“Occupational Choice and Happiness”

There is a growing amount of interest in studying the reasons why some people are happier than others. This thesis examines the relationship between the occupational choice of an individual and the influence this choice has on his or her happiness. In addition to studying the difference in happiness levels, life and job satisfaction are examined. Finally, possible differences in these levels were examined between Northern and Southern Europe. For this empirical analysis, data is used from the European Values Study (EVS). Data analysis was performed using ordered logistic regression. The results showed that occupational choice does not have an influence on either happiness or life satisfaction. Self-employment, however, has a significant positive influence on job satisfaction. Additionally when comparing Northern and Southern Europe, the influence of occupational choice on happiness was significant for Northern Europe, yet not for Southern Europe. Hence, by lowering entry barriers for aspiring entrepreneurs, the level of job satisfaction in the population may rise. Similar effects might be obtained for happiness levels in Northern Europe.