Best Jobs For People With Low IQ (And Jobs To Avoid)

 

Imagine struggling to read, write, understand directions, communicate effectively, comprehend conversations, and grasp new concepts. These are obstacles that someone with low IQ confronts every day. IQ deficiencies, and the stigma against them can make finding employment painfully difficult. Yet there are jobs for people with low IQ. In this article, we’ll share some of the best ones and flag the ones to avoid.First, though, let’s get an understanding of what low IQ is…

WHAT IS IQ?

IQ, or intelligence quotient, is a score that measures human intelligence. [source] Developed by Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon, the test measures a person’s ability to think, reason, and solve problems. IQ covers seven areas of intelligence:

Language Skills

This includes measuring the ability to recognize words whose letters have been rearranged or selecting a word that doesn’t match a sequence of words.A sample question could be:Rearrange the following letters to form a word: FADLOFDI.The answer is DAFFODIL.

Mathematical Ability

The ability to solve problems and use logic.A sample question could be:Which number comes next in this series: 10, 17, 26, 37, ?The answer is 50. (Beginning with 3, each number in the series is a square of the succeeding number plus 1.)

Spatial Reasoning

The ability to discern various shapes.A sample question could be:The test-taker must select a pattern that completes a series of patterns.

Perceptual/Visual Skills

The ability to process visual material and glean information from it.A sample question could be:The test-taker must choose a figure that isn’t like the others.

Classification Skills

The ability to group items according to specified criteria.A sample question could be:Which word is a misfit in the following group: Tibetan, Carstensz, Denali, Elbrus, Everest, Vinson, Kilimanjaro.The answer is Tibetan. (Tibetan is a plateau, while the others are mountain peaks.)

Logical Reasoning Skills

Forming conclusions from supplied information.A sample question could be:The day after the day after tomorrow is four days before Monday. What day is today?The answer is Monday. (Four days before Monday is Thursday, simply because four days after Thursday is Monday. Besides, the day after the day after tomorrow is Thursday only if the present day is Monday.)

Pattern Recognition Skills

This is the ability to recognize patterns in a chaotic environment.A sample question could be:If NEW YORK can be encrypted as PGYAQTM, how can you code the word CHARLOTTE?The answer is EJCTNQVVG. (Each letter in the original word is forwarded two places in alphabetical order to get the encrypted word.)

HOW IS IQ CALCULATED?

IQ scores are tallied in a points system. The higher numbers denote higher intelligence, and the lower numbers indicate the opposite:

Above 130

Someone with a score of 130 or more is considered to be a genius. People with this score comprise only 2.1 percent of the population. They include:

• Ainan Celeste Cawley – Ainan was a child prodigy and has an astonishing IQ of 263.
• Marilyn Vos Savant – The brilliant Parade Magazine columnist’s IQ is 228.
• Albert Einstein – The genius behind the theory of relativity had an IQ of 160.
• Jeffrey Dahmer – Ironically, the notorious serial killer had an impressive IQ of 144.
• James Woods – Yes, that James Woods! The renowned actor has an IQ of 180.

Some people with exceptional intelligence join Mensa, an organization for the intellectually rare 98th percentile of the population. Mensa looks for members who have remarkable verbal, spatial, and mathematical reasoning.

121 – 130

People in this range are considered to be gifted. They comprise 6.4 percent of the population.

111 – 120

People scoring between 111 and 120 have above average intelligence. They make up 15.7 percent of the population.

90 – 110

This score indicates average intelligence. Most people, or 51.6 percent of the population, are in this spectrum.

80 – 89

People chalking up an IQ in this range are below average and encompass 15.7 percent of the population. They’re typically at the threshold of normal independent functioning.

79 or Below

This score indicates the person is mentally disabled and applies to 6.4 percent of the population.

Although not across the board, some people with low intelligence may have these traits:

• Lack of deep, logical thinking
• No awareness of cause and effect
• Childlike thought processes, actions, and reactions (although these people are often happy, uncomplicated and very loving)
• Trouble grasping complex ideas
• Difficulty with abstract concepts
• Minimal analytical skills
• Very comfortable with a routine
• Thrive on repetitive tasks

WORST JOBS FOR PEOPLE WITH LOW IQ

Although these jobs may strike someone with average intelligence as simple to master and perform, they could be unfeasible for someone with a low IQ:

• Mailroom clerk – Mailrooms tend to be chaotic, with lots of commotion and distractions. Incoming mail must be sorted and placed in the employee’s mailboxes or distributed throughout the office. Outgoing mail must be sorted and run through the postage machine, and the weight of large packages must be calculated.Rushing to get overnight mail out by a strict deadline is also nerve-racking. A mailroom, with its intense attention to detail, multi-tasking, and whirlwind pace, is off-limits for someone with a low IQ.

• Bellhop – Bellhops, also called bell porters, are responsible for helping hotel guests with their luggage, while they’re checking in or out. This sounds simple, but it involves visual association of guests with their luggage, memorization of room numbers, and the ability to place the right luggage in the right rooms.Bellhops must be good communicators too. They need to be capable of exchanging pleasantries with visitors while escorting them to their rooms or diffusing conflicts along the way. Although people with low IQs may have the physical strength bellhops need, the mastery of dialog and non-linear thinking rules out employment as a bellhop.

