This map from Remitly helps visualise the most popular job in each country and around the world, according to Google search data. Photo / Remitly
This map from Remitly helps visualise the most popular job in each country and around the world, according to Google search data. Photo / Remitly
A map detailing the most popular careers in each country and worldwide has been revealed online, and the top job has weathered a dynamic job market to remain the most attractive globally.
In a follow-up to its original 2022 study, online remittance service Remitly released a colour-coded map that captures what the most popular job is that people are searching for on Google.
The data is compiled from searches structured around phrases such as “how to be a (job)”, ensuring the results come from a place of aspiration. Each country has been assigned a colour associated with a specific career.
According to the data from Remitly’s map, the number one dream job globally is a pilot. It was searched 432,360 times in 2024 by citizens seeking more information about the popular career path.
“How to be a pilot” was the most searched dream job in countries like Egypt, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Zimbabwe.
Job opportunities for pilots are fruitful in New Zealand, and those trained here usually earn between $96,000 to $283,000 per year, according to careers.govt.nz.
The pilot profession continues to captivate people globally, with more than 432,000 looking into a career in the skies in 2024. Photo /123rf
However, according to the study, the top dream job that Kiwis searched for in 2024 doesn’t require you to complete your flight training.
In New Zealand, “how to be a DJ” led the way as the most searched career on Google.
Becoming a DJ also proved to be the most popular career search in Australia, Canada, India and Hungary, despite it failing to make it into the top 20 job searches globally with 109,650 searches.
The world’s second most sought-after job is the role of an attorney, which garnered 393,380 searches worldwide. The legal profession was the top contender in the search results of several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Brazil, China and New Caledonia.
Citizens who aspire to serve their countries and communities helped lead the dream job that takes third place worldwide.
According to Remitly’s research, interest in becoming a police officer has grown by a staggering 440% in the space of two years, with 272,000 searches globally in 2024 compared to just 50,470 in 2022. The law enforcement job topped the career aspirations of citizens in South Korea and Poland.
Rounding out the top five dream jobs globally are two integral roles in healthcare.
Becoming a pharmacist ranked in fourth place worldwide with 272,630 searches, and the career was the most searched by citizens in Japan. Meanwhile, the nursing profession ranked in fifth place globally, garnering 248,720 searches.
The research shows many Kiwis and Aussies are dreaming of taking on a career as a DJ.
Other dream jobs in the top 10 also received significant interest.
A career as a physical therapist came sixth on the list with 244,050 searches. Becoming a midwife ranked seventh with 227,010 searches, becoming a prosecutor topped search results in Turkey and received 220,870 searches worldwide, and the actor and judge professions came in ninth (199,150 searches) and tenth (198,450), respectively.
“It’s fascinating to see such diverse careers featured among the world’s most searched dream jobs,” Remitly senior employee Ryan Riley told the Daily Mail.
“We’re seeing a trend where the world’s dream jobs are becoming more corporate and focused on high salaries over other career goals, especially seen with the surge in legal professions.”
Riley told the Daily Mail that the growth in interest for jobs in healthcare was “inspiring” and said it could be due to the “impact of the pandemic causing people to seek out roles that serve their communities.”
A separate study conducted by Jobseeker last year also highlights the enduring popularity of aviation jobs globally. The results, released in January 2024, revealed that becoming a pilot was the top dream job for New Zealanders and citizens from 54 other countries.
Check out Remitly’s full list of the top 20 dream jobs searched worldwide below:
