Provide broad or specific advice that you would tell young people entering the labour market today.
Choosing a career can place a lot of pressure on young people and all at a time when they are trying to study. Work through these questions alone or with family, teacher and friends:
- What are you really good at and love doing? -- Do perfection and plan!
- What are you are good at but hate doing? -- Squeeze it!
- What do you love doing but are not that great at? -- Can excel, do hard work!
- What are you not good at and hate doing? -- Ignore it!
Put your energy into researching your options. A good strategy to reduce the stress of choosing a career pathway is to focus on the “process” of selecting a career rather than your actual choice – or absence of choice.
http://career-advice.careerone.com.au/job-hunting-strategy/getting-started/how-school-students-can-find-career-path/article.aspx
I advise them to do what they like to do and to be sure they have talent in it.
It is a tough question, even tougher to explain to a teenager. Well, I would perhaps subject the kid to really tough contemplative questions, that is what I fear. The first question each person should confront at this time should be - what one wants from his life. The second would be if what he wants is valued in the job market or not, in which case he would have to make a list of preferences according and choose the most useful one.
Do the job that you can be motivated to wake up in the mornings of 35 years from the time you begin.
Some of my students are interested to do medicine. They have all the fine qualities, the dedication and empathy. But despite excellent results, they are offered courses like Biotechnology or Science education. So I encourage them to do medicine, where their interest lies, and where they have a chance to be their own boss in the future!
Hello
Thank you for the responses, good concrete advice. Just out of curiosity, how does a young person find out what they are good at, if they don't already know?
Daryn
Hi Daryn, my students told me that they take all the available opportunities to expose themselves, to get more info on the careers they instinctively like. It's hard to explain an instinct. But at times those who like medicine may decide to go for dentistry or pharmacy, when they realize that the demands of medicine are great.
After high school I chose to study Psychology at university because I had high enough grades and it sounded interesting - even though I had zero interest in becoming a psychologist, but I also had zero interest in anything else, really. I knew that psych was a good base degree (and it is) and through my elective subjects that I chose during that degree (creative writing), I eventually found my passion and my purpose in life. My advice would be: You never know what something will lead you to. In hindsight, I can see where the dots formed and the connections they made. At the time, I had no idea where the warren hole that was my life was taking me. Breathe, have faith in what will be, and remember to look for your life. You'll also be surprised at who comes into your life and the time they come into your life, as well as people who leave you along the way. It all means something. It all adds up. You've just got to trust the journey and believe the age old saying that 'Everything happens for a reason'. The future comes one day at a time. Remember to enjoy the ride.
This is a good question.
The short answer is: Continue your studies at a University.
The options for a high school graduate greatly increase for a student who becomes a university student, earning at least a Bachelor's degree.
Dear @Daryn, it is difficult task to advice graduates about career path. Of course, as dear @James has mentioned, I would propose them to go to University. We do have to respect the fact that every student is an individual!
I am attaching some good resources about the issue.
http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/Choosing/choosingintro.htm
http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/mature.htm
If the high school graduate really likes a career instead of joining a university, then his/her limited background dictates the given advice. A job which involves training, at the start, to help in acquiring high skill is suitable since it improves the conditions of this young person. Upon getting such a job, the graduate ought to accept a just reasonable starting salary since this type of job offers the bonus of training or learning besides the wage.
I think a high school graduate can consider the following factors before deciding on his or her career path:
1) Know Your SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) - if you don't know now please perform a SWOT analysis, expanding from art of war - if you know yourself, your competitors & even your environments / ecosystems, you can stand an upper hand. Try to perform SWOT analysis as frequent as possible as many things can change and change very fast unexpected.
2) Know Your Passion - search & understand the works / tasks you like the best & enjoy doing it most of the times, because you can deliver better results & don't feel like a burden. Also consider whether your passion can change in 2, 5, 10 years - choose the one that can last longer.
3) Know the Career (Path) that Enable You to Persevere - when you can persevere or persevere longer on the works / tasks you are working on, higher the probability they will bring success.
Dyer,
This is not a difficult question to answer: Youth today have tremendous opportunities unlike many that graduated some twenty years ago. Their structured schools and educational courses provide access to technological and advanced methods within sports, and sciences, which improves the advanced opportunities given to children of twenty year ago, as too my current age group. With all this in mind, I would mentor to the youth today to seek higher education that include internship opportunities. To consider why their high school years involved community service benchmarks, and think rationally about positive social change.
