Childhood Dream Jobs [2020 Study]

Childhood Dream Jobs [2020 Study] What did you want to be when you grew up?Doctor, movie star, musician, secret agentWe all had that one dream job we wanted to land.Whether it was fighting crime, winning an Olympic gold medal, or directing the next cult movie, our younger selves were determined to fulfill their childhood dreams.Buthow many of us succeeded?According to new research, more than 6 in 10 Americans did not fulfill their childhood dreams.Read on to discover some more interesting findings from this study.Unfulfilled Promises of YesteryearIn a survey taken by 2,000 Americans, respondents were asked to examine their childhood dream jobs and their evolution to adulthood. The survey found that more than 6 in 10 Americans failed to reach their childhood dream jobs.67% of respondents stated they were not able to achieve their childhood vision of their dream jobs. 58% of these respondents still wish they could achieve their dream jobs.While some respondents say their childhood dreams evolved over time, the most com mon free-text response was that they became more realistic.For instance, one respondent who wanted to be a doctor said: I ended up being a legal assistant. Not even close to being a doctor but I have done a lot of medical malpractice.For others, the childhood job, when done in practice, wasnt the dream they expected: My childhood dream job was to be a veterinarian. I got a job working for a veterinarian for a year and have several experiences that taught me that I couldnt mentally handle the harder parts of the job.Another honest respondent said the following: I wanted to be a lawyer so I got to know more about the justice system. I realized how dirty and corrupt the justice system and most of its attorneys are and I didnt want any part of it.One surprising finding from the survey is that 82% of people who did not fulfill their childhood dreams are not pursuing them at all in their adulthood.When did reality kick in for those who did not achieve their childhood dreams?15 years oldri ght around the time where they started getting their first jobs ever. The most popular jobs at that time for men were mowing lawns (15%) and babysitting for women (25%).Five years later, Americans reported starting their first full-time adult jobfood service (15%) and retail (13%) topping the list.What Did You Want to Be When You Grew Up?So, what did American children want to be when they grew up?The top answer: a doctor. 6 in 10 wanted to don the lab coat and stethoscope. Other top answers: teacher, veterinarian, musician, and a movie star. Here are the full results:Interestingly, both men and women shared a high interest in becoming doctors when they grew up. Both sexes had a doctor as their second choice of dream job (15% men, 17% female).For male respondents, the top childhood dream job was becoming a professional athlete (17%). Here are the other top choices:TOP 10 Childhood Dream Jobs for American Men1.Professional athlete2.Doctor3.Musician4.Police officer5.Business owner6.Sup erhero7.Teacher8.Movie star9.Architect10.FirefighterFor female respondents, the top childhood dream job was becoming a teacher (22%). Here are the other top choices:TOP 10 Childhood Dream Jobs for American Women1.Teacher2.Doctor3.Veterinarian4.Movie star5.Writer6.Artist7.Fashion designer8.Musician9.Business owner10.ChefWhat Went Wrong and a Way ForwardSure, not everyone can be a doctor or professional athlete.But what went wrong in the process?The survey gave respondents a hypothetical situationwhat would happen if you applied for a job nowadays with their first-ever resume.The result?44% of respondents stated they would not be able to land a well-paying job with that resume.When crafting their first resumes, 27% of Americans asked mom and dad for help with them. 18% turned to a teacher or professor for help.What cardinal sin of resume writing happened to more than a quarter of Americans? Having a resume that was two pages long.Unsurprisingly, nearly 40% of respondents are embarrass ed by their first-ever resumes.Have times changed? Yes and no.Nearly half of respondents have updated their resumes within the past two years. Buta quarter of respondents havent updated their resumes in over 10 years.The average American rates their resume confidence as a 6.5with one being not at all confident and 10 being completely confident.No matter if youre trying to land your childhood dream job or simply transitioning to a new one, crafting the perfectly tailored resume is a necessity.Key TakeawaysLets recap what the main findings are from this new research:More than 6 in 10 Americans failed to fulfill their childhood dreams of landing their coveted job.6 in 10 Americans wanted to be a doctor when they grew up.27% of respondents asked their parents for advice when writing up their first resume.The average American rates their resume confidence as a 6.5.