We can learn a lot about ourselves from knowing our Chinese zodiac sign. Chinese astrology, similar to Western astrology, bestow us with a special sign according to our unique birth date. Unlike Western astrology, Chinese astrology goes by year, not month, and each sign is an animal that encompasses its own individual qualities.
Because each animal’s qualities are so unique, it stands to reason that this individuality can lead to specific jobs and careers. Finding out in more detail our own innate talents and gifts can help us find the path to our dream job.
We may think to ourselves, “Oh, I want to be an actress” or, “I want to be a chef,” but are these goals due to who we truly are as people, or have we been influenced by our surroundings and the thoughts of others?
It can be hard, no matter what stage you are at in your life, to know exactly who you want to be and where you want to go in life. Why not get some ideas from the ancient wisdom of the Chinese zodiac?
Don’t know your Chinese Zodiac sign? Discover yours on our Chinese Astrology Overview page.
Discover Which Career is Best Suited for You, Based on Your Chinese Zodiac Sign!
Here are some careers that are frequently linked to each Chinese zodiac sign. Of course, this doesn’t mean you need to quit your job, but it may help clue you into your natural strengths or help you understand why you always wanted to do something. You can also compare these results to your free horoscope to see how aligned they are.
It can be fun to look up people you know well and see how this system really is accurate to their unique personalities. What other types of careers come to mind for you as you read this information about yourself that may not be listed? Obviously there are so many jobs out there, but many of them have similar characteristics.
Rat
Years of the Rat: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
Rat’s Strengths: Rats are expressive, charming, and talkative. They are loving and loyal.
Rats are incredibly astute and methodical individuals. Therefore, they best suit careers that can utilize these gifts to their fullest extent. Though they are not particularly prone to leadership positions, they make excellent second-in-commands as they are reliable and dedicated. They often become a lawyer or because of their charisma, their gregarious manner makes them great managers and they are natural salespeople.
Anything in the financial sector is a winner for them; Rats are good with money – and other people’s! They also make excellent doctors due to their methodical approach; anything on the ‘scholarly’ side such as researcher, lecturer, or professor is also very good for them.
Ox
Years of the Ox: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033
Oxen’s Strengths: Oxes are persistent, hardworking, and see things through. They are also patient, loyal, and caring.
Ox people have fantastic abilities when it comes to routine and structure. This is the sign that will plod along diligently, year in, year out. They tend not to hop from one role to the other as stability is important to them. This sign is modest and persistent and suits roles where they can put these gifts to their best use. Lawyers, editors, and teachers would be ideal roles for them.
They also do very well in customer service roles as they have a great deal of patience and will often find jobs that allow them to work from home, which means they’ll often take jobs like editing and writing. Sometimes an Ox can elevate to management and will ensure their assignments run smoothly. Social work is a good option for the kind-hearted members of this sign.
Tiger
Years of the Tiger: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034
Tiger’s Strengths: Tigers are fearless and natural leaders. They are courageous as well as warm-hearted.
The Tiger is an adventurous sort of character and it is common for them to try their hand at many jobs in their youth. Tigers are creative and dynamic and dislike being tied to rules or routines. Therefore, this sign is best suited to working for themselves or running their own businesses.
Freelance work is ideal for them; a business where they can put their creativity to good use, such as running a flower shop or starting up their own fitness industry, can also be very good for them. This sign can be a bit of a night owl so shift work is also good for them.
Rabbit
Years of the Rabbit: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035
Rabbit’s Strengths: Rabbits make good company because they are kind and sweet. They are social creatures that like a good party.
Rabbits are mild and gentle individuals. They dislike conflict and prefer jobs where they can have routine and structure. Rabbits have kind and caring natures; they are suited to nursing, looking after children and animals, and working with the public as mediators and diplomats where they can put their diplomacy skills to best use.
This animal sign also has an affinity for clothing design and real estate. Their love for people makes them great teachers or therapists. They are great communicators, so public relations is also a good field. Rabbits like jobs that go at a slow pace and do not create too much stress, so fast-paced environments are unsuitable for them.
Dragon
Years Of The Dragon: 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036
Dragon’s Strengths: The dragon gets things done and they make powerful leaders. They are full of energy and very expressive.
Dragons are powerful individuals and this is the sign most likely to be found in CEO or leadership positions. A Dragon character usually has a specific vision of how they want their life to be and this includes areas of work.
Dragons are magnetic individuals and know-how to run organizations. Therefore, they make good managers and leaders of all kinds. Those who do not end up in leadership positions are content to work under another, but will often voice their opinion on how things can be improved. Because they are versatile, they suit almost any career.
