Sure, you like your job. But is it your dream job?
Probably not.
Respondents to a recent survey conducted by MidAmerica Nazarene University have very specific ideas about what defines their dream job, and just 25 percent say they’ve achieved it.
Both genders seek the same main attributes in a dream job but in different order. Women want flexibility first, followed by creative freedom and a good income. Good income leads the list for men, followed by flexibility and creative freedom.
Women and men diverge when it comes to perks they consider most important and their dream salary. What women want most is a flexible schedule and unlimited vacation time, while office snacks and gym memberships are more important to men.
Both genders want matched 401K plans, the ability to work remotely and help paying back student loans.
Men list an average dream salary of $444,958, while women aspire to a more modest average of $278,637. The median household income in the United States according to 2015 U.S. Census data was $56,516, with 49 the peak earnings age for men and 40 for women, per CNBC.
Forty-one percent said it’s their dream to own a business, but they don’t want to work more than 60 hours a week at it. Just 12 percent want a C-suite title, 23 percent aspire to be mid-managers, and 18 percent said they would be happy to have an associate position with a company.
Respondents said their dream job should include a 9-to-5 work schedule with a one-hour lunch break, and said they want 52 days — the equivalent of one day a week — of paid time off. They'd also like to work remotely 11 days a month.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average, employees receive 10 paid vacation days after 1 year of service. The number of paid vacation days increases slightly after 5 years – workers received 15 paid days on average. They received an average of 17 days after 10 years and 20 days after 20 years.
The people most likely to say they are in their dream job already are Baby Boomers, make a high salary, have a doctoral degree or are residents of the Southwest.
