At a young age, many of us have a grand idea of what we’d like to be once we’re an adult. Needless to say, however, most of us do not end up going down the path that we once envisioned.
A new study conducted by Trade Schools, Colleges, and Universities, a web-based career training portal, takes a look at this phenomenon.
The study examined how the current careers of 2,000 adults measured up against the career of their childhood dreams, finding that nearly four-fifths— 78 percent— of adults don’t end up working in the field that they dreamed of as a young child.
Some of the fields with the highest levels of satisfaction include education, information technology, healthcare, professional services, and government.
The study also found that the jobs imagined by children as they get older tend to become more realistic. A child who is seven or older is more likely to openly aspire to be a doctor than an astronaut.
During the teen years, becoming an engineer is a highly coveted career goal, along with being an actor or actress. The study found that these generally give way to being a writer or doctor after age 18.
Although it is always exciting to work in the career of your dreams, it should be noted that 70 percent of respondents who didn’t still reported high levels of job satisfaction.
