Why are youngsters put under pressure to choose a career? Now call me cynical but it’s all down to taxes. If we are all ‘good,’ go to school, study hard, get a good job, marry, buy a house, (debt) have kids, (debt) buy a new car, washing machine, dishwasher, etc (debt) then we have to work hard to pay for them.
So, we are brainwashed into believing these things are a measurement of our success. Did you know that some people borrow money to spend on Christmas? Seriously, they do! I read about a woman some years ago who spent £10,000 on a Credit Card at Christmas and she wasn’t even a Christian.
Do you remember the school career advisor?
‘So, Charlie what do you want to do after school?’
‘I want to be a motor mechanic.’
‘Well, sorry but there aren’t any jobs for apprentice motor mechanics in Bradford. How do you fancy working in a factory?’
He had a quota to fill lol. I stuck it for a year before securing an apprenticeship in a local garage. I often wonder what the point of the Careers Officers was. He didn’t get anyone from my class a job they actually wanted. One girl wanted to be a hairdresser and he got her a job as a packer in the Grattan Warehouse haha.
So lets encourage kids to do what they want, follow their dream. Because let’s face it whatever we throw them into now they probably won’t be doing it in ten years anyway lol.
Disclaimer: Laying in bed all day and playing on X-Box isn’t a dream xx
‘ ahabakum jamieana
Charliecountryboy's Blog 
Like the Arabic at the end! You are, of course, spot on with this post. I am fascinated by why you write “I love you” in Arabic” to finish though. The King of Bhutan once said, “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product.”
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Haha, thanks, Pete. I decided to pass on some love but in a different language every week as I have such a varied selection of nationalities who follow me. Probably a bit silly but it keeps me entertained 😂
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Tasharrafna
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Haha, me too 😉
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Funny you should be writing about this topic, Charlie. Are there any kids who aren’t cajoled into a career others think good for them? I don’t know the answer to this, however, I’d like to think there are some.
My daughter always wanted to be a child carer (of some sort) since the age of about six. Today she is a pre-school teacher. Never wanted any other career!
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It was a bit disjointed as I had a wandering mind lol. I think it’s because I know people at work who have never been out of Beverley and then you have the whole materialistic society we have created. Add to those a lot of my students who don’t want to do carpentry, have no interest in carpentry but their parents have cajoled them into it. Not their fault really, most of these kids have no idea what they want, apart from to smoke weed lol. 😘
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I had two careers in mind – one to be an entertainer/singer; and two – to be a social counsellor. I sang in two singing contests, which I absolutely loved. But, that wasn’t in my stars. I did become a ‘spiritual’ counsellor. Guess I still am!
But, Charlie, I’ve been many things over the years from a waitress to an executive in the accounting/finance world.
It would be great to know, like Veronica, what we wanted to be and then became it. However, after twenty five years even V has had to ‘mix it up’ with dance, roller skating, and now gym work/gymnastics to keep life interesting!
I’m sure glad I’m not in kid’s shoes these days. How confusing it must be for most..
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Yes they’re interesting career moves, I think they are good for our physique, variation is the spice of life lol. A lot of jobs today won’t exist in 10 years time, technology moves so quickly, so yes I don’t envy kids today 😀
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Oh! I forgot, congratulations to your daughter, it’s great to know what you want and then pursue it 👏👏👏👏
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Finding any job at the moment is hard.. 😉
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Yes and I think with the state of the world at present it could get even harder, Lisa. 😤😤
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In high school my, the career guidance counselor spent most of his time hanging out with the football team. My parents told me I was going to college. Alas, I enjoyed crafts and working with my hands. So I went to college and flunked out the first year.
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He sounds a real committed geezer lol. I guess parents want what they consider the best option for their kids, sometimes though it’s not lol. Thanks Larry 😀
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You have a point. And I agree with you. What I think we can do is to advise and guide them because young as they are they may not be able to discern the strongest inner voice calling out to them. But we should only advise and help but not try to impose.
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Too true, what annoys me is when they want to one thing and told they can’t. It’s not a word in my vocabulary 😉
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Glad you wrote this because it’s always bothered me (or at least the parents who pressure their kids bother me). My mum was a teacher and my dad an architect. My mum always wanted to teach but dad left school at 15 and fell into his job. He hated it, it made him unhappy so when he was in his late 30s mum told him to follow his dream and he went to art college. I followed dad there 5 years later and then followed my parent’s example by telling my 3 kids to do whatever made them happy. You have to work for a good percentage of your life… might as well enjoy it. My favourite quote:
Choose a job you love and you’ll never work another day in your life. Confucius
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Thanks, Allane, your mum was a star, so great your dad did that but it takes quite a bit of guts from all, because we are so conditioned 😩😩 Glad you got there too 😀
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Hi charliecountryboy, I know it’s been a while but been on vacation/staycation. I really needed it.
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Welcome back, I hope you are fully charged and feeling good after your vacation 😍🙏
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Actually, I think it is a dream, the best kind.
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Great stuff, living the dream? 😂😀
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I have asked the same question. Why the hell am I expected to decide at 17 what career to choose and/or what to do with the rest of my life?
I never once talked to a high school counselor. I applied for jobs that I wanted and attended college, locally.
I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up and I’ll be 54 next month.
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Good for you and you’ve accomplished so much at such a young age 😉
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I wish I could say I have accomplished a lot. I have managed to keep a roof over my head and food on the table. 😁
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Some people have never managed to do that and there’s your blog. Your material requires research, so you must be proficient at that 😀😀
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I do know where to dig when it comes to data. Good thing I am a former web programmer…
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Absolutely right..kids should be encouraged to do whatever they like. Unnecessary pressure harms their mental health.
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Thank you, it can be so stressful, thanks for visiting 😀😀
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My pleasure. You have a nice blog. Thanks for visiting mine as well.💜
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I like this 🙂 cool disclaimer 🙃
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Thank you, Brankica 😀
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My parents wanted me to be something professional, respectable and boring. The school careers teacher, a failed metalwork teacher, shouted at me when I said I wanted to be a teacher.
So I ended up as a chicken farmer and a career trajectory that finally sees me as a part-time shop assistant. Skint, disillusioned, cynical…
I encouraged my kids to do whatever they wanted and it seems to have worked. They are both happy and they have both left home. Good result! 🙂
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Bravo, when children fail they stay at home lol. Glad to know it wasn’t just my careers teacher but probably a sign of the times in those days 😀
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Most of our metalwork teachers tended to have a jaundiced view of life. They had probably been disappointed in their early ambitions to be welders or ballet dancers.
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😂😂
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Spot on!!!
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Life is complicated these days. Lots of my younger colleagues have two or more gigs – they work much harder than I did!
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Solid career advice.
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Thank you I’ll take a look at your blog 😉
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Haha thanks. I can’t promise troves of great advice.
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Informative ❤ post.
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