The world's most boring jobs revealed

No job is a thrill-a-minute every day. Even when we love what we do, we can hit the odd slump where we'd pay good money for the opportunity to watch paint dry instead. For those people who have found a job they like, these moments are few and far between. However, for those in the world's most boring jobs, it's the norm. So what are the dullest jobs in the world?

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A study by salary benchmarking site Emolument.com identified the most boring jobs. At the top of the list was 'legal jobs', where 81% of people say they are bored at work. The researchers said the repetitive work faced by many junior lawyers researching cases and rulings may be partly to blame.

They are followed by project managers - 78% of whom are bored. Support functions like assistants and office managers don't fare much better either, because 71% of them say work is boring.

The top ten most boring jobs
Legal jobs 81%
Project management 78%
Support functions 71%
Finance control 68%
Consulting and accounting 67%
Financial services and banking 67%
Engineering 64%
Sales 61%
Marketing and communications 60%
IT 56%

For those who assume that climbing the greasy pole at work will lead to a more thrilling life, the researchers had more bad news. While 66% of entry level staff are bored, so are 65% of junior managers and CEOs.

However, you can console yourself with the fact that things could be worse, because the UK is only mid-table when it comes to boredom at work - with 64% of people saying they are bored. This compares to 83% in the UAE and Italy, 74% in the US and 70% in Singapore.

What can you really do?

In some cases, boredom was always going to be part of the equation. Some people are willing to take on work that's dull by its very nature, in return for good wages. Certainly the researchers found that UAE workers on high salaries were prepared to tolerate a higher level of boredom, because they didn't want to lose their inflated salaries.

Alternatively, boredom may be a sign you are stuck in a role you really ought to have moved on from. The researchers suggest that this may be the case in Italy, where uncertainty in the economy has encouraged people to hang onto jobs they have outgrown for fear they may not get another one.

If this is the case, it's worth talking to your manager before you make a move, and asking whether there are opportunities within the role. A new project or opportunity may pique your interest. If there's no flexibility within your job at the moment, it might be time to dust off your CV and look for a more exciting role elsewhere.

Changing your job may simply be a case of moving with the industry to find something that's more rewarding, or a company with a more interesting culture. In some cases, however, boredom may be the result of being in the wrong job altogether.

It's never easy to admit you have made a mistake, and make a change. In some instances it will mean going back into training, or accepting a far lower salary. However, if you feel you are bored at work because you're in completely the wrong place, you have to ask yourself whether you are prepared to take a hit in the short term for a chance at happiness at work - or sign up to decades of dullness.