Kiwis' dream job is being a DJ - see what else made the top 10

The dream job in New Zealand might be far from what you think - or maybe not!

Remember being asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Most of us probably spat something out about wanting to be a doctor, teacher, firefighter, or heck, even an astronaut... 

Well, these days, it seems the keen pick is to spin some decks.

A new international study has revealed New Zealanders are dreaming big about beats, with DJ being the profession we’re searching for the most.

International money transfer service Remitly analysed Google search data across more than 140 countries, tracking the top “how to be a…” or “how to become a…” searches.

Australia, Canada, the United States, Ireland, Namibia, Grenada, and Trinidad and Tobago are all right there with us, keen to get behind the decks.

But while DJ takes out the top spot, there are still some of the classic professions still holding strong as top choices in Aotearoa - and a few fresh picks added into the mix, that you might not have thought would rank so high.

New Zealand’s top 10 dream jobs:

1. DJ

2. Veterinarian

3. Actor

4. YouTuber

5. CEO

6. Pilot

7. Accountant

8. Doctor

9. Creative writer

10. Lawyer

Globally, things look a bit different. Acting has been named as the world’s number one dream job.

Wanting to be a pilot previously held the top spot, making this the first time it has been overtaken since the study began in 2022.

And in what might be the biggest hike up the dream job ladder, Lawyer now sits in fourth spot after previously ranking 59th.

Top 10 dream jobs globally in 2026:

1. Actor

2. Pilot

3. Firefighter

4. Lawyer

5. YouTuber

6. Veterinarian

7. Flight attendant

8. Police officer

9. Estate agent

10. DJ

Honestly, all this chat makes me think I could give being a DJ a crack… If you don’t hear from me in a while, I’ll be spinning decks!