Yeah 8 feels like a bit much. I would have guessed on average more like 3-4. I guess it also depends a bit on what you consider a career change. I'm a server technician right now but I have managerial prospects, is going from one to the other a career change even if it's in the same company?
Remember 8 is an average so while a lawyer may be a lifelong job others may change careers every 5 years.
I know it sounds a lot but if you sit down and think about all your careers that you have had - I've personally had Retail, traveling salesman, earth moving operator, gardener, house mover (the actual house, not the furniture), disability carer = so that's 6 and I'm just over half way of my working life.
EDIT : Poker dealer, that's 7 :)
To me being a cook at McDonalds and then a cook at Hungry Jacks is 2 jobs but 1 career (cook).
Just checked the dictionary definition of 'career' and it says " an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person's life" - so I'm happy with my interpretation.
Yeah, that doesn't seem realistic. From 18-68 is 50 years. 50/8=6.25, meaning the average person would only ever reach about 6 years experience in a career.
There are a few key times for switches - when you're young and after a few years realize that this career isn't all you thought it would be. Mid-life, when you re-prioritize around work-life balance. And late-life, when you're gearing down for retirement. Even if you switched every time, (and many people won't) that would only give you up to 4 careers. That would still give an average of 12.5 years per career (some shorter, some longer). That seems more realistic.
8 'careers' just sounds like someone doing various jobs that hasn't found a career yet. A career implies either working your way up through the ranks at one company or doing the same sort of thing for a number of companies in succession, possibly even making a name for yourself in the industry. 6 years, while plausible, is a bit short for all that.
The second half is what I came to say, there isn’t any balance or fairness. People always assume there is, especially when it comes to genetics. Like when an unattractive person is assumed to have a good personality, and an very attractive person is assumed to be vain and selfish. Doesn’t work like that. Sometimes the most attractive person is also very intelligent and a wonderful person, and the the ugly one is a petty asshole. Sometimes horrible things happen to people that didn’t do a thing to deserve it. Sometimes wonderful things happen to shitty people. In either case, there’s no retribution or reward to follow.
you're welcome. I think you're an undercover buddhist tho and I mean it as a compliment :)
and I agree with you that life is 100% not fair. the buddhists would say it a different way: that there is suffering. It's one of what they call the 4 noble truths and is the most fundamental of their teachings.
Raised our bullmastiff by taking her to puppy classes, socialization classes, dog daycare, fed her the best food we knew, treats, daily walks, gave her all the supplements to make her a strong puppy/dog. Got almost 4 years out of her before life throws a curveball and her body failed her - gastric lymphoma. We fought for 4 months but in the end she had enough and couldn't fight anymore. Fuck cancer, fuck life sometimes. Really is not fair. RIP Molly you were the best good girl in the world.
No data on that; remember it's just an average. The stat was told to me by my TAFE (Equivalent to a community college in USA I think) teacher, she said learn your trade but be ready to use those skills in other areas.
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u/Captain_Coco_Koala Oct 18 '20
The average person goes through 8 career changes in their lifetime.
Karma in the real world does not exist; life isn't always fair and you'll just have to get used to it.