A poll of 2,000 adults found it was because 72 per cent didn’t have a good understanding of the career opportunities available to them when younger.
And 68 per cent were not aware their current job even existed when they were at school.
The research revealed 44 per cent wished they had more varied career options to better understand the job opportunities available.
With more relevant careers advice (49 per cent), being told about a more varied list of possible jobs (44 per cent) and learning about the different routes into careers (43 per cent) among the things which would have helped to feel more prepared.
Furthermore, 57 per cent are worried their children also aren’t getting enough access to career and job information and don’t understand the range of opportunities open them.
The research was commissioned by Inspiring the Future, a national programme run by the charity Education and Employers which encourages people from different professions to volunteer to visit schools and chat with children and young people about their careers.
Nick Chambers, CEO of the charity said “When children are asked what they want to do when they grow up most focus on jobs like teacher, doctor, vet, pilot, actor or footballer.
“But the research shows very few will actually go on to do this job as an adult, with many working in fields they didn’t even know existed when they were starting to think about their future careers.
“It’s important we give young people as much information as possible about the careers and opportunities available to them to allow them to make informed decisions.
“Introducing children to more varied types of jobs and career routes help tackle the limited and ingrained stereotypical views children often have about the jobs people do based on their gender, ethnicity or socio-economic background.
“It allows them to start thinking about a wider – more exciting – range of options including many jobs where there is huge demand and where employers struggling to find people, often having to rely on recruiting from overseas.”
Following the findings, the charity put children’s knowledge of careers to the test, by quizzing youngsters on what their parents do for a living.
One little boy described their dad’s role as ‘telling people how to build a house’ – but in reality, he is a mechanical engineer.
And another said his mum ‘bosses teachers around’ but she is actually a payroll officer for a school trust.
The study found the top jobs people wanted when they were kids were to be a doctor or nurse, a teacher – or a footballer.
While others wanted to be a scientist or pilot, and six per cent would have liked to be an artist or archaeologist, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
But of those who didn’t end up pursuing these roles, 12 per cent went on to realise there weren’t enough opportunities to do so.
It also emerged almost half (48 per cent) rated their careers advice at school as poor or even non-existent with just 25 per cent considering it as good or excellent.
While 31 per cent feel their offspring don’t understand the career opportunities available to them, with 57 per cent worried their children aren’t getting the help and advice they need.
A further 47 per cent don’t often talk to their children about their own working life.
Nick Chambers added: “One of the most positive things we can do for the next generation is to open their eyes to the sheer variety of jobs and opportunities available.
“Showing children the wide range of careers – from environmental science to gaming design, from forensic linguistics to food innovation – helps them understand there’s more than one route to success and happiness.
“It also encourages them to explore their strengths and passions in different ways.”