• Movie theater ticket-taker – What could be simpler than taking tickets at a theater? Actually, ticket-takers do more than collect admission tickets. If a customer hasn’t bought a ticket in advance, someone with a low IQ must be able to understand money and math so they can know whether they’ve received the correct amount.They also need to know if they should provide change and how to calculate it. In some theaters, the ticket takers may also run the concession stand. This multitasking, along with handling cash, probably isn’t good for someone with a low IQ.

• Childcare – Who would be best suited to care for children than someone who has a childlike mentality? As ideal as that seems, childcare isn’t a good fit for someone with a low IQ. It involves multitasking and keeping tabs on many children all at once.The low-IQ individual may have to perform duties beyond their capabilities, including reading to children, teaching them arts and crafts, preparing food, and even changing diapers. Childcare is a job that someone with a low IQ should bypass.

• Coat room attendant – This would seem like a perfect job for someone with a low IQ, but the devil is in the details. The coat-check employee takes coats and other garments at establishments and events. Then they provide the customer with a ticket that matches the one on the stored garments.Although this seems simple, the ticket must be matched with the number on the garment when the customer retrieves it. This process could confuse and overwhelm someone with a low IQ.

BEST JOBS FOR PEOPLE WITH A LOW IQ

People with low IQs face unique challenges when seeking employment. However, there are job opportunities where a low IQ doesn’t matter. Here are some of them:

• Dishwasher – A dishwasher position can be a good fit for someone with a low IQ because no formal education is required. Since dishwashing is repetitive, it’s the type of task that’s gratifying and comfortable for a person with a low IQ. Bussers simply bring them dirty dishes, which they load into the large dish trays of commercial washers. Sometimes larger pots and pans don’t fit and must be hand-washed, which is another simple, linear task.

• Grocery bagger – Grocery bagging is a job that doesn’t require much intellectual prowess or aptitude for complexities. Baggers simply put groceries in bags and place those bags in a shopping cart. They may also have to round up carts and roll them back to where they belong.Some people with low IQs enjoy being around others, and being a grocery bagger can give them that opportunity.

• Janitor – This is a simple-to-learn, easy occupation. It’s often looked down upon, but it’s actually a noble profession. After all, janitors clean up other people’s messes. As a janitor, a person with low IQ needs very little supervision, and they perform rote tasks such as cleaning floors and windows, emptying trash cans, cleaning bathrooms and keeping them stocked with soap, toilet paper, and paper towels.No formal education is required, and since janitors work in every setting from schools to stores to corporations, they’ll always be in demand.

• Assembly line worker – This job can meet a low-IQ person’s need for, and enjoyment of, repetitive, predictable activities. Since they focus all their attention on a single action, they’re apt to do it well. They’ll be patient enough to do an unvarying task for long periods without getting bored. No special skills are required to be an assembly line worker.

• Shampooer – Shampooer is another super-simple job that someone with a low IQ can easily do. Some hair salons have employees whose sole job is to shampoo and condition customers’ hair. They may even do relaxing mini scalp massages.There’s virtually no learning curve for a shampooer, and if the low-IQ person enjoys being around people, they’ll see new faces all day long. Decent clients will even offer the customary $3 to $5 tip, regardless of the person’s IQ.

• Car wash attendant – Someone with a low IQ is very likely to adapt to working as a car wash attendant. Duties including washing and waxing, applying tire dressings, and vacuuming car interiors. They must home in on a few tasks, rather than focusing on the big picture. While some car washes require their attendants to have a high school diploma or GED, many don’t.

• Fruit picker – Fruit picking is a labor-intensive job that relies heavily on hand-picking. Machinery isn’t used for this task since fruit is usually fragile and must be handled delicately. It’s a repetitive, physical job that requires little thought to do it well.Much of this work will be done with ground-level plants. However, if heights aren’t a problem for the low-IQ person, they’ll simply need to go up and down a ladder to pick tree fruit such as apples, oranges, and peaches.

• Lawn mowing and simple lawn care – Any kid who’s mowed neighbors’ lawns during summer break will tell you, “anyone can do it.” This includes anyone with a low IQ. Pushing a lawnmower, emptying grass-filled bags and tidying up clippings are all easy tasks and are done the same way over and over again.Neighbors are a great place to start asking for business. They’re already familiar with the low-IQ person and trust them. As word of mouth spreads, the individual may mow several lawns a day. As long as there’s grass, the grass will keep growing and will need someone to cut it.

• Survey taking – Online survey taking is a great, easy-to-understand way for someone with a low IQ to make extra money. Surveys are conducted by companies to get a better idea of consumers’ needs and how they can meet them. Experience and formal education aren’t required.To participate, the low-IQ individual sets up a profile and is then emailed surveys to complete. If they have difficulty using the internet or email, a family member or caregiver can help with the signup process (this guide provides you with all the details). After that, it’s a matter of simply clicking on answers to multiple-choice questions. This fits their need for simple, repetitive tasks, and even a desire to feel like they’re doing something special and important for other people.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!

What jobs for people with low IQ would you recommend? Leave your comments below!