21 jobs that help people (With salaries and duties)

Updated 31 July 2023

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Text reads "What are some jobs for helping people?" next to four symbols representing different jobs that involve helping people, which are:

a medical symbol with the word "Paramedic"
a graduation cap with the word "Teacher"
a barbell with the word "Personal trainer"
a firefighter's hat with the word "Firefighter"

Some of the most fulfilling careers available are those founded on helping others. There are many careers across the UK's various industries that allow you to help people, be that directly or indirectly. Find a role that is suited to your skills is the best way to help the most amount of people. In this article, we outline jobs that help people, their responsibilities and average salary.

Jobs that help people

When it comes to finding jobs that help people, it's important to remember that helpfulness appears in many forms. You could be reactively saving someone's life as a health care professional, proactively making changes to the welfare system as a charity worker, and everything in-between. Regardless of the job you choose, a job that helps others can be highly rewarding.

What skills do you need in jobs that help others?

In any career that helps people, it's essential that you have the necessary interpersonal skills. This allows you to thrive in your role and maximise the effectiveness of the help you provide. While the individual technical skills required vary from role to role, these interpersonal skills are beneficial in any job that is helpful to others:

teamwork
communication
problem-solving
compassion
patience
time management
conflict resolution

What jobs help people?

Here are 21 helpful jobs that can see you make a positive difference in society and their average salaries.

1. Teaching assistant

National average salary: £71.54 per day
Primary duties: A teaching assistant provides support within the classroom environment. Duties include getting the classroom ready for a lesson, listening to children read and helping students with their tasks. Teaching assistants are also responsible for helping the teacher to manage the behaviour of students.

2. Teacher

National average salary: £16,247 per year
Primary duties: A teacher is responsible for educating students based on the provided national curriculum, either in a particular subject or on multiple depending on the level of education taught. Other duties include grading work, creating teaching resources and arranging supplementary tuition where needed.

3. Translator

National average salary: £15.47 per hour
Primary duties: Translators are fluent in at least one other language and competent in reading through provided material in order to translate it into the desired new language. Translators may also be responsible for the provision of subtitles on media, such as film, video games, streamed videos and more.

4. School counsellor

National average salary: £24,649 per year
Primary duties: A school counsellor collaborates with other staff members, such as teachers, to ensure the well-being of students. This includes the creation and implementation of additional studying plans, the facilitation of a mental health support system when needed and the tracking of student progress.

5. Personal trainer

National average salary: £26,138 per year
Primary duties: A personal trainer is a specialist fitness trainer that works with individuals to help them achieve their fitness goals. Whether that is to lose weight, gain mass or improve general stamina and endurance levels, a trainer creates tailored plans to help clients achieve their aims.

6. Police officer

National average salary: £27,542 per year
Primary duties: A police officer protects both lives and property through the enforcement of UK law. Police officers can expect to undertake regular patrols within a designated area, respond to calls from a dispatcher, conduct criminal investigations and complete the accompanying paperwork.

7. Nutritionist

National average salary: £28,220 per year
Primary duties: A nutritionist evaluates the nutritional requirements of their clients and designs an eating plan accordingly. Nutritionists also take into account any fitness goals and dietary requirements, alongside providing support and guidance throughout a client's eating journey.

8. Environmental engineer

National average salary: £30,084 per year
Primary duties: An environmental engineer conducts site assessments to determine the impact that the site has on the surrounding environment. This is done to make businesses and their practices more ecologically friendly. Other duties include carrying out audits, writing up assessment reports and recommending greener strategies for the future.

9. Fundraising manager

National average salary: £32,109 per year
Primary duties: A fundraising manager leads a team of fundraisers via the organisation of fundraising strategies, often for a charity or other social cause. Other duties of a fundraising manager include the recruitment of new volunteers, creating and deploying publicity materials and tracking financial input and output.

10. Psychologist

National average salary: £34,480 per year
Primary duties: A psychologist assesses clients to evaluate their psychological status. This can involve the creation and provision of psychometric tests. Psychologists often collaborate with other health care providers to determine the most suitable course of treatment for a patient, such as treatment therapy.

11. Paramedic

National average salary: £34,651 per year
Primary duties: A paramedic responds to emergency 999 calls by driving safely and quickly to the scene. Once there, they assess the patient and provide the necessary diagnoses, administer medication, carry out emergency treatment and transport the patient to the hospital if required.

Related: How to Become a Paramedic

12. Rehabilitation specialist

National average salary: £34,773 per year
Primary duties: A rehabilitation specialist is responsible for the assessment and diagnosing of a person dealing with some kind of long-term issue. Depending on their type of specialism, a rehabilitation specialist may look at several aspects of a person's state, including medical, mental, physical and social functions. They can then proceed to recommend the necessary course of care.

13. Physiotherapist

National average salary: £35,531 per year
Primary duties: A psychotherapist offers therapy sessions to those with some form of psychological disorder or mental trauma. Psychotherapists are encouraging to patients, provide a productive and comfortable environment for them to receive therapies and continually assess their progress.

14. Barrister

National average salary: £38,833 per year
Primary duties: A barrister is a legal professional that provides legal support and advocating people during court proceedings. The duties of a barrister include researching cases prior to representing clients in court, writing out legal documents and consulting with clients to discuss proceedings during their case.

15. Social worker

National average salary: £43,461 per year
Primary duties: A social worker supports families by providing the required resources and advice to help solve their issues, be that divorce or a disruptive household. Social workers de-escalate situations during meetings, advocate for the healthiest outcome and refer clients to any additional support services.

Related: How To Become a Social Worker

16. Solicitor

National average salary: £43,921 per year
Primary duties: A solicitor is primarily responsible for providing legal support to their clients. They also liaise with other professionals on behalf of clients in regards to any upcoming or ongoing legal disputes. Unlike barristers, they typically only represent their clients outside of court.

17. Pharmacist

National average salary: £44,961 per year
Primary duties: A pharmacist dispenses drugs to people based on their prescription and offers advice on the use of over-the-counter medicines to treat symptoms or ailments. Pharmacists also advise customers on the side effects and intended dosage of medication, meaning they need intricate knowledge of pharmaceutical drugs.

18. Cybersecurity analyst

National average salary: £47,614 per year
Primary duties: A cybersecurity analyst needs to continually evaluate ongoing and emerging threats to the security of a business's technological infrastructures. These threats are typically hacking or viruses. Additionally, cybersecurity analysts frequently create contingency plans in the event of a cyber attack and monitor any unauthorised or other suspicious activity.

19. Dentist

National average salary: £65,031 per year
Primary duties: A dentist is responsible for maintaining and correcting the dental health of clients, either on a public or private basis. Daily tasks may include the inspection of the teeth and gums, filling in cavities, pulling teeth out or cleaning teeth to prevent the build-up of tartar and plaque.

20. General Practitioner

National average salary: £65,889 per year
Primary duties: A general practitioner (GP) treats many common medical conditions, carries out assessments and recommends further courses of action if required. GPs also oversee the prescription of medication and correspond with other health care professionals.

21. Paediatrician

National average salary: £92,199 per year
Primary duties: A paediatrician typically assesses children in order to determine their individual needs. This includes recommending learning support, offering further physical testing for a disability or recommending a treatment plan to address a child's problem. Paediatricians may also prescribe medication or suggest additional therapies.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at the time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.