Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Great Friends are Valued More than Great Jobs

Problems with the economy and questions on financial future are everywhere but most Americans have not forgotten about the value of a good friend. According to Ipsos survey results about two-thirds of the American adults (aged 18-64) surveyed would rather have great friends than have a great career. Younger Americans (18-35) are 12% less likely than the average (58% vs. 66%) to say they would choose great friends.

This may be a function of having a longer career horizon to navigate and more worries over the future of the economy. Indeed, according to a July report from Penn Schoen Berland in partnership with Burson-Marsteller, younger Americans are pessimistic about their opportunities. When asked if the US economy is on the right track or off on the wrong track, 69% of respondents aged 18-29 chose “wrong track” versus 62% of those 65+ choosing “right track.”

Highly Educated More Career Minded

Additional results from the Ipsos survey indicate that adults with higher educations are more likely to choose a great career over great friends than those with lower levels of education, a result that seems logical on the surface given the former group’s investment in their education. Still, a majority 60% of those with high educational attainment would choose to have great friends, compared to 70% of those with low levels of education.

Adults from low income households are also more likely to eschew their friends for a great career than those from high income households (31% vs. 38%).

Biz Owners, Executives Value Careers

Although a majority of business owners and senior executives would choose great friends over great careers, there is a significant gap between those groups and their counterparts. For example, 41% of business owners would rather have a great career than great friends, compared to 33% of respondents who don’t own a business. Similarly, 43% of senior executives, decision-makers, and leaders would choose a great career, versus 32% who don’t hold those roles.

 Surprising as it sounds, the unemployed were far more likely to choose great friends over a great career than the employed (73% vs. 62%).

Other Interesting Facts:

  • American women are more likely than men to choose great friends over a great career (70% vs. 63%).
  • Chief income earners favor great careers more than those aren’t chief income earners (38% vs. 30%).
  • Respondents in some key developing markets appear to be more focused on their careers than their friends. In Indonesia, 65% would rather have a great career than great friends. A majority in India (57%), Mexico (54%), South Africa (54%), and China (53%) would also choose a great career, as would almost half (48%) in Brazil.
  • Respondents in Sweden (82%) and Hungary (74%) are the most committed to great friendships.
Value friends, relationships and life!

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson
Internet Builder Consulting

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