How are your DC deciding their careers?

[Bdjdjsns]

I'm curious are your DC deciding on something that they feel genuinely passionate about? Or are they looking at careers purely by what pays the most?

Just want to hear a variety of views.

My eldest is studying music at university because it’s his passion. He doesn’t know what he’s going to do after he graduates yet, i think it’s more important that he studies something he loves.

My middle child wants to do something sporty and my youngest wants to be a tattoo artist. They’ll probably change their minds a million times.

Dc1 is happily in a career but didn't really decide. After a process of elimination (of definitely wouldn't want to do it) opted for a health and social care btec, at the end still wasn't sure so applied for lots of different related jobs and is really happy in the chosen one.
Dc2 is not sure what they want to do so have chosen their favourite subject to do at degree level and will see from there.
Dc3 has had a career planned out since age 7 and is on path to do that at university.

Neither of mine really knew what they wanted to do as a career. DS wanted to work in the environmental field but never did. Had a varied career but ended up as a teacher. DD started off working in the film industry but now works in Communications for a charity.Best to read what you like at uni. Ideas change.

DS1 wanted to be a carpenter. Then (mercifully, says she, thinking of the usefulness of a full complement of digits) an English teacher. For which, it appeared, he chose a very odd collection of A levels. Until it turned out that he was actually intending to apply to study Biochemistry, for which they were just the thing. A few years down the line and he's doing a PhD in Fossils, with the intention of becoming an academic fossil person. I think. From a very early age, he could tell anyone who didn't move away fast enough all they'd never really wanted to know about dinosaurs, so it's probably a reasonable direction to aim to take.

DD was going to study Law. Then actually did a degree in IR with French, then spent a year in a couple of jobs neither of which was related to either. Now doing a masters (LLM, but 'International' and 'Global' and not, as far as I know, actually intending to be 'a lawyer'). Then, who knows.

DS2 graduated this year and eventually wants to work in the realm of museums / galleries/ libraries, for which his degree suits him, but in the meantime is just earning money. Not a huge salary, and it was the first job that he was offered. And that probably because he turned up on time and had had a shower beforehand, although tbf, he is also generally polite and speaks nicely (it involves a lot of telephone stuff - and no, not cold calling, although he's already had a couple of people who had obviously forgotten that they'd asked for someone to ring them and accused him of such). Early days yet; as for all of them, I just want him to be happy. Well, and doing something socially useful, for preference (DD's last job possibly preciously sailed close to the line there, but apparently the company is one which acts legally, which is comforting to know, since they apparently thought that she was very good at it).

Similar to mine. None took a vocational course at Uni - just subjects they were personally interested in which meant they did well academically.

Oldest has been trying to monetise a creative skill as a freelancer around travelling which is becoming apparent wont be sustainable for the longterm so she will need to think of something else soon.

Next one spent a couple of years in film industry but decided didnt like the uncertaintly and hours so is now in a marketing role that she's thriving in.

Third has just started an interesting grad training scheme related to his degree which he is loving and has very good prospects but would not have known this was his direction at A level.

Fourth is currently applying to Oxbridge grades in hand for a humanities subject - zero clue what career direction.

I think some careers for this generation are quite fluid and it takes time to find their niche. Sometimes I wish mine were all STEM with finance jobs all lined up at 21 - but thats no who they are. They are not out of step with their peers. Seeing a few now taking a 6 month sabbatical from their proper grad scheme jobs to travel - quater life crisis? Or change direction. They seem to be on a very different trajectory to when I joined the job market in the 90's.

@MarchingFrogs your DS1 reminds me of Ross from friends.

My daughter is applying to do what she loves at university - sociology. We looked at the anticipated salaries when you come out vs stem stuff but that's just not her. She would have a miserable 3 years. We'll 5 if you include a levels!

Mine wanted to be 'a builder' (as in, someone who make things, not a brickie) from a young age. This developed over the years into a clear aim of becoming an electronics engineer. Other options were considered but this remained the goal.

It does make life easier when their passion aligns with a sensible career choice (not 'what pays the most'), and their abilities allow them to follow their chosen course! Now an MEng 3 years into work and very much enjoying it.

I don’t think either of mine had much idea before uni. They both chose subjects that appealed, and then developed their ideas of what they wanted to get into after uni. Many of their friends left uni still unsure of what they want to do and have been doing “filler” jobs while they try to find something they want to do long term.

@bigTillyMint what would you describe as a "filler job"?

