“What do you want to be when you grow up?” A question many adults are still asking, even as they begin the process of helping their kids find the answer. During high school years this question takes on a new urgency as graduation looms large.
The best first step is having open and honest conversations, followed by taking advantage of the incredible tools and resources available, and exploring the various educational and training options for each chosen path.
Beginning the Conversation
When’s the right time to begin helping kids find their career? According to Millicent Simmelink, chief engagement officer at Career Links in Rocky River, the time to start the discussion is earlier than you might think.
“In early to middle childhood, parents need to pay careful attention to what fuels their child’s curiosity and joy,” she advises. “They need to encourage fantasy play that allows their child to assume different life roles as they do reality test work and practical life scenarios.”
Simmelink is the author of the forthcoming book “Set Your Sails to Reach! A Mindful Approach to Envisioning Your Potential and Navigating Your Career.” She recommends parents enter these conversations from a place of openness and curiosity, focusing on a child’s strengths and interests as the most effective way of finding a meaningful career.
“It’s important to help your child recognize where their natural strengths lie so they can continue to build upon them in a productive and meaningful way,” she says.
Christina Fuller, guidance counselor and counseling department chair with Copley Fairlawn City Schools, also sees the benefits from this strength-based approach.
“Start with their interests,” Fuller says. “What do they like to do, what don’t they like to do? While this might seem rudimentary, it really is the root to having a fulfilling career. Many students go into fields due to the money or prestige but get burnt out very quickly. Doing something you enjoy or that you can find fulfillment in is our ultimate goal.”
As these conversations progress, it’s tempting for parents to shut down what they view as unsuitable or unrealistic. However, this tactic rarely leads to beneficial conversations.
“Common mistakes parents make when trying to guide their children through this process include not listening to what their child wants, telling their child what they ‘should’ do, projecting their own unfulfilled career dreams onto their child, wanting their child to follow in their footsteps,” Simmelink says.
Fuller also sees this play out firsthand. “Parents, out of the desire to see their child succeed, often make the mistake of wanting their children to have a career that provides them with what they believe to have stability,” she says. “They often also think more about what they would rather see their children doing than necessarily what the child wants or is interested in.”
Instead, she recommends actively pursuing careers that directly align with strengths and interests for tangible benefits long-term.
“I would advise guiding your child to explore their interests and ways they could utilize those in a potential career,” Fuller says. “The more they understand about themselves and how their abilities can relate with potential careers, makes such a big difference.”
Matching Strengths
Matching interests and skills to a career is daunting, but there are many resources to help. Fuller recommends starting with a high school guidance counselor. “Talking with your school counselor regarding what career exploration software their school utilizes is a great starting point. Many schools are also starting to incorporate internship and job shadowing as a requirement for students to understand better what opportunities are out there.”
Parents and students can also take time to explore Ohio Means Jobs, an online hub with resources for students at every level. Here students can take a skills assessment which matches them to potential careers, learn about apprentice programs, find college planning tools, and more.
Other free online assessments include O*Net Online which matches assessment results with career opportunities.
Some libraries offer free coaching or career assessments, but families looking for a more detailed approach can consider a private career and college counselors.
How to Get There
Another difficult decision families face is whether or not a four-year degree is necessary to reach their career goals. For years an undergraduate degree, and even a post-secondary degree, have been seen as a mandatory requirement to making a comfortable living, however this is slowly changing.
“Right now, a four-year degree is still considered the gold standard in making sure kids have a meaningful and rewarding career, but sentiment is shifting. The rising costs of a four-year degree are concerning for many families,” Simmelink says. “In addition, many undergraduate degree programs are not easily aligned with employment needs.”
Whether or not a student plans to attend college there are more options than ever before for advanced training and career development that provide a specific path for career-seekers, rather than a blanket option for everyone.
Fuller works with many of her students to help them find these alternate pathways.
“Debt-to-income ratio has become a major concern for many students in today’s society,” she says. “Many students are opting to attend two-year universities or community colleges that cost less to get certifications; or to get credits at a lower cost to avoid going into as much debt. Many students are also looking into trade jobs as careers, due to the apprenticeship components, where you are paid while learning and then are guaranteed a job at the end. Others are focusing on outside certifications or training in the works, such as real estate, entrepreneurship, or moving up in the sales world. Anymore, a four-year college is not necessary to succeed financially in the world.”
For those students who are college-bound, taking advantage of programs such as College Credit Plus is an excellent way to earn college credits while still in high school. College Credit Plus is free to all Ohio high school students and enables them to take online or in-person courses at public Ohio colleges and universities.
Often, high schools offer vocational training which can either be used on their own or in conjunction with associate’s degrees, certifications, or even a bachelor’s degree.
“One local high school student in my community completed vocational training in the culinary arts in high school before pursuing a degree in hospitality administration from Cornell University,” Simmelink says.
Setting your child on the path toward a meaningful, stable career is daunting. Building on their strengths, taking advantage of every resource, and learning all of the different routes to employment are all critical steps in building a career they can count on.
Additional Resources
Check out these amazing tools to help guide your teen in the right direction for long-term success!
Ohio Means Jobs – ohiomeansjobs.ohio.gov/
Free to all Ohio residents, this interactive site offers skill and goal assessments college prep tools, and much more.
College Credit Plus – highered.ohio.gov/
Open to any Ohio public school student planning on attending an Ohio public college or university, this program allows high school students to earn college credit at no cost.
O*Net Online – onetonline.org
This free resource provides tools such as an Interest Profiler, Ability Profiler, and information on over 900 possible careers.
National Career Development Association – ncda.org
Families looking for more personalized support can find an accredited career counselor or advisor in their area. Prices vary depending on the practitioner.
ESC NEO WORKS – escneo.org/CareerCentersCompacts.aspx
A collaboration between area school districts to provide career-technical education and much more. Northeast Ohio Career Centers/Compacts provide services to the ESC of Northeast Ohio’s member school districts.
