Interesting research by CPP (pdf) finds that students:
· Are career-minded
o 81% are “constantly” or “frequently” thinking about their future career
o 12% think about their career only “occasionally”
o Not a single respondent reported “rarely” or “never” thinking about it
·
Feel careers should be personally fulfilling
o 80% believe a career should be something that brings enjoyment and fulfillment to their life
o 72% want a career that aligns with their passion
o 53% believe their career will play a role in defining them as an individual
· Don’t believe their parents have this privilege
o 57% said their parents either “like what they do, but suspect they’d rather do something else” or “don’t like what they do, but feel they need to do it for the money” (as compared to 25% who believe their parents “love what they do”)
· Connect career success with enjoyment of work
o 78% believe they will achieve the most success in a career for which they have a passion
o When identifying specific motivators for successful people, the largest group of respondents (58%) believe “enjoyment of the work itself” as the primary motivator for career success over money and a desire for power, influence, and respect among other choices
· See their studies as steps to career fulfillment and success
o The majority (55%) believe that knowing their ideal career path will improve their college performance
o For specifics on what motivates them to study, the largest group of respondents (27%) cited “interest in the subject” as their primary motivator compared to only 9% who cited “getting into a good college”
· Gain clarity about their career direction from assessments
o 72% reported they were more enthusiastic about their future career after taking CPP’s Strong Interest Inventory assessment
o 85% said they became aware of more appealing career options after reviewing their assessment results
o 50% reported that knowing their results made them more likely to study
· Are career-minded
o 81% are “constantly” or “frequently” thinking about their future career
o 12% think about their career only “occasionally”
o Not a single respondent reported “rarely” or “never” thinking about it
·
Feel careers should be personally fulfilling
o 80% believe a career should be something that brings enjoyment and fulfillment to their life
o 72% want a career that aligns with their passion
o 53% believe their career will play a role in defining them as an individual
· Don’t believe their parents have this privilege
o 57% said their parents either “like what they do, but suspect they’d rather do something else” or “don’t like what they do, but feel they need to do it for the money” (as compared to 25% who believe their parents “love what they do”)
· Connect career success with enjoyment of work
o 78% believe they will achieve the most success in a career for which they have a passion
o When identifying specific motivators for successful people, the largest group of respondents (58%) believe “enjoyment of the work itself” as the primary motivator for career success over money and a desire for power, influence, and respect among other choices
· See their studies as steps to career fulfillment and success
o The majority (55%) believe that knowing their ideal career path will improve their college performance
o For specifics on what motivates them to study, the largest group of respondents (27%) cited “interest in the subject” as their primary motivator compared to only 9% who cited “getting into a good college”
· Gain clarity about their career direction from assessments
o 72% reported they were more enthusiastic about their future career after taking CPP’s Strong Interest Inventory assessment
o 85% said they became aware of more appealing career options after reviewing their assessment results
o 50% reported that knowing their results made them more likely to study
