Help Your Teen determine Their Career Plans by Asking Questions and LISTENING to the Answers

Help Your Teen determine Their Career Plans by Asking Questions and LISTENING to the Answers

A May 2012 article in Forbes magazine reports that only 19 percent of Americans are "satisfied" in their jobs. And that`s just satisfied. One can only guess how many are truly happy in their work. As teens begin to think about applying for or attending college or joining the workforce, it’s important to give some serious thought to the kind of work they might find satisfying, long term. While a significant number of American adults do make career changes at some point in their lives, those who are happy in their work have happier lives overall. Learning what makes their hearts sing early can help teens make good choices now – as they embark on their higher education and career paths.

Teens, it’s time to start taking that question you’ve been hearing all your life – “What do you want to be when you grow up?" – seriously. Maybe your “ballerina” or “astronaut” answer hasn’t changed since you were 7, but chances are that it has. Of course, if you want to be an astronaut, you should GO FOR IT! One gal I have watched grow up had a collection of plastic horses and stables as a little girl. She pursued her equine passion all the way through to university, where she’s now studying to become a large animal vet. If your passion has changed since you were small – or you don’t know what you might really love to do – the time to start exploring is now!

Parents, if your child expresses an interest in a career, the best thing you can do for them is offer your support, regardless of how wacky or far-fetched it may seem. So they want to be a tour guide in Mexico City but they don’t speak a word of Spanish. Maybe they have a sincere interest in pursuing a music or acting career. Maybe they’re talking about a nontraditional career for their gender, like a girl who wants to be a firefighter. What is the next step they should take? Regardless of how uncomfortable the career choice they mention might make you – perhaps you had a vision of what you saw your child doing with their life, and what they’re saying now just isn’t it – this is their decision, their life, and they need you now to put aside your prejudices and help them explore their next steps.

Begin by asking questions – a boatload of them. Ask things like:

• What activities would you like to pursue next year (e.g., sports, acting or music lessons, volunteering, or after-school job)? What about that activity appeals to you? Is there a particular goal you'd like to accomplish with that activity? How long do you see yourself pursuing the activity?
• Who do you know that really enjoys their job? Have you ever asked them questions about their job (why they pursued it, how they got into it, etc.)?
• What adults – either people you know or celebrities – do you admire? Why do you admire them?
• What kinds of jobs appeal to you? What makes them seem interesting? Can you see yourself doing that work as a career?
• Even after all your classes, what would you like to learn more about?
• Is there anything you’ve never done that you’d like to try? What is it? Why does it appeal to you?
• What’s your favorite memory? Why is it your favorite?
• What’s your very favorite thing to do in your free time?
• Have you ever completely lost track of time because you were so involved in an activity? What were you doing when that happened?
• What do your friends do or say that makes you want to hang around with them?
• What’s the best vacation you’ve ever taken – or would like to take?
• What kinds of local activities appeal to you (e.g., comedy shows, auto or home shows, book fairs, live theatre, concerts, professional sports, factory or business tours, etc.)?
• What kinds of books and magazines do you like to read? What kinds of movies do you enjoy? What kinds of websites do you spend the most time on? What appeals to you about them?
• If you money were no object and you could do anything for a week, where would you go and what would you do?

Parents, as you ask these questions – really listen and pay attention to your teen when they answer. Ask more questions and do less talking – and notice your response to their answers. Though you may think you already know the answers, your teen’s actual answers may surprise you. You definitely want to avoid showing a negative response to anything your teen tells you. If they think you’re going to rain judgment on them – rather than listening with your mind open toward really helping them make good choices for their future – they could shut down on you. Your patience and belief in them will go a long way toward building trust.

Even in spite of your best efforts, your teen or college-age student may find themselves changing majors a time or two during their university career. "I tell [high school students] to have three or four areas in mind that they would like to explore at college," says John Yaegel, school counselor at Tenafly High School (NJ) in an interview an article by Jennifer Gross for Education.com. Gross advises that you help your teen look for colleges with good programs in all of his or her areas of interest. Then, they’ll want to spend their first couple years of college exploring the potential career interests they identified.

Beyond their class choices, your college teen can visit the school’s career center, explore summer jobs or internships, and connect with people in the careers they’re considering (LinkedIn has made this much easier than it used to be). These things will give them a hands-on sense of the career they’re considering so they will have a better sense of how much it will realistically appeal to them.

It’s also important to determine the timeline for your teen to declare his or her major. Certain programs like engineering, architecture, nursing, pre-law, fine arts and others require a longer degree path, so it may be difficult to switch in or out of them down the road.

Career Planning Resources

A Phoenix company, Ignite International, has a vision to transform the “job” culture by helping people pinpoint their life’s purpose. Unlike career assessments, Ignite provides powerful insights into how, why, and where an individual will have the greatest impact and find happiness. Simply put: Ignite will identify one’s uniqueness and the purpose of their life’s work.

And her is a list of career planning resources: http://www.careervision.org/resources/parents.htm.

 

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ALBERT MENSAH is a champion of opportunity and achieving one’s dreams. Rising from humble beginnings in Ghana, Africa, Albert has become one of the world’s leading student motivational speakers, regularly presenting to groups such as FCCLA, FFA, FBLA, DECA, 4-H, and numerous school assemblies and student council groups. Visit his website to book him to speak at your student assembly, career day, or state or national teachers’