Breaking the Mould: Unravelling the Impact of Family on Our Career Choices

We often like to believe that we make our career decisions completely freely. But the reality is that our choices are influenced by those around us - often subconsciously. These could be teachers, colleagues, the media or our friends. And one of the most significant influences is... our family.

It’s from them that we first learn about the world of work. Seeing our parents or caregivers go off to work is where we start to build our ideas about what a job looks like. Work could be going to an office, out in a van, or a home studio, for example. Their attitude to work may well shape our own - is it something stressful, a chore, or an exciting, creative adventure?

As we get older, we learn what "suitable" jobs for people like us are. Our parents might make suggestions about what jobs they think we should do. This can carry a significant amount of weight. Choosing a career can feel like a difficult decision, and so it's natural to turn to and trust in those who care for us. Family networks might be useful in accessing certain professions. Conversely, a lack of family support might mean that we don’t feel able to pursue a certain option, instead following a path that feels more secure.

There's nothing inherently wrong with family influence. But if we're feeling resistant to certain career options, it could be that inherited narratives are getting in the way. The following exercise helps to bring these to the surface. We can then decide how we want to react to them.

The career genogram

A career genogram is like a traditional family tree, but with a focus on work. Draw out your family tree – you can also include those outside your family who've had a significant influence on you – for example family friends. For each person, include job title. You can also include other key information, such as education level or industry.

Once you’ve drawn your genogram, take some time to reflect on it – are there any patterns you can see? Do any particular jobs - or types of job – show up?

You can use this to reflect more broadly on how work was viewed in your family. What kinds of work were respected or looked down on? Were any times of work thought of as only suitable for men or women? How was success defined?

Unearthing these narratives allows you to decide how you want to react to them. Do you personally agree with these views, or do you hold a different view? If so, could you allow yourself to explore ideas or options outside those deemed suitable by your family, for example?

Building this awareness can be a powerful tool for effectively navigating career transitions.