Dive Brief:

• Data-driven jobs are among the best for pay and growth outlook, according to a new CareerCast report.
• Data scientist, with an average annual salary of $118,370 and a growth outlook of 19%, took the top spot; statistician and information security analyst ranked high as well. CareerCast identified the worst jobs as taxi driver, logging worker, disc jockey, and newspaper reporter because they often include high stress, a poor work environment, a negative occupational outlook and a low salary.
• "The importance of skilled information security analysts cannot be overstated, whether it’s protecting our individual data or preventing interference in elections," CareerCast said in a press release. However, "some of the most important jobs to our society land in the bottom 10, like Enlisted Military Personnel and Newspaper Reporter," noted Kyle Kensing, the company's online content editor. "These are necessary jobs that, for those with the ability to face the challenges, are especially rewarding."

Dive Insight:

The results may come as no surprise to HR professionals working to fill data-driven jobs. Job openings for artificial intelligence workers, for example, rose by 63% between January and September of 2018, according to a recent report from CompTIA.

Recruiting efforts are being hampered by several factors. Tech is evolving faster than education, for one, leading some employers to prioritize workers with soft skills, opting to train them in other tasks the job. HR also faces a growing number of college graduates who are reportedly pursuing fields like the arts and social services over others. Recent findings from Indeed show job seekers just out of college are less drawn to jobs in business and finance — including data-driven positions like actuary and statistician.

This may well be attributable to the point that CareerCast makes — a drive for rewarding work. Pay and growth opportunities may always be crucial for workers, but work with a purpose can be a boon for engagement. In fact, most college students said jobs that contribute to society are important or very important to them in a College Pulse report released Monday. "Employers and brands need to know that money alone is not what will motivate America's future workforce," said Terren Klein, the company's CEO in a statement. "We are entering the age of the socially-conscious professional."

Employers, then, have their work cut out for them. HR professionals can help employees find purpose by, among other things, setting goals, creating professional development plans and fostering a sense of pride in the organization, experts previously told HR Dive.