Snake
Years of the Snake: 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037
Snake’s Strengths: The snake is popular. They are a magnet for the spotlight with their charm. They have sex appeal and tend to have a sophisticated air.
Snakes are calm and wise individuals and though they may come across as indifferent on the outside, there is a very warm heart underneath. Snakes are the lookers of the zodiac and can often be found in roles where their beauty is put to good use, such as modeling or TV presenting. Snakes make excellent psychologists and counselors due to their innate understanding of human nature and their sympathetic streak. They also do very well in the education sector for they are very good teachers.
Horse
Years of the Horse: 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038
Horse’s Strengths: The horse is energetic, active, witty, and stylish. Possibly the most ambitious sign because they have high energy.
The most free-spirited of all the signs, the Horse is similar to the Tiger in their pursuit of adventure and versatility. Horses are clever and agile; they make excellent athletes and fitness instructors as they tend to stay strong and healthy throughout their lives. Horses are best in jobs and careers where they can stay continually active. Mentally, they are sharp and intelligent; they make great journalists where their mental prowess and need for adventure can be satisfied. Horses also make excellent entertainers and will happily enjoy roles where they can amuse the crowd, such as children’s party performers or circus clowns.
Goat
Years of the Goat: 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039
Goat’s Strengths: The elegant goat is artistic and connected with nature. They are well mannered and can often choose to do less over more.
A creative and imaginative sign, the Goat is most suited to jobs and careers that involve the arts. A Goat that is unable to express themselves through artistry can become withdrawn and depressed. Therefore, they make excellent artists, writers, philosophers, and architects. They bask in the meaning of life and do not do well in mundane jobs which are robotic and where their creativity is stifled. A Goat would also enjoy teaching, particularly the creative arts. Goats also make wonderful political commentators for they are astute and can mix their perceptive abilities with idealistic ones.
Monkey
Years of the Monkey: 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040
Monkey’s Strengths: The monkey is cheerful, energetic, and loves to have fun. These clever people are often the center of attention and known to be creative.
Monkeys are incredibly witty and sociable. They have oodles of charisma and can charm the socks off anyone! They’re a bit of Jack-of-all-trades and are suited to any position where their charismatic characters can be put to good use. Therefore, they make excellent salespeople, diplomats, actors/actresses and air hostesses. A Monkey is the type of person that companies love employing because they present an excellent face for the company. A Monkey that is forced to stifle their wit and charisma is usually an unhappy one so they should seek roles where they can put their sociable skills to best use.
The stars are aligning! Discover which planet rules your Chinese zodiac sign here.
Rooster
Years of the Rooster: 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Rooster’s Strengths: The rooster is precise, intuitive, and very observant. They are straightforward and tell you how they are feeling.
The great bird represents punctuality and independence, expressing an unwillingness to be controlled by anyone. They tend to lean towards economic matters and are concerned with both individual and global economies. Therefore, Roosters do well in economic and financial roles. Because of their flamboyant characters, they are also very suited to politics as Roosters feel a desire to make a change in their communities. Some Roosters make fantastic intelligence agents, for they have the nerve and drive in such roles. They also work very well in the public service sector as they have very good social skills.
Dog
Years of the Dog: 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Dog’s Strengths: The sincere dog is always faithful and naturally honest. They are also intelligent and thoughtful.
Dogs are loyal, protective, and tend to have an acute sixth-sense. They are best suited to roles where they are making a difference in society, protecting the young, elderly, and vulnerable and using their innate compassion to make the world a better place. They make excellent law enforcement officers, firefighters, and are suited to military roles. They also suit charity work and social work where they can help people on less dangerous turf. Because Dogs want for the simple things in life, they are suited for jobs in furniture stores, home decoration, and selling hardware.
Pig
Years of the Pig: 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Pig’s Strengths: The pig is an honorable sign, tolerant of others, and very sincere. They are very trustworthy and they love to shower people with nurturing energy.
Pigs are kind, simple souls who like to spread goodwill and learn and teach in equal measures. This is not a competitive sign and instead thrives best in public service roles where they can put their charitable nature to good use. This can include secretarial and receptionist work, social work, and customer service. They are quite thirsty for knowledge, they tend to excel in academic roles and can make excellent professors and teachers.
This sign enjoys food and would be happy in a food-related role such as chef, restaurateur, butcher, and baker. This sign also likes taking care of animals and so make excellent vets.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for inspiration, it might be worth looking beyond your own sign. Explore which year you’re in and analyze the best way to reach your career goals.
Example: how should an Ox act in the year of the dog? Your elements may also play a factor, make sure to read up on the characteristics of your element to narrow down the best career path for you.
Happy job hunting!
* Editor’s note: This article was previously published May 03, 2019 and has been updated for astrological accuracy.