The Student Room Group

At what age did you start thinking about the job you want to pursue?

Do you think you were too young to be worrying about it at that time, or should you have had planned it out earlier?

Scroll to see replies

I probably started giving it serious thought when I was in Year 9 and considering GCSE options, then actually made a final decision in January of Year 12 (the first time did Year 12 when I was 16 - I ended up repeating). I don't think it's ever too early to begin thinking about it :smile:

What about you?
I started properly thinking about it in Year 6.
(edited 6 years ago)
never really thought about it tbh
I always thought I would work for Microsoft, I was literally crazy about it. I even spoke to my uncle about it, and started preparing for it at around 10. But things changed when I was 18, and I instead decided to be an economist :smile:
Reply 5
now that i tnink back i had an idea about what i wanted to do from a very young age unfortunatly im inelligible for the role. which suggests to me that it doesnt really matter as long as you have an idea because what you want to do and what you eventually build a carreer in may be very different anyway
I always thought that I would be a doctor until I was 15 because I then realised that I actually really didn’t want to be a doctor rather it was my parents who wanted me to become one. Saying that I always had that nagging thought in the back of my mind for a while but only truly realised it mid 15. Now I’m 16 nearly 17 and really want to become a dentist 😊
Went down the rabbit hole of thinking about "preftigious" careers from when I was 13/14 I believe. It was after reading the million dollar careers guide by wetfeet.

Started snowballing after reading/participating in forums where other ambitious kids/professionals congregated (TSR, CollegeConfidential, WallStreetOasis etc). Started making friends who wanted to go down the same path through various selective insight programs, summer programs etc. Started talking to actual professionals about their jobs..

Which has all now culminated in me knowing waaaay too much about career stuff. My goal for this year is to set-up an interactive career guide website with all the information I've gathered over the past 5-6 years on "top jobs".

EDIT: I think I did obsess over getting information a tad too much for my age.. I'd have probably had a less neurotic teenage years if I wasn't so vested/interested in career stuff. But then again, I would be a completely different person to who I am today.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by marzipan1030
I always thought that I would be a doctor until I was 15 because I then realised that I actually really didn’t want to be a doctor rather it was my parents who wanted me to become one. Saying that I always had that nagging thought in the back of my mind for a while but only truly realised it mid 15. Now I’m 16 nearly 17 and really want to become a dentist 😊


Hahaha, not a very huge switch tbf
Original post by Princepieman
Hahaha, not a very huge switch tbf


I know πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ but it’s enough to make my parents disappointed for some reason πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚
12-13years or even less don’t really remember, and I can’t myself doing something else
Original post by Mystelle
Do you think you were too young to be worrying about it at that time, or should you have had planned it out earlier?


It depends when does one needs to get in touch with jobs. Some people dont need to work at all, and their family can supply their financial needs for so long, then they probably wont think about until their final year at uni.

People who needs to help their family business when they were young, or if they need to work an extra shift after school; it will be likely to think about jobs earlier than anyone. Because they have the pre-experience on working already.

Same as relationship, some people often start dating earlier than the others, as they need to compensate the love they cannot get from parents or friendship. It is evident that people from a abusive family are likely to date or have sex earlier than general people.

Another factor is what job means to you, is it money, dignity, or anything that you need to fulfill during your psychological age group. But I do believe the first priority should go with the needs first.

So in conclusion, it is about when do we need it, it is not something can be determined by age.
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 12
At the age of 2 I wanted to pursue a career in medicine
When I was around 13-14.
Original post by Mystelle
Do you think you were too young to be worrying about it at that time, or should you have had planned it out earlier?


not seriously like 5/7 when i was a child and seriously in like year 9/13 or 14.
I've always taken a lot of influence from the media when considering different careers. When I was younger, I had an 'unrealistic' aspiration to be a secret agent, like that of James Bond, but that dream career slowly faded. I considered becoming an environmental engineer for a few years but realised I didn't have the passion for it. I returned back to that base idea of working in a classified and high intelligence sector, and since haven't been more motivated to obtain my goals.

So, I guess I never actually thought about the job I want to pursue. I always had an "wouldn't be awesome if I could do that" approach, until I realised I could do that if i set my mind to it.

To put it into context, this is all within my eighteen years of life.
I think I was pushed into picking a career at a young age, my mum always told me "Those who don't know what they want to do, end up doing nothing!"
I decided I wanted to do something aligned to science when I was about 10 years old, but I properly decided on biomedical research what when I was 14 and have stuck with it.
Reply 17
Original post by OwlOfFire
I think I was pushed into picking a career at a young age, my mum always told me "Those who don't know what they want to do, end up doing nothing!"
I decided I wanted to do something aligned to science when I was about 10 years old, but I properly decided on biomedical research what when I was 14 and have stuck with it.


My mum's a bit like that too. It's like she wants reassurance that I will end up with a well-paid job. :/ Unlike you, though, I changed my decision many times.
Original post by Mystelle
Do you think you were too young to be worrying about it at that time, or should you have had planned it out earlier?


I think I started considering career options at the start of high school so roughly when I was in Year 7 perhaps. I really wanted to decide upon a set career aspiration from a young age but I struggled. Since Year 7 up until university graduation, I never stopped worrying about my future plans because I struggled to realise what I want to do in life and what I'd truly enjoy. I don't regret thinking about it earlier because it allowed me to go through stages of wanting different careers and with that came experiences of various jobs and even different degrees (I dropped out of my first degree because I changed my mind). So it has been a long journey.

Currently I am hopeful I have finally found what I want to do or at the least I have found the field I am interested working within.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Amanzhol
I probably started giving it serious thought when I was in Year 9 and considering GCSE options, then actually made a final decision in January of Year 12 (the first time did Year 12 when I was 16 - I ended up repeating). I don't think it's ever too early to begin thinking about it :smile:

What about you?


Same here.
My career hasn't turned out the way I'd originally planned but that's when I started thinking seriously about stuff.
I did have plenty of unsatisfactory career ideas before then though, e.g. singer, author etc.

Quick Reply

Latest