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Original poster

What career do you have VS what you wanted to do when younger

108 replies

Perfectlyblended · 15/08/2023 18:35

My DD was talking to me the other day about her future dreams ( she’s still primary school aged .

got me thinking about how different my path ended up compared to my childhood dreams.

what did you want to be ?
what did you end up being ?
If you could start again what would you choose now ?

I wanted to be a zoo keeper
ended up being a forensic pathologist

OP posts:
Spl0ink · 15/08/2023 18:39

I wanted to work in the media in some capacity and expected to end up in something quite cutthroat and full on and whilst I’ve dabbled with that a bit, i now work part time for a small charity and it is the diametric opposite of cutthroat and full on. It’s unexpected but very welcome!

natura · 15/08/2023 18:41

I wanted to work in the charity sector to support vulnerable people.

I did that for a while, then burned out, and found another way to support people who needed support – just a different group of people and supporting them in a different way.

My career now doesn't look anything like my old one, but the thing that drew me to the first one is the same thing I get to do now - it just suits me far better.

I knew what mattered to me when I was a kid, but I didn't know that what I do now was an option, so I took the most 'obvious' route to it until I had the experience to choose differently.

Turns out 'there's more than one way to skin a cat', as my grandad used to say!

Squiblet · 15/08/2023 18:43

My career ambitions, from youngest to present:

  1. Fairy
  2. Princess
  3. Fairy princess
  4. Ballerina
  5. Teacher
  6. Sound technician
  7. Roadie
  8. Hermit
  9. Sci-Fi author
10. Fiction editor, book publishing

... Ended up as a journalist.

Original poster
Perfectlyblended · 15/08/2023 18:44

@Squiblet quite the journey 🤣

OP posts:
Ambi · 15/08/2023 18:45

I wanted to be a high flying businesswoman buzzing around a city with kick ass suits and heels.

I hate wearing heels, awful things. I'm senior management but in the best way, working from home in comfy clothes with very little stress and barely any meetings. Unfortunately its not a high flying salary but the flexibility works for me.

MiniTheMinx · 15/08/2023 18:48

I wanted to be an upmarket cat burglar, stealing works of art to order. I actually work with looked after children.

Raera · 15/08/2023 18:51

I wanted to be a teacher or a social worker.
Trained as a nurse, did that for 20 years, then did medical sales (nice clothes, cars and bonuses)
Now retired and work in a high security prison, best job ever, sadly unpaid

BubblesWoo · 15/08/2023 18:52

I wanted to work as a forensic psychologist (morbid child) … I’m now a civil servant in a very boring job 😂

Original poster
Perfectlyblended · 15/08/2023 18:53

@Raera sounds like you have had a lot of different experiences !

Incan’t imagine what else I would want to do now despite wishing to move to something with a better wage.

OP posts:
Original poster
Perfectlyblended · 15/08/2023 18:54

Haha @BubblesWoo does that make me a morbid adult 🤣

OP posts:
RaininSummer · 15/08/2023 18:54

I wanted to be funeral director but ended up a civil servant after 29 years teaching.

Riggsisadino · 15/08/2023 18:56

Have to say I wanted to be a children's nurse or peadatrician since about 6/7. I'm currently not well but completed two years of my children's nursing degree (so one left) and work as a peads HCA so I kept pretty on par !

Original poster
Perfectlyblended · 15/08/2023 18:57

@Riggsisadino well done !
good luck :)

OP posts:
Seashor · 15/08/2023 19:00

Teacher and I’m a teacher. My most favourite job though has been being a mum, I love it and I never wanted children!

Original poster
Perfectlyblended · 15/08/2023 19:01

@Seashor I considered switching to teaching but honestly don’t think I could hack it !

OP posts:
Bonjovispjs · 15/08/2023 19:13

Wanted to work with animals, first thing the school careers officer said to me was "there aren't any jobs with animals" 🤔 I've now been a nanny for over 30 years, but if I had my time over again, I wouldn't do this.

thinkofablinkingnamewoman · 15/08/2023 19:16

Wanted to be a hairdresser then a journalist. Am a diplomat.

OhmygodDont · 15/08/2023 19:17

I wanted to be a midwife. Then I realised I lack the empathy for it after Giving birth. I could not stand the women mooing and bitching at 2cm so I dipped out. No offence to the mooing ladies meant.

I own a company and also work freelance for a 3pl as and when I feel like it.

LemonGelato · 15/08/2023 19:19

When I was primary aged I wanted to be a librarian, because I thought it meant you got to read lots of books.

In my teens I wanted to be a journalist, mainly as I was good at English and liked talking to people and rather naively thought that was enough. But I didn't get in to the courses I applied for so did an English degree instead.

After uni had various different jobs, then I ended up in Human Resources and now I do enjoy it (most of the time).

I know lots of people on MN hate HR people but for me it combines intellectual challenge (strategy, employment law etc), reading lots to stay up to date/learn new things, writing things like policies and guidelines and dealing with all sorts of people in a big variety of situations. So it does combine some of those early ambitions but in a very different way.

I know now I would not have been a good journalist and a rubbish librarian!

edwinbear · 15/08/2023 19:22

I wanted to be a brain surgeon until I realised I’d have to work quite hard at school to achieve that. So then I decided to be a stockbroker.

I work in investment banking, so not far off!

32WindsorGardensBinLorry · 15/08/2023 19:22

Wanted to be a nurse. Lovely physics teacher pointed out I'd get the grades for medicine. Did that.

Blanketpolicy · 15/08/2023 19:24

For some reason I wanted to be a bank clerk! No idea why, it was the 1980s and I liked the uniform. 🤣

After a couple of failed banking interviews that I was devastated I didn't get dad convinced me to apply for and I did a 3 year HND in Computer Studies at college and I have had a very decent career in IT and Supply Chain.

TheMousePipes · 15/08/2023 19:24

Wanted to be a dentist. I teach music!

fuchiaknickers · 15/08/2023 19:26

Age and ambitions:
9: Ballet dancer
12: Actress
14: Author
16: Teacher
18: Psychologist

I became both a teacher and psychologist and I still hope to be an author someday!
Sadly, I think my acting and dancing days are behind me.

OhmygodDont · 15/08/2023 19:27

Although now I’d quite like to be a crime scene investigator but only murders.