Some of the barriers facing youth prosperity today are not what decisions they make, but rather the limitations adults place on them, because of forgetting that they once were teens, and for some their memories are negative; such as, the odds they had to overcome. This generation has similar pressures, yes, but they do not have opportunities to learn on the job, slow dialup Internet connectivity, or a need to be stationary while they surf the World Wild Web (WWW). Form all this, the graduating career minded high school students are far more intelligent than we adult give them credit for, or accepting they have no need to rely our limited understanding of technology and the many ways of using social media. What this generation is lacking, is proper guidance.
Again, I would say; go after the humanities, social sciences, medical sciences, technological sciences: focus on educational outcomes that offer internship. Why, because experience is far more important than education alone and internships offer individuals opportunities to learn the ethics of working in teams. In addition, never resist leadership opportunities and network with the intent to change yours and others social experiences.
Dear Daryn,
In India, a student completes high school at year 10. I feel that 'work experience' from grade 8 in form of summer jobs or work experience weekends may help the student to understand what he is good at. It may also expose the student to various fields so that he is able to choose. The school authorities may help the student by analysing his strengths and weaknesses in a particular field through student - filled questionnaires and feedbacks from the 'employers'.
My advice could be as below:
you knows more than knowledge of market, so that you must manage your knowledge in each time of your business life
Dear All,
Thanks for your participation, here are some of the take-aways I have noticed thus far:
-Understanding one's strengths and weaknesses and transforming them into value added, difficult to copy comparative advantages.
-Labour market trends and data is important. I think the challenge is to presenting it in a meaningful way that keeps students interested. As for concerns regarding "realistic job prospects", I think reality has its way of imposing itself on those who can't make the transition from "dream career" to "hobby".
-Parenting vs. formal education and training: "Give them a foundation, optimism, empowerment and tell them to aim high." In this case, the process is on-going over several years and requires the development of the right values and attitudes, monitoring of academic and social progress. I agree with all of this. However for the sake of conversation, if parents don't have this type of awareness, as a teacher/professor, what would you recommend?
Note:
Given, we live in a period of continuing demographic, social, economic and technological change, for example, the redefinition of marriage (in some parts of the world), the retirement of the baby boom generation (people born between 1944-1965), the increasing sophistication of information technology and the continued rise of global economic competitors (namely China, and India) combined with western (public) financial decline....with less in common between generations, it is and will continue to be increasingly difficult for one generation to conceive what the next will be facing more so than in the past.
Any thoughts on this....
I will advise my students to continue their studies to the maximum level possible for them. If their family financial conditions are favourable, my advice will be to continue their studies till the research level or at least up to Post Graduate level and then only opt for a job. I will advise them to adjust with requirements of the jobs they get and to enjoy doing work and earning money for their living. I will advise them to be loyal to the profession and not to violate the ethics of the profession even if the employers compel them to do so. I will advise them not to forget the path they progressed in the past and not to be greedy, selfish and haughty or arrogant to common people who approach them for helps. I will definitely advise them to be good human beings both in personal and professional life.
On last question, I think in education system could have within it the evolution of knowledge scientific. It could show the several ways that humans have got overcome our own limitations along of times. The world is own house and according to own ethic, where would you like live to enjoy yourself and all people around you?
To follow his/her likes and to not forget that we also need a financial reward in order to keep living.
Dear Daryn,
Even in present day, it is difficult for parents to find out which career would be the best for their child...This is because the traditional careers are giving way to new ones in demand. In thee future, The parents will have to keep a keen eye on the changing career scenario in the world and develop the child so as to give him viable career options. In my opinion two things will be more important in the future than 'what' your career is - these are quality of skill and innovation. I feel if a student is given an education that emphasizes on learning wide variety of skills initially and concentration of quality development in some of these skill sets in higher education, he will be confident in using speciality skills as well as diversify his ability to reach out in other disciplines. What I am talking about here is capability of integrating skills. One who is able to integrate various skills across disciplines would be more in demand. The second thing I talked about is innovation. People who will innovate, do something ground-breaking or something new will be required in every field. Insted of finding the best career, the parents will have to find how the child can best develop integrative and innovative skills.
Choice of a career for a high school graduate is slightly premature in the present day context.
However, one should look at the following parameters:
1. Happiness (of the individual, his/her family and the society)
2. Individual's talents and strengths including self confidence
3. Financial rewards
4. Opportunities available in the market.
What degree of importance one assigns to each parameter can decide the direction.
