From a young age, students are asked about their career goals. A dream job changes over the years as interests develop and logic overcomes imagination. A student may wish to be a surgeon in kindergarten, but develop an interest in the arts as they learn which skills they enjoy developing. As employment goals evolve, it is useful to comprehensively research and evaluate the responsibilities and opportunities of possible jobs.

Having a certain career in mind while choosing academic and extracurricular programs can bring focus and passion to the planning process. The World Health Organization estimates that the average adult works for one third of their life, so a dream job can accelerate the path to a rewarding career and help make the most of employment. Placing value and prime effort in a specific job can accelerate goals, opening up multiple paths to personal development. For example, my mother is working on her master’s degree at the university where she works, and has recently started her final research project. She has worked in writing and research roles for twenty-five years at the university, creating networks with faculty and administration. Her involvement in the master’s program began as an opportunity to develop in her professional role, but it also benefits her as a new educational challenge and advancement of her personal goal to pursue a PhD. A career working for a cause or passion that is important to one’s goals can be an amazing position, one that brings satisfaction to hopes for the world. Particular fields like business or healthcare may require certain certifications and skills, and consequently identifying a dream job early can be helpful to becoming the best candidate for the position.

For many, the prospect of being passionate about their job is not realistic. The pressure to love a job is burdensome when obstacles like student debt, unequal wealth distribution, and social inequities are considered. Different backgrounds and circumstances must be considered when asking students about dream jobs, because it is not accessible to everyone to pursue the best job for them.

Passion for one specific position or field can be limiting, as many careers require multiple skill sets and the willingness to go outside of one’s comfort zone. A report by Paul A. O'Keefe, Carol S. Dweck, and Gregory M. Walton at Yale-NUS College, "Implicit Theories of Interest: Finding Your Passion or Developing It?" theorized that when passion is seen as something that can encompass many topics, people are more likely to persist through hurdles and keep an open mind. The study found that of college students who were examined, people with a single area of focus tended to lose interest when a topic became difficult or branched out of their comfort zone. These findings suggest that removing the concept of a dream job from life goals can aid success. If a certain job is a person’s main objective, and the job proves to be overly challenging or unsuited to their personality, it can be easy to become disinterested or stagnant. Keeping an open mind while navigating employment can be freeing, and relieve the pressure of being perfect.

Students' Perspectives
Thinking about the future is an important part of growing up, as is considering what path one would like to pursue. Students may include an ideal job or field in their aspirations, and it is helpful to recognize the consequences, negative and positive, to setting their sights on that ‘dream’ job.