Today's Most Glamorous Jobs

CAREERBUILDER WRITER

It's not that working a nine-to-five desk job is dull (free coffee every day + annual company booze cruise = awesome), but let's face it, it wouldn't hurt to spice things up a little. Some professions just seem inherently glamorous, whether they involve perks like free world travel and exclusive party invites or the nature of the work simply commands esteem. A recent Salary.com survey of more than 800 people found that these five professions are perceived to be the most glamorous jobs today:

CAREERBUILDER WRITER

It's not that working a nine-to-five desk job is dull (free coffee every day + annual company booze cruise = awesome), but let's face it, it wouldn't hurt to spice things up a little. Some professions just seem inherently glamorous, whether they involve perks like free world travel and exclusive party invites or the nature of the work simply commands esteem. A recent Salary.com survey of more than 800 people found that these five professions are perceived to be the most glamorous jobs today:

1. Fashion Designer

The pay: $39,649/year*

The allure: Traveling to Paris and Milan where you can dress up models as if they were your very own real-life Barbie dolls and network with the likes of Tom Ford, Donna Karan and Karl Lagerfeld wouldn't suck. And if one day you could say that you dressed George Clooney for the Academy Awards, well, that's just the antique lace trim on the vintage couture gown.

The reality: Before you can become big enough to have your people call Lagerfeld's people, you need a degree in fashion design and extensive knowledge about textiles and fashion trends. Competition for jobs is extremely high, and breaking into the industry can be difficult for even the most talented newbies.

-- Find Fashion Industry Jobs

2. Surgeon

The pay: $239,742/year

The allure: Having the ability to change or save someone's life inspires awe in everyone you know -- including yourself. And if 'Grey's Anatomy' or 'House' are any indication, there will be no lack of pulse-pounding drama or sexual tension in your life.

The reality: Hard to believe, life in an actual hospital will be far from what you see during sweeps week on network TV. Aspiring surgeons should be aware of the rigorous education, training and work their jobs will involve. On top of earning an undergraduate degree, completing four years of medical school, and spending three to eight years completing an internship and residency, they should expect to work an average of 60 hours per week.

-- Find Jobs in Healthcare

3. Airline Pilot

The pay: $59,308/year

The allure: Not only do you work flexible hours and get paid to travel all over the world, you get the adrenaline rush of controlling an airplane. And maybe, just maybe, people will start to call you 'Maverick.'

The reality: Becoming a commercial airline pilot requires 250 hours of flight experience and a commercial pilot's license issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. Training and flight instructor courses can cost from $50,000 to $70,000.

-- Find Airline Jobs

4. Photographer

The pay: $27,850/year

The allure: A typical day on the job involves meeting high-profile celebrities, traveling to exotic locales and seeing your work on the cover of Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair. Could you BE any cooler?

The reality: Most photographers start off on pretty modest pay as assistants and work their way up. If you're not persistent about pursuing work and marketing yourself, Glamour Shots might be as glamorous as it gets.

-- Find Photography Jobs

5. Investment Banker

The pay: $60,236/year

The allure: You're drunk with power, playing a key role in shaping the national and world economies, managing multi-billion dollar corporate mergers, and handling the transfer of government assets around the world. All the while, you get to travel all over the world on a six-figure salary.

The reality: The corporate merger/world travel/six-figure paycheck aspect comes at the highest level of the job, and investment bankers typically need an MBA before they begin to work their way up. And while the work is interesting, it can be far from glamorous. Working 70 hours or more a week is standard, and staying up all night to close a deal isn't unusual.

-- >Find Jobs in Investment Banking

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