play together, but even older teenagers can learn how to speak to each other and how to be polite and considerate through the example you show them.

Medicine

If you love science and you’re good with people, there’s no better job for you than medicine. Becoming a doctor takes many long and expensive years of study, but you do get incredible wages as you rise up the ranks wherever you work – and let’s face it, doctors will always be in high demand.

If you’d rather work more closely with patients, then you could start looking into nursing schools instead – you’ll get to spend more time with patients and their families while providing medical care for them that will really improve the quality of their lives.

Social Work

There are very few professions that get more criticism than social workers, but the truth is that they’re vital to our society to protect and advocate on behalf of its most vulnerable members like children, disabled people, and the elderly.

Social workers must learn to remain calm in difficult situations and to not bat an eyelid at some truly difficult and potentially traumatic living situations, and to know how to get results for people who really need them.

There’s a lot of red tape and paperwork involved, along with some tough decisions, but social workers are vital to many people’s lives.

Home Care Work

Like social workers, care workers help to improve the lives of society’s most vulnerable people, but care workers tend to do it from the front lines by going into people’s homes to help those with disabilities and illnesses take care of themselves, for instance by helping them bathe and prepare food.

A lot of people who require home care are lonely and don’t get much of a chance to interact with people, so home care workers also tend to brighten up people’s days by having conversations with them and asking plenty of questions.

Non Profits

If your skills are more office and business based then why not consider working for a charity or a non-profit instead of a big corporation? The wages may not be as high but you’ll come home every night knowing that you’ve done something really important and contributed to the world in a significant way.

Consider which causes are important to you – animals, disabilities, children, etc – and choose a non-profit that focuses on something that you feel really passionate about.

This post has been contributed by Ryan Gatt, it may contain affiliate links.