IQ, IQ Tests, Jobs By IQ, How Does It Matter?

IQ is a fascinating subject and one that is perhaps tested more than it should be for people’s own good. Nevertheless, the internet, as we all know, is a never-ending plethora of bullshit facts, well-researched articles and fascinating information to enhance our minds.

Since I’m a particular sucker for infographics and well-made lists the one below caught my eye.

It is very long which in itself is quite impressive. The subject is the average IQ of people who work in various occupations. Cool, I just couldn’t resist looking up the average IQ for all the jobs and careers that I had ever considered let alone worked.

Naturally, the list made an impression on me. So here it is in its entirety for all of you to scan. I’ll give you a few minutes and meet you at the bottom.

Average IQ represented by the people working in surveyed occupations: (Listed from highest to lowest IQ level.) 

Careercast: Jobs Rated Methodology 2011 Report.

Dolphins: known for their intelligence and I love them!

As a refresher and for interest sake here is the breakdown of how each IQ score is rated:

(Wilderdom.com)

p.s. Everyone always wants to know:

• Einstein is considered to have had an IQ of around 160.
• Dr. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds is said to have an IQ of 187.  (wikipedia.com)
• 115-124 IQ is considered above average! (If you went to University you are above average!)
• 140-145 IQ is considered where Genius starts and includes 25% of the world’s population. (Good for us!)

Wilderdom.com

In all fairness, I must be honest and admit my slight prejudice against IQ testing and numbers. In particular, I object to the suggestion that IQ is a measurement of a person’s superiority, greater odds of having a successful life, and increased health or happiness.

My father was obsessed with IQ (mostly his own) and spent his entire life seeking recognition for having a high IQ, only keeping company with people of similar IQs and sneering at those who were at lower IQ levels. However, he was a miserable, unhealthy dysfunctional individual.

I have successfully managed to avoid any IQ testing my entire life and am proud not to be one of my late Father’s numbers.

Moving on. There are a few things that caught my eye on this list and prompt me to wonder about the accuracy of the list or perhaps the appropriate requirements for certain occupations:

• Childcare Workers and Teacher’s aides are almost at the bottom of the list and fall under the “dullness” level of IQ scores! Pardon? These people are responsible for the safety and teaching of our children. Garbage collectors, plasterers, and forklift operators supposedly have higher IQs. This situation has to be wrong on so many levels.
• If your occupation choice is to stay home with your children and be a homemaker you are considered “dull.” Almost all of the duties of a homemaker coincidentally fall at the low end of the IQ standard.
• Surgeons have an average IQ of 234.1 and Physicians an average of 161.1. That’s a difference of 73 points! The difference itself represents a number that could equal one person’s IQ itself! I worked in Nursing to get myself through University and got to know a lot of dumb surgeons and brilliant physicians. To keep things polite I will limit myself to saying this has to be a typo.
• I consider the occupations of Doctor and Corporate Executive as generally potential careers and, therefore, am surprised that they are in the Genius category. I must be very naive because I must say I presumed for some reason that people with Genius IQs would usually have extraordinary and unique occupations.
• Understandably the vast majority of occupations have only very small deviations in IQ scores and are in the average or normal classification.
• However…….
• A Roustabout is listed under the average IQ range along with a lot of other occupations that require different education or training. However, according to Dic.ref.com, a Roustabout is an unskilled labourer who lives by odd jobs. Does this sound like it requires, at least, an average IQ?
• The average level does need to be subdivided into a lot of smaller categories. Is it feasible that it takes approximately the same amount of intelligence to work as a:
• Receptionist
• Butcher
• Telephone Operator
• Typist
• Painter
• Bus Driver
• Newspaper Reporter
• Plasterer
• Flight Attendant
• Sheet Metal Worker
• Insurance Agent
• Bricklayer
• Teacher
• Mail Carrier
• Anthropologist
• Registered Nurse
• Sociologist
• Chiropractor
• Veterinarian and…..
• Psychologist!!!!!

I certainly don’t want my neighbourhood Butcher or Brick Layer doing surgery on my precious pets the same as a veterinarian who has gone through years of schooling. In turn, I don’t want a plasterer administering medical treatment to me like an RN, who again has received years of education.

I’ll let you know from personal experience that a Sheet Metal Worker (my husband started out in this position) is the worst candidate for the occupation of a psychologist or anyone who has to think about anything concerning people’s thinking and emotions.

Please don’t get me wrong, I have a great respect for skilled labours Also I admire those that dedicate themselves to occupations that require much more than my horrible lack of patience and attention span could ever offer.

It’s the basic concept of slotting people into cubby holes based on arbitrary numbers from tests made up by only certain people that I question. I hate focusing on only one element of a person and then naming them that thing. We, as people, are a million different combinations of things and that, in essence, is what makes us, us.