How to move your kids toward a career, part 2
How to move your kids toward a career, part 2
You’re asking all kinds of questions about how to get your kids out of the house and into a job. Here are a few that are representative of many questions I have received on the subject:
How do I get my daughter out of the house and into a job when she lacks confidence?
Your daughter may lack confidence in areas where you feel assured and have confidence where you have little interest. Let’s say she loves a good book and a quiet place to read and you like meeting people and going places.
“Come on, honey, you’ll love working at the mall!” won’t do it for her. Satisfy both your needs by acquainting her with a world beyond her experience that enables her to work in her comfort zone — places like book stores, libraries, museums, galleries and cultural centers, where she can find opportunities that enable her to learn and grow.
My kids tell me I lecture them all the time. How else are they supposed to learn?
If this is a case of “Do as I say, don’t do as I do,” they’ll do what you did and ignore what you said. If you want your kids to replicate the best of your behaviors, be consistent in your words and your actions. If you expect them to tell you the truth, be truthful with them. If you expect them to be accountable to you, be accountable to them. It doesn’t always work and it isn’t always easy, but it’s worth the effort.
I have a teenage son who isn’t doing anything to get a job and I’m running out of patience. What should I do?
Remember the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink”? Do your son a favor and lead him to water. Introduce him to possibilities that he might not know exist. Describe networking to him, and encourage him to make calls and set up appointments. Help him write a résumé and cover letter, go with him to buy interview clothes, drill him on interview questions and help him with the answers. Show him what follow-through means, what to say and what to do. If you lead your son to water, he might just take a drink.
My kid is in too big of a hurry to grow up. I want him to spend more time in school but he wants to focus on his job. How can I get him to think longer term?
Some kids want to experience work more than they want to experience the life that surrounds it. From where you stand, he’s missing the big picture. From where he stands, you’re getting in his way.
He may not listen to you but he might listen to his boss. Encourage your son to talk with him and to ask his opinion if more schooling is a good idea. If the boss has been around the block a few times, he’ll probably set your son straight. If he doesn’t or that conversation doesn’t happen, step back and give life a chance to teach some lessons. It always does.
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.
