Birth order can determine career choice

Younger siblings have it rough. Not only do they get picked on and subjected to hand-me-down clothes and toys, it appears they might earn less money as adults.

A survey by CareerBuilder.com found that workers who were the firstborn in their family were more likely than their siblings to earn $100,000 or more annually. More middle children claimed to earn $35,000 or less than their firstborn or youngest siblings, and last borns were the least likely to report earning six figures.

Along with earnings, it appears birth order can also factor into your career choice. Firstborns tend to pursue careers that require higher education, such as medicine, engineering and law. Middle children often have excellent negotiating and people skills, and they tend to seek work in nursing, law enforcement, and firefighting. Last borns gravitate toward artistic and outdoor jobs, as well as careers in journalism, advertising, and sales.

Only children are similar to firstborns in that they are motivated to conform to parental expectations. Research shows that those without siblings are more confident, articulate, and imaginative than other children. They also hate criticism and tend to be perfectionists.