Career Influences

I've been doing a lot of thinking and a lot of thanking recently, and I've come to a new conclusion about the influence of parents on their children's careers. When I was younger I would have said that anyone can absolutely pursue whatever career they want. After looking at my cousin who has a dentist for a father and wants to be a doctor, and me who has an accountant for a mother and wants to work in the corporate headquarters for a company, I've realized just how much influence parents and their professions have on children.

All growing up, I associated "career" with what my mom and dad did. My mom sat in a cubicle in a sky scraper, and my dad had his own office in a smaller building, often connected to a warehouse. My dad was always the manager of a sales office/team, and my mom was always the accountant. I think I probably identify a little more with my mom because of the whole gender role, but growing up with those influences, I've always associated my "career" with working in an office somewhere.

I also see how much help parents can give to children as they're applying for schools and jobs and as they're pursuing their options. It's so helpful to have a parent you can call to read over your resume before you submit it, or to ask them which answer is a better answer to a recruiting essay. I'm really thankful for the influences in my life, and I have an even greater respect for those who go out into the world and blaze their own trail. When you don't have parents to ask all of your questions, you MUST rely on networking and your own intelligence. Now I understand why it is that children often grow up to have careers similar to their parent's.

So here, I want to thank all of those in my life who I can turn to for advice and who help me learn from their experience.

Thank you for your help.