Choosing the right career path is one of the most gruelling decisions each one of us has to make. Today, kids have a plethora of interesting careers and skills to choose from. With so many options to choose from, kids may feel overwhelmed and confused.
Your kids may turn to you for guidance and suggestions. In such situations, you have to maintain a delicate balance between their freedom and your concern.
In recent times, one can see millions of aptitude tests, seminars, career guidance committees that are designed to help kids make the right choice.
Nevertheless, your support and encouragement are important factors that influence your child’s decisions. Let us take a look at a few tips for parents to help their children pick the right career.
1) Teach them what you know, but don’t do it for them
For kids who are just starting to explore the huge career world, it may be useful if you teach them some career lingos. You can share with them the trials and tribulations you faced as a young professional.
Try to give them a realistic description of the outside world. They should know about CVs and resumes, cover letters, job applications and interviews, salary negotiations, promotions, etc. Of course, as parents, you may have the tendency to do everything yourselves, but instead of fixing problems for them, teach them how to solve issues. This will help develop responsibility in children.
2) Show your support but do not hover
It is absolutely understandable that you want to protect your precious young ones from the harsh realities of the world. But the truth is they will have to face the world one day.
You have to think of yourselves as a foundation on which your children are building their careers. You must be ready to support and lift your children whenever you can. You are also going to be the ones that catch them when they fall. But it is up to them to explore their interests and opportunities.
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3) Identify their strengths but do not tell them what to do
No one knows children better than their parents. Parents start to notice their kids’ strengths and weaknesses very early on. Psychologists like to call it “strength spotting” and this is where parents can be extremely helpful.
You can act as gentle reminders of how well they do certain tasks or which skills they are excellent at. Be direct with your compliments like – “You have great organizational skills” or “Your creativity is amazing”. Notice the conditions under which your child works best. For example- some kids work better alone, while some are great team players who can work well in large organizations.
All of these talents and preferences are hints to possible careers. For a more detailed identification of strengths and interests, you can take your kids for personality tests such as Myers-Briggs or the Strong Interest Inventory.
4) Research current market careers and keep your minds open
The world is changing rapidly every passing moment. Careers that we deemed as popular or rewarding may no longer be in demand for the new generations. It is necessary that before giving any advice or suggestions, you are up to date with knowledge about current market conditions.
There is a whole new section of new job opportunities that didn’t exist a few years ago, for example – careers in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. This doesn’t mean that you hold back your valuable input. Your years of experience can prove very useful to judge which careers will last for a longer period of time. You can have healthy brainstorming sessions with your children to come up with great ideas.
5) Use your connections but do not push your career on them
There is nothing wrong with using the connections that you have spent years building to your children’s benefit. Once your child lists some careers they are interested in, you can ask people you know in similar fields to guide them.
Your kids can visit them at their workplaces, observe their work, and gain knowledge. You can find them a mentor or an internship. These are great methods to let your children figure out things on their own without pushing them to something. It is quite natural to dream about your kids following your footsteps. But remember to keep their happiness as a priority.
Your children are your pride and joy. It is every parent’s dream to see their children succeed in their lives. Helping them choose the right career path is the first step to turn this dream into a reality.