Confounding the hypothesis that this is actual genetic heritability, perhaps, but I don’t think anyone is claiming or predicting that genetics is the dominant effect. I’m sure a study could be done on children not raised by their biological parents, but I doubt there would be a strong correlation except perhaps for rare occupations that are strongly linked to a genetic component, like (and I’m just guessing here) athleticism or intelligence.
Genetics can predispose you into "something that requires good memory" or "something that requires strength" or even "is routine and requires patience". There are usually many that fit your genetics. Whether your love for routine lead you to choose work with horses or plants or something else depends on a lot more factors.
Plus, there are many people in professions that dont fit their genetics perfectly.
Your last sentence makes me wonder: what is the average job satisfaction of people who have the same jobs as a parent versus other people?
Growing up in American public schools I was on several occasions taught something like “the phrase ‘pursuit of happiness’ in the Declaration of Independence means you can do whatever you want with your life rather than just following in the footsteps of your parents.” I suspect that’s an oversimplification or distortion of the author’s intent, but it’s definitely a popular concept.
Along similar lines, I wonder hiw the percentage of children who take the same job as a parent has changed over time. I would guess that it has decreased since the industrial revolution.
I would expect higher hapiness, because you have better idea of what you are going into and parents likely shown you their strategies how to deal with disadvantages of that job.
Unless you was foerced to pick up that job or did it to make parents happy.
Yep, that too. People like you are filtered out before they make that mistake. Which again, raises average happiness of those who pick the job - there would be one more unhappy person to bring average down otherwise.
Mum works in military => lives near military base => more likely to get job in military than general population (regardless of parents)