Gen Z Turns to Reddit to Find Well-Paying Jobs Needing Little Effort: The Debate Includes Real Estate Sales, Overnight Security and Nuclear Operators

Gen Z is making good use of social media platforms to find and get jobs that require little effort for big paychecks.

Recently, a post on r/AskReddit by u/Riccavd0 asked, "What is the highest-paying job that requires the least amount of skill or effort?"

The post received thousands of upvotes and sparked a debate about jobs and the difference between appearing busy and actually being productive.

Among the jobs discussed were real estate sales, overnight security, corporate board positions, and even nuclear operators.

One of the top-voted replies in the discussion suggested that a career as a real estate agent could be very profitable.

While critics argued that agents can earn large commissions from clients buying and selling properties, others justified the earnings with the reasoning that the job requires complicated transactions.

According to the reports from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for real estate sales agents was $52,830 in May 2025.

Though real estate agents earn from clients, their earnings generally depend on commissions, market conditions, and experience, as well as their ability to secure clients in the first place.

Not to mention, this particular profession also requires agents to work irregular hours and spend a significant amount of time networking.

On the other hand, jobs that seem quiet or routine might involve long shifts, inconvenient working hours, or significant responsibilities.

Meanwhile, other Redditors discussed overnight security jobs and positions involving having to monitor industrial facilities.

One user even shared their personal experience in the field, claiming that they earned around $27 per hour as a security guard in a parking lot.

On the other hand, another person said their job involved looking after retail merchandise displays overnight.

Another commenter claimed to know a worker at a nuclear power plant who reportedly earned around a whopping $130,000 a year while working a relatively small number of long shifts each month.

However, their schedule allegedly included staying on-site for several days at a time. Not to mention, working at a power plant also requires considerable skills and interest in the field.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for nuclear power reactor operators was $122,890 in May 2025. The job requires the employee to monitor and control reactor systems. Nuclear reactor operators also need to be licensed.

While that's that, some commentators also discussed the jobs of corporate executives and board members, arguing that people in senior positions can earn high salaries without appearing to have the same visible workload as is associated with other jobs.