One of mine was fascinated by economics from a very early age and is now, post PhD, in his first junior academic job. The other at about the same age, was clear she did not want to work in "an office". She is sporty, bright and dyslexic. Initially thinking was that she might be a physio or games teacher but suddenly took off academically aged about 15 and is now a F2 junior doctor. They are in their 20s so I expect some movement on their final ambitions, but both are happy with the fields they chose.

My daughter is applying to do what she loves at university - sociology. We looked at the anticipated salaries when you come out vs stem stuff but that's just not her.

It's still useful to have some idea of what kinds of directions she might want to go in after university, otherwise it just becomes 3 years of doing what she enjoys followed by potentially 45 years of stuff she doesn't enjoy. If she enjoys sociology at school there are all sorts of similar subjects she might study at undergraduate level (e.g. anthropology, criminology), and sociology can be combined with other subjects (e.g. Manchester offers sociology with politics, criminology, data analytics or philosophy). But whatever her choice is, it should be based at least in part on an idea of what kinds of roles the degree would be useful for, how much demand for graduates there is in those areas and what kinds of employers (and their locations) recruit them. Roles in social policy, for example, are likely to be very appealing for many sociology graduates, but the number of potential employers might be limited. On the other hand, there might be lots of employers who want the skills that sociology graduates have but want them for commercial purposes, and she might not want to go in that direction.

This is so lovely to hear how your DCs have decided on their careers.

I'm curious how much help and advice do you give you DC r.e. this? Or do you expect them to figure it out themselves?

Interestingly, if you go to the national cereers service web site and type in "sociology", one of the suggested jobs is MP. The previous one on the list is actor.

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/search-results?searchTerm=sociology

That should say national careers service of course.

I'd better avoid future employment as a copy-editor.

We’re a policing family so eldest ds has always had intentions of following the same path. He’s very sporty with lots of community minded interests and mainly sociology subjects so it seems a naturally good fit for him. He will probably do the degree before joining so he doesn’t have to balance workloads and can enjoy a bit of student life before signing on the dotted line.

My youngest is equally bright but I’d say probably more driven academically and motivated by money so he hasn’t decided yet. When considering a career the first thing he looks at is how much money it will make him so I imagine he will end up doing something quite different.

I'm curious how much help and advice do you give you DC r.e. this? Or do you expect them to figure it out themselves?

A lot was about encouraging and supporting the interests that they developed themselves.

Yes I agree this is how it should be.

DC1 had a passion about issues of geography and migration; they explored this in their EPQ plus year out work and dissertation research. Initially thought of immigration law but then switched to social work. DC1 graduated this summer and last week started a job in social services with refugees. You have to have 6-12 months experience before starting a funded social work post grad diploma.

So very much followed their passion and gained relevant experience along the way which has made it easier to get a job post graduation.

The snobbery about builders and carpenters on here is unreal. I'd be delighted if one of mine could build me a house!

Has anyone come across young adults who have pursued a career path due to parental expectations?

We're encouraging a middle ground, they know what sector/area of interest they have and I'm talking to them about money to choose the most lucrative path in the area they are interested in. No idea what they'll do with the advice, but I was told to "follow my heart" in my 20s, which I did, but without any other external support I couldn't get the lifestyle I wanted outside of work. So changed roles but in a similar field.

Ultimately, you can love your job, but if it doesn't provide for you in other ways there is a low ceiling to the happiness it can bring, unless your life is literally just about work, it isn't for me!

Ds loved science, especially chemistry, but pursued a career as a chartered accountant as wanted to earn more money. The career choice does match his skill set: very analytical, loves patterns, detail oriented so it was a good choice for him.
dd also loves science and wants to go into research, not so bothered by money at the moment.
no parental pressure to pursue a certain type of career, we let them explore what they were interested in.

Mine are mid 20s now. Neither knew what they wanted to do and slightly envied friends who had a specific career in mind and were driven towards it.
DC1 was super bright and got a 1st in Maths. He didn't fancy any of the obvious mathsy careers and went into teaching.
DC2 was also keen on maths but didn't want to follow his siblings choice and did another STEM subject. He ended up on a tech grad scheme.

DC1 absolutely loves his job although he works stupid hours and teachers don't make a fortune..
DC2 earns lots of money, works from home mostly and is strictly 9 to 5, but is a bit meh about his job.

I wouldn't have predicted either of these outcomes even while they were still at uni.

Several of my DC peers went into medicine because it was always expected of them.
One left medicine shortly after qualifying, another has gone to Australia.