What makes a job frightening? Imminent danger? Public speaking? Eerie surroundings? As Halloween approaches, American workers voted on the scariest profession, choosing careers ranging from the death-defying (firefighter) to the potentially humiliating (stand-up comedian). The nationwide survey was conducted by Harris Interactive for CareerBuilder. The scariest jobs are:
| Bomb Squad Technician | High School Teacher |
| High Rise Window Washer | Cemetery Worker |
| Armed Forces | Exterminator |
| Miner | Stand-Up Comedian |
| Police Officer | Animal Control |
| Alaskan Crab Fishing | Stunt Person |
| Mortician | Politician |
| Firefighter |
While most Americans won’t find themselves in any of the above careers, aspects of their own jobs can keep them on edge. More than a third of workers say layoffs are what they are most afraid of at work. Other work-related issues that may keep workers up at night include:
| Pay cuts – 13% | Forced relocation – 4% |
| Workload – 9% | The boss – 3% |
| Presenting in front of other people – 9% |
