I was chatting with a mom whose teen attended my College and Career Action Planning workshop. We were discussing the careers her teen chose, which were Architect and Graphic Designer. Both of these careers matched her interests. Plus, the job outlook and salaries were in line with what she wanted.
The mom wanted to know how she can help guide her daughter in pursuing each of these careers. I shared how I encourage teens to talk to professionals in those job fields. But there is one BIG obstacle in doing this. Your child’s network circle is limited to their friends and peer groups. The chances of them knowing someone in a career they are interested in is minimal.
This is where you come in. Parents are WAY more connected than their teens. Here are three easy actions you can do today to help your child.
1. Go through your contacts.
Check your email addresses, phone numbers, Facebook friends, and LinkedIn connections. See who might work in your teen’s chosen career OR may know someone who does. Tell them your teen is considering a specific career and ask if they can talk to them. I haven’t found anyone yet who isn’t willing to help a teen with their future.
2. Find professional organizations.
Just about every career has a professional organization. For example, in Human Resources, there is the Society for Human Resource Management. There’s one for Emergency Medical Technicians, Lawyers, Welders, Educators, Salespeople, and so on. Have your teen Google “Professional Organizations for…” and insert their chosen field. Your teen can reach out to that organization and ask to speak with someone about that particular career. Some of these organizations may also have scholarships for teens pursuing that career path.
3. Contact me.
I am happy to connect your teen if I know someone in their chosen career. I have connected teens to lawyers, accountants, talent scouts, athletic trainers, etc. One of my favorite finds was for a teen who was interested in being a voiceover actor. It turns out that I know a few. With that connection, the teen learned there was a voiceover actor conference coming to our town. AND they had a special portion of the conference planned for young adults considering that career.
I never charge a fee to connect your teen with business professionals. I get pure joy in being able to help them make a connection that can change their life. If you’d like me to help your child, email me at laurie@myidealcollege.org.
Making connections are important for not only learning about a career, but they can also lead to internships and jobs. Once your teen finds someone to chat with, the next obstacle is, “What do I ask when I meet with them?” I can help you out here. Click here to get my Informational Interview Questions. I have several questions that they can pick and choose from to ask.
Are you interested in being someone a teen can contact to find out more about your career? Let us know in the comments below, and we will reach out to you.