How to help move your kids toward a career
How to help move your kids toward a career
How do I get my kids out of the house and into a job when they don’t know what to do?
It depends on their age. Youngsters should try a variety of jobs so they can eliminate what doesn’t work and hone in on what does. Grown children with years of work experience need to get real about what they do well and enjoy doing, what they do well and dislike; what they like and do poorly; then stick with the first group and let go of the rest.
Kids of all ages need to identify their strengths, acknowledge their weaknesses and listen when that voice inside whispers, “I can’t believe they pay me to do this.”
How do I get my kids out of the house and into a job when they have so many interests they don’t know which one to choose?
Let them know that there isn’t just one choice. Usually, it’s merely one in a series of ongoing choices they get to make as they move toward a direction that works best for them. Remind them that to find a career they’ll need a compass, and the destination they seek will be more than a place — it will serve a purpose.
They need to know that with choice comes accountability. Responsible employees stay in one place long enough to fully engage the challenge, the work and the people. Dependable employees keep promises and meet expectations, fulfilling those obligations with honesty, integrity and respect. Sensible employees know that how they leave a job is more memorable than how they began it.
How do I get my kids out of the house and into a job when my dreams and theirs get all mixed up?
It’s wonderful when parents want what’s best for their kids. It’s not always helpful when parents project their own wants or unfulfilled dreams onto their kids. When parents impose their desires on their offspring, they and their children are likely to be disappointed.
Yes, share what you’ve learned from experience, but acknowledge that events that shaped your life are different from those that will shape those of your children’s. Realize that what you wanted to achieve at work, home and life can be different from those your children might want and expect in the same places.
Ask your teens about their current goals and what they’re doing to achieve them. Encourage them to share perspective with you. Provide them guidance, should they want it and when they need it, and a safe place to rest troubles without your having to fix what might be wounded but not be broken.
Be willing to offer perspective and, when you do, be clear that your view is what’s right for you and may not be what’s right for them. Be open to who they are, not your version of who they ought to be. Be open to the choices you both have, to make a difference in each other’s lives by recognizing that each of you may need different things to feel complete.
Joyce Richman is a career coach and author of “Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job” and “Roads, Routes & Ruts: A Guidebook for Career Success.” Read her blog at www.richmanresources.com and watch her latest career advice Wednesdays at 6:35 a.m. on WFMY News 2. Contact Richman at 288-1799 or JERichman@aol.com.
