Can Media Influence People’s Career Choices? A Systematic Review

The aim of this review was to synthesise and appraise the evidence on the impact of media on career decisions. Academic databases were searched for papers that investigated the link between media and career choice. There was some evidence that audiovisual media (i.e., movies, TV, video games) impacted career choice, with further evidence that print media was influential. Males and those from racial minority groups were more influenced by media than others. There was a limited focus on specific careers, although it is evident that people are influenced to pursue career pathways in STEM, the criminal justice system, and marketing owing to media exposure. Overall, there is some evidence that media influences career choice, with audiovisual approaches more effective over print/text. However, this evidence is limited to a narrow range of careers. More rigorous research is warranted to develop our understanding of how media can influence career choice.