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By Cynthia M. Piccolo
knowThyselfOptionsEarlyChildhoodJob image

When you were a child, what did you say when adults asked you the standard question: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Looking back, whether you wanted to be a firefighter, a movie star, or an astronaut, most of us will now see that our childhood vocational fantasies were idealistic, unattainable, or undesirable. But don't discount these dreams – exploring your early job desires may provide insight into your underlying personality type.

The Exercise

This self-assessment exercise poses questions such as:

  • What were your earliest career choices or dreams?
  • What, at the time, drew you to these careers (e.g., money, fame, values, interests, a person, work environment, excitement)?
  • Does what drew you to these careers still motivate you today?
  • Do you still hold any of your early childhood needs/desires? If so, does your current job fulfill any of these needs/desires? If you are a student, does the career for which you are studying fulfill any of these childhood needs/desires? Are there changes (simple or more extensive) that you can make to fulfill any of the needs/desires?

This exercise is primarily a personal exploration that may reveal whether or not (and how) you've changed over time.

This article is one of a series about self assessment exercises. See also: getting started, personality testing, self assessment tips, goals, motivations, previous work experiences, skills, values, work at home, and work environments.
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