New market research released today reveals that, as the class of 2022 get ready to complete higher education this summer, nine out of 10 (90%) final year university students and recent graduates1 surveyed in Nottingham feel anxious about making the right decision when it comes to what their future career should be.
More than four fifths (83%) of those surveyed in the city agree that, given the number of graduate career options that exist, at times they have felt overwhelmed and unable to make a definitive decision when it comes to their future career path.
When asked what factors influence their thinking the most, two fifths (40%) say choosing a career that will allow them a sense of pride in what they do, whilst 49% want a stable salary / financial security. This is reflected by the fact that almost four in five (78%) of respondents in Nottingham feel they ought to future-proof their career prospects by searching in an established or growing sector where their subject knowledge and skills are in demand.
The national survey of over 2,000 final year students and recent graduates in England was carried out for Get into Teaching – the national campaign aimed at encouraging people to consider teaching as a career. It explores how today’s higher education cohort feel when it comes to making decisions about their future career and what factors are influencing their decisions.
When considering their career options and aspirations, the view from others is influencing many in this group as more than three in five (63%) in Nottingham take into account how they think other people will react to their choices when they tell them.
This is a common factor according to career coach Alice Stapleton, who specialises in working with people in their 20s and 30s. She said: “Many of the graduates and early career changers I coach consider heavily what others will think of their career choices. They want their parents to be proud, they want their friends to think it sounds cool, and they want their career to carry with it a degree of societal recognition and status. In early adulthood, we often seek a real sense of belonging, so it makes sense that young adults will be concerned about the reactions of others when choosing a career – we want to be accepted, recognised, and validated as we venture into our early careers.
“Young people are becoming more and more anxious about what others think of them. Fuelled by social media, our life choices are heavily scrutinised and publicly judged way more than they used to be. It therefore makes sense to me to hear that so many of those surveyed take into account the reactions of others when considering their future career paths.”
According to the survey, the majority (86%) of students and graduates in Nottingham agree that they’ll know they’ve found the right career path when it combines their passion for a topic and the opportunity to make an impact.
When asked to consider what they think they would gain from teaching as a career, nearly half (46%) in the city said knowing the job is helping to positively shape the lives of others and their own, among other rewards. A further 63% say that, to find out more about teaching as a career, they would consider discussing it with a teacher/s from their area or network.
Career coach Alice Stapleton continued: “It’s also clear from these findings that this cohort want to be proud of what they do for a living, and that they want their career to have a positive impact. It’s because of these factors that many of the clients I talk to are considering teaching as a possible profession to pursue. It provides the opportunity to combine passion with pride, as well as purpose – a powerful, and much-desired, combination in a career.”
