Future Plans: Career Exploration for Teens

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Hi everyone,

Welcome to Wanda Luthman’s children’s book blog. Today, we have our favorite child psychologist with us to help us help our teens find what they want to be when they grow up.

Dr. Allen, take it away…

Future Plans: Career Exploration for Teens

by

Dr. Valerie Allen

As your teen approaches legal age, he or she should be completing high school with an eye on the future. They can choose to apply for employment with on-the-job training, enter the military, enroll in a specialized vocational or certification program, apply a two year community college, or register for a  four year university. It’s not necessary for them to make an absolute career choice at this stage of their life. Typically, we first learn about the job and careers we don’t want. It takes a while longer to figure out the exact career path we will ultimately choose. Success and satisfaction in one’s career requires that we find something we enjoy, do well, and provides financial security. Here are some things to consider when teens begin to explore which career path will best  meet his or her needs.

1. Technical: enjoys using a special skill; thrives on the challenges presented by the task; is not interested in climbing the corporate ladder.

2. Managerial: focuses on getting ahead; enjoys responsibility; likes having influence on the end goal; willing to change from one job to another to learn new skills and have new opportunities.

3. Lifestyle: may want to live is a specific community, small town, or large city; may enjoy living near a cultural center; wants to limit working hours to afford more time for a  balanced life with friends, family, and hobbies.

4. Autonomy: values independence; wants to be his own boss and set his own pace within the workplace;  wants to avoid the hassles, drama, and office politics of large organizations or corporations.

5. Stability: seeks security; would give up higher pay for less stress, more benefits, and a guaranteed paycheck.

6. Entrepreneur: wants to be creative; money a  motivator;  is inspired to provide a  new or creative service or product.

7. Services:   a humanitarian; his concern is to make the world a better place; he likes to shape policies and wants to help others.

8. Challenges: considers success from the point of view of “all” or  “none”; winning or losing is of utmost importance;  highly competitive; tends to be thrilled when seeking to solve the unsolvable.

Discussing your teens values, what is of interest to them, and where they think they will find satisfaction will help them move along  a career path where they feel comfortable and will ultimately find success.

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Dr. Valerie Allen is a child psychologist in private practice. She  has published two children’s chapter books, “Summer School for Smarties” and “Bad Hair, Good Hat, New Friends ” and  a  picture book  for beginning readers, “The Sun and The Moon.”  Oh yes, she has also raised six children!

Thank you, Dr. Valerie Allen, for sharing your expertise with us today and being a guest on my blog. Everyone always appreciates what you have to say.

And to my loyal blog followers, thank you for stopping by today! As always–likes, comments, and shares are appreciated.

Stay safe