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These Are Dream Jobs Around the World, Mapped — No. 1 Soars Above the Rest (and Probably Isn't What You Think It Is) Although the youngest generation in the workforce might not dream of labor, most people want some say over how they spend their 9-to-5.

By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas

Hiroshi Watanabe | Getty Images

What do you want to be when you grow up?

It's a question many young people (and some adults) consider as they imagine the job of their dreams.

In the era before social media, common answers included "teacher," "doctor" or "firefighter." And although some of those still snag top spots on dream-job wishlists, new contenders like "YouTuber" and "influencer" have also risen in the rankings.

We know that Gen Z doesn't dream of labor, rejecting the idea that a job title defines them and instead embracing work as a means to a financial end, but, naturally, most people still want some say in the way they spend their 9-to-5.

Related: What Gen Z Wants Their Managers to Understand in 2023

After all, the writer Annie Dilliard once said that "How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives" — an expenditure that amounts to an estimated 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime, according to data in Happiness at Work.

So how do people want to spend all of that time?

Remitly, a digital financial services provider for immigrants and their families, used global search data compiled from Google to find out which jobs people dream of doing most.

"People are getting used to the idea of changing careers at least once in their lifetime as the flexibility to work online and retrain increases," Jago McKenzie, business management director at Remitly, says. "Some of the main reasons people seek a career move are for better work-life balance, higher pay and a more meaningful and fulfilling career."

Related: The Dream Job Is a Myth. Focus Instead on Living Your Best Life.

Although classics like "actor" and "singer" predictably cracked the top 10, there were some surprising standouts — especially the profession that stole No. 1.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Remitly

Read on for the full list of jobs the world can't stop dreaming about.

1. Pilot

Worldwide global search volume for "how to be a...": 930,630

Pilot took the top spot on wishlists in 25 countries, including the U.S.

2. Writer

Worldwide global search volume for "how to be a...": 801,200

3. Dancer

Worldwide global search volume for "how to be a...": 278,720

4. YouTuber

Worldwide global search volume for "how to be a...": 195,070

5. BIZ Experiences

Worldwide global search volume for "how to be a...": 178,380

6. Actor

Worldwide global search volume for "how to be a...": 176,180

7. Influencer

Worldwide global search volume for "how to be a...": 159,180

8. Programmer

Worldwide global search volume for "how to be a...": 125,310

9. Singer

Worldwide global search volume for "how to be a...": 121,430

10. Teacher

Worldwide global search volume for "how to be a...": 114,950

Amanda Breen

BIZ Experiences Staff

Senior Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at BIZ Experiences.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

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