Young people report that family members wield a lot of influence when it comes to choosing a career. They also think super hero, whale trainer and princess are still some of the coolest jobs around.
These are just some of the key findings revealed in a survey conducted by Adecco, the world’s largest staffing company. The survey asked 245 children ages 6 to 14 about their career expectations.
The coolest job in the universe? The more intriguing choices include Disney World employee, super hero, whale trainer, roller coaster designer and princess. One family-oriented boy thought the coolest job is being a dad.
Many girls 13-14 are drawn to the health sciences (42 percent), especially physical therapy and veterinary medicine. Teenaged boys opted for such pursuits as psychiatry, herpetology, and acting.
Girls 10 to 12 are interested in medicine (37 percent), teaching (33 percent), and the performing arts (10 percent). The most popular choice for boys 10 to 12 is athlete (23 percent).
Boys 6 to 9 have varied goals, the largest block (17 percent) opting for police work. Sports and acting were popular choices, and possibly reflecting world events, several plan to join the Army. A budding paleontologist is preparing for his job by “digging the chips out of chocolate chip cookies.”
For 42 percent of girls 6 to 9 years old, teaching was the winner. Medicine, the most popular choice in the previous survey, was runner-up in this survey.
Since President of the United States is perhaps the biggest job there is, the survey asked children the most important things they would do as president. Priorities included housing the homeless, ending world hunger, and protecting the environment. Homeland Security issues such as “making sure that everyone in the country is safe” and “ending all wars” were mentioned.
Other answers included “make healthcare free for everyone,” “build more Krispy Kreme doughnut shops,” and “try to be ready for everything.”
This survey, while not the most scientific, clearly shows that career considerations begin early. Based on this survey, Adecco foresees that tomorrow’s workforce will contribute greatly to society with their intelligence and wit, and that they understand the importance of balance between work and family.
In a recent survey of young people’s opinions about careers, one boy thought the coolest job is being a dad.
If I have learned anything in my thirty years of being a career counselor, it is that spending your life doing a career that you do not love is a waste of time. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that choosing the wrong career for you could be one of the most serious mistakes a person can ever make. Getting accurate career information is hugely important because of this.
Think about it. You will spend thirty or more years of your life working full time. That is a really long time to spend doing something that you do not absolutely love. The thing I hate seeing most is people who feel like they are tied in to a profession that they hate. I became a career counselor to help solve this problem. I love working with college students giving them proper career information that helps them to make informed decisions about career choices.
One of the most important ways to enter a career wisely is to inform yourself with accurate career information. I cannot stress enough how important it is that you discover the truth about any profession you are thinking of entering. The worst thing you can do is enter a career blindly. So take time and find ways to get career information about the careers you are considering.
One of the quickest ways to get career information is to make a meeting with a career counselor like myself. Meet with someone who is knowledgeable about many careers and who will help you find a career that fits well with who you are and with what you value. Whatever career you choose, it must be connected to something you value. It is a terrible thing to get up for work in the morning and realize that you could care less about your job and that it has no real value to the rest of the world.
You can also find great career information by doing an internship or by visiting different careers that interest you. For example, if becoming a teacher interests you, try helping out in a teacher’s classroom for a few weeks and see if it is something you’d really enjoy. You will be so glad that you took time to try something before you made a commitment to it. After all, you cannot afford to keep changing your mind about careers and end up unhappy in the process.
Get career information and be one step closer to having a career that excites you and that fits your dreams and values. There is nothing better than that.