Published on January 28th, 2019
Just how hard would it be to land your dream job? Well, if it’s on this list, chances are it’ll be quite a challenge!
Whether you’re on the hunt for a new job or a career path, or you’re simply interested to see what some of those challenging positions are, check out our collection of the hardest jobs to get in 2018.
1. Lowest Odds 
These hardest jobs made the list because the odds of being selected for a position are extremely low.
Astronaut
If it was your childhood dream to see the stars, I have bad news for you: the chance of your application being selected is only 0.6%. There surprisingly aren’t any strict educational requirements (several have had only bachelor’s degrees). However, the low demand and lengthy application process secure it as a spot on our hardest jobs list.
Athlete
This is another popular dream career that also has low odds. Depending on the sport, your chances range from 0.03% to 0.4% (baseball has the highest chances). And, of course, you’ll also need some serious skills to even be considered.
2. Fewest on Record
These hardest jobs have the fewest recorded employees according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Prosthodontist
With only 430 recorded as of 2017, prosthodontists are quite rare. But what’s in the job description? Prosthodontists create oral prosthetics to replace missing oral structures (usually teeth).
There are so few because it’s extremely specialized. But it’s actually considered one of the best careers of 2018, with a median salary of $185,150 and a 19% employment growth rate.
Private Household Cooks
If you want to be a chef for your favorite celebrity, there’s stiff competition: only 500 private household cooks were recorded in 2017. But with a mean annual wage of only $42,990, maybe this is a career you should try to avoid pursuing.
3. Most Education Required
These hardest jobs require a lot more schooling than just a college degree.
Specialized Doctors
No surprise here. Jobs requiring lengthy education are typically in the medical profession. Many of these jobs pay big—anesthesiologists, oral surgeons, and orthodontists all make over $200,000 per year on average. However, they all require years of schooling as well as specialized training.
Scientists
Scientific jobs also require lengthy education (again, not very surprising). Physicists astronomers, geneticists, and molecular biologists all require a Ph.D. and specialized training.
But if you want to go into these fields, be careful. While the amount of schooling is similar to the medical field, they pay much less and have a slower or declining job growth rate.
4. Hardest Jobs to Qualify For
With these hardest jobs, you’ll have to be the best of the best to qualify.
Chief Executive
The good news is companies and organizations in all fields require chief executives—and they make serious bank (the average is $764,800). So if you’re looking for a late-in-life career change, this option may be appealing.
The bad news? It can be almost impossible to land one of these senior level positions. You’ll have to have plenty of education, experience, and personal relationships to land the job.
If you’re serious about trying to land one of these top positions, you might want to hire one of the 10 Best Resume Writers to boost your chances.
President of the United States
This job is both difficult to qualify for and has only one position. The requirements alone disqualify a large portion of the population.
And even if you’re qualified, it’s highly unlikely you’ll get selected. Although it helps to have experience as a lawyer or senator, you’ll also need to win the election. And if you have any blemishes on your record, you can kiss your chances goodbye.
5. Don’t Be Discouraged!
Just because landing these careers is a challenge doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try!
If you’re trying to land one of the hardest jobs of 2018 or just changing things up with your career, check out these 10 hacks to land a dream job in the digital age. Not sure which one to choose? Check out our guide on how to figure out what career is the best for you.
