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'Own boss' more popular job than 'astronaut'

The idea of running a business is more popular than becoming an astronaut or pilot, according to a new survey on dream jobs. In a poll of 2000 jobseekers commissioned by recruitment firm Reed Employment, more people leaned towards entrepreneurship than any other career path. Careers in accountancy, veterinary services and writing also featured in the top ten.

Money was considered the most important factor in choosing a career today according to 68% of respondents. Financial rewards ranked considerably higher than career progression, which was chosen by less than 40%.

Janine Parry, head of marketing at Reed Employment, said: “With house prices at all time high, mounting student debt, rising living costs and a very competitive job market, job hunters are under more pressure than ever before to earn a decent wage. More surprising however, is the strong entrepreneurial spirit amongst jobseekers today. The majority of young people seem to share the ultimate goal of working for themselves which is excellent news for the future of the UK economy.”

The results also threw up some issues for employers to consider when trying to recruit young talent. Despite the increased pressures on companies to focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR), it seems corporate reputation has little influence on job seekers. Only 6% of respondents said they would select a company because of its CSR programmes and only 2% would be swayed by an employer’s brand image.Â

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .