What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

We have all been asked the question, “What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?’’ at least once in our lives. This question of course has become more relevant as we grow up and transition to junior and senior High. Many of us have known the answer from the beginning and many of our answers have changed as the older we grow. If you have ever pondered the question of what occupation you want to have and how many kids feel the same, you are reading the right article.  

Dream jobs shift based on the country, time, ages, and gender but for now we are looking at dream jobs of kids (average between boys and girls). According to a study done by Vocovision in 2024, about 60.2% of youth want to be a doctor, athlete, or teacher with doctor being the most popular by a small margin of around 6%. But these specific jobs only make up about 5% of the global workforce according to the statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But this doesn’t mean all of these jobs are unrealistic, just that interests may shift over time.

What Do You Want to Be?

Around 91% of kids aged 13 to 17 years old say that they know what they want to be when they grow up in accordance with the findings of Payscale. But even if you think you know what you want to be or are not sure, yet, it is always great to investigate options in case you lose passion, interest, or the job does not work out. You should decide what you value in a job, for example, perks, flexibility, and payment not just what sounds fun. So, here are a few underrated or emerging job suggestions.  

Many of us have dreamed of owning a small shop or business and with easier ways to start like Shopify or Amazon. And places to market like TikTok or YouTube, many people have become entrepreneurs whether it be a clothing brand or a Knick knack store. A small business owner is great for flexibility with you being able to create your own schedule and hours. Starting a small business can feed artistic or creative minds or could interest someone with passion for math or business. Small businesses can be a large investment, and it is recommended to start small due to the unpredictably of sales and salary, especially when starting out. Running a small business may look impossible but can easily be run on the side or part-time if you play your cards right. 

Air traffic controllers are the people at the airport who guide the traffic of planes coming in and out. These are people on TV yelling “THERE’S TOO MANY PLANES DON’T TAKE OFF!” behind the computers. While this job can have demanding hours, it makes up for it with the good salary with median is around 150k a year with some experience, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They also have great benefits. One of the requirements for this job is a bachelor’s degree (4 years) but comes with insurance coverage and many other benefits. This job can be considered one of the most stressful jobs on the market and can come with intense training. If you get overwhelmed, I will not advise this job and would suggest something like a baggage handler if you’re interested in working at an airport. While not a flexible job, if you are looking for a job to support your family, have a passion for planes or the airport, and do not mind stress, this would be a great pick for you. 

Being a library clerk may not sound like a glamorous job, but it can be a good job to work on the side. Being a library clerk requires no degree and is not very demanding with you simply having to help around the library; for example, shelving books and helping someone at the library.  This job does require good organization, so this might interest neat people or people with a love for reading or writing. The job does not pay great with around 40k salary in New York but, this is still a decent calm side job that can grow into a bigger career like a full-time librarian which can earn around 50-60k starting.  A library clerk is a nice calm option for a side job or a job that can blossom into a full career. 

Even if you are firm in what your job will be, I would recommend just considering these options. If you are lost or not sure what you want to do for a living, I hope this helps you decide. Do not be pressured by dollar signs or requirements and make sure to aspire to jobs that yes make money but will also have you motivated to wake up in the morning. Even if a job seems unrealistic, give it a shot and have a backup plan if it does not work out.

Sources 

Vocovision 

Bureau of Labor Statistics 

Payscale 

Indeed  

Ziprecruiter