10 jobs whose workers need coffee the most

Nothing is more motivating than the aroma of fresh coffee floating through the air. It's the invigorating scent that confidently says, "We're going to get this done today!" and starts streaming energy through you. Like getting to work on time and finding no long list of emails to tackle, a cup of coffee can make a big difference in a worker's morning.

A new survey commissioned by Dunkin' Donuts and CareerBuilder shows just how many workers rely on an eye-opening and mind-cranking cup of strong coffee: 43 percent of those surveyed said they are less productive without a cup of joe. For those who make coffee a regular part of their workday, 63 percent drink two cups or more a day, and 28 percent drink three cups or more.

In celebration of the beverage that fuels the nation's productivity, Dunkin' Donuts and CareerBuilder sought to find out which jobs rely on coffee the most and what else is going on in the coffee mugs of workers across America.

Part of the job
Coffee seems to be a necessity on the job in a wide variety of careers. Workers who stated they are less productive without coffee were found in many different fields, though the highest numbers of workers who need coffee to get through the workday are:

1. Food preparation/service workers

2. Scientists

3. Sales representatives

4. Marketing/public relations professionals

5. Nurses (nurse, nurse practitioner or physician assistant)

6. Editors/writers/media workers

7. Business executives

8. Teachers/instructors (K-12)

9. Engineering technicians/support

10. IT managers/network administrators

The worker's daily grind
A worker's day can be just as individual as his coffee preference, but among the coffee-drinkers' community, the survey showed definite trends in just how essential the caffeine bean really is:

• Sixty-three percent of workers who drink coffee drink two cups or more each workday, and 28 percent drink three cups or more.
• The majority of younger workers need coffee for energy and motivation. Sixty-two percent of workers 18 to 24 say they are less productive without coffee, and 58 percent of workers 25 to 34 make the same claim.
• Fifty-five percent of workers say they drink at least one cup of coffee each workday. Geographically, 64 percent of workers in the Northeast drink at least one cup per day, compared with 54 percent in the South and 51 percent in the Midwest and West.
• Overall, 43 percent of workers who drink coffee say they are less productive without their cup of joe. Forty-seven percent of female workers say they are less productive without coffee, compared with 40 percent of male workers.

Susan Ricker is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.