You may place no importance on your birth order or the alignment of the stars and planets. But a CareerBuilder.com survey of more than 8,700 workers provides some food for thought.
The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, found that first-born children are more likely than their siblings to earn $100,000 or more per year. Last-born children are least likely to earn six figures. Other career tidbits regarding birth order:
First-born children—more likely to be drawn to the professions of government, engineering, pharmacy, and science; more likely to hold senior management positions or be vice presidents
Middle children—more likely to work in nursing, law enforcement, firefighting, and machine operation; more likely to identify with professional/technical staff level positions
Last-born children—more likely to become artists/designers, salespeople, and information technologists; more likely to hold administrative or clerical positions
When it comes to how the stars affect the wallet, the study found that the astrological signs of Scorpio, Leo, Taurus, and Cancer were more likely to be paid $100,000 or more annually; Aquarius and Capricorn signs were among those most likely to earn $35,000 or less.
Below are the fields we’re drawn to based on astrological signs:
• Aquarius—sales, military, engineering, mechanic, food preparation, facilities management, transportation
• Pisces—social work, personal care, IT, facilities management, mechanic
• Aries—government, construction, hotel/recreation, IT, education, transportation
• Taurus—nursing, engineering, attorney/judge, marketing/public relations, higher education
• Gemini—art/design/architecture, nursing and personal care, sales, law enforcement, firefighting, machine operation
• Cancer—government, legal services, advertising, higher education, machine operation, transportation, military
• Leo—government, legal services, art/design/architecture, engineering, entertainment, real estate, education
• Virgo—social work, sales, hotel/recreation, editing/writing, food preparation
• Libra—social work, government, advertising, machine operation, law enforcement, firefighting, sales, education
• Scorpio—legal services, engineering, science, education, construction, skilled trades
• Sagittarius—editing/writing, marketing/public relations, entertainment, hotel/recreation, IT, military
• Capricorn—art/design/architecture, nursing, science, IT, sales, farming, food preparation