Students see Financial rewards and Opportunities which are more visible.
Generally, people get carried away by immediate role models and mould themselves accordingly or in a closely similar fashion. This is a compromise but people prefer it as it gives some security.
There cannot be a uniform scale for all. The beauty of life is that it throws challenges and rewards. Hence one should be ready for any Change because change alone is the most sure thing going to happen in future.
This thread can not avoid the parents' role in carrier choice of their children. @Ankur has given some remarks about. There were some fine threads about the role of parents, as there are some good articles about.
Let me point out the fact that in Serbia, doctors' children mainly attend medical colleges and thus we have medical dynasties. No teacher advices were accepted. My father who was doctor of medicine, the radiologist, insisted that I should be a medical doctor, not an engineer! I won a battle! But my younger brother had attended medical school!!!
Dear @Daryn, please do find attached the full text of Master thesis THE EFFECTS OF PARENTAL INFLUENCE ON THEIR CHILDREN‘S CAREER CHOICES! Good resource by CHANCE CLUTTER for your research. She has profile at ResearchGate.
Dear Daryn,
Even though I am deviating from the topic. This is what you need to study to understand and manage your little one's fears and anxieties.
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/ages-stages-how-children-manage-their-fears
Hi Amir
So the early worm gets (eaten up by) the bird too, eh?
;-))
Narayanan
Oh, No
Decide whether you are a worm or bird, then decide which you want to be.
I have decided that it is not bad to be a worm; heck birds too get eaten up (millions of chickens all over the world); even electrocuted (I have not heard of a single worm being electrocuted.)
Best thing is to let the youngsters decide.
In our place almost every one aspires to be and joins Engineering college. Nearly 14000 engineering seats every year. Result is that most of the Bank clerks, Govt clerks have BTech now. And a coconut climber, socially a Worm, gets more pay than an Engineer who is not in the Bank or Government service!!!!! This is true
Topsy Turvy society!
Narayanan
Learn something new everyday. You will probably have to forget something to make room though.
Quite a wide range of responses. Based on what I have read, it seems like a combination of strategies, hard work, education, skill building, adapting the right attitudes and guiding principles combined with luck-find a mentor, being in the right place at the right time.....Planning ahead in this era is important, but planning too far ahead may actually cause difficulties in cases where demand in the labour market changes. The temporal aspect of career planning (the game changer) is the most difficult variable to predict....very likely for all professions.
At high school age mostly teenagers, one is not able to have good insight into career needs or orientation and even in the choice of the right or liked education program. So the best advice is, go to university and get at least a bachelor or license degree in a field you think you can succeed in it, and if you like campus life continue for further degrees. Job market should be regulated by and through university programs and economical sphere interactions. Job market should be present in universities by advertising, training and practice periods and selection of best or talented potentials or work placements. if the parents are intellectuals or with university degrees, they could help their children, if not and mostly are not with university degrees, themselves need to be informed; high school administrators should make informative orientation schemes of what university offers and what job market attracts.
Carrier counseling for a long time has been based on the child’s interest and aspirations in life coupled with his/ her best performances in the High School results. I think these guidelines should be extended to include desirability for autonomy in carrier paths. This new guideline will help the counselor to guide the student on the courses to read at the University to make him self-employed. On the other hand a child desires to work with state departments he/ she would be counseled to develop and study courses which will lead to areas that there are still employment opportunities.
If the career you have chosen has some unexpected inconvenience, console yourself by reflecting that no career is without them.
--- Jane Fonda
Most high school graduates probably have one or two choices they have made for themselves for reasons best known to them. So I will advice you ask them what they want first. Thereafter, its very important you advice the young person to get some work experience in that job sector (paid or unpaid). With this the young person can identify his or her weakness as well as strengths. If the weakness overcomes the strength, then they probably meed to return to you for a more in-depth advice such as considering a career change. I hope this helps
Students must pursue career in which they have interest and required competence.
Dear Daryn Dyer and ALL,
I realize you are talking about high school GRADUATES! And that YOUR question is about advising them AFTER high school graduation!
I would just like to point out that advising students about their future career paths should start MUCH earlier than AFTER they GRADUATE! By the time a student graduates he or she should have some idea what he or she wants to pursue; at least a 'ball park' idea of at least one favorite and two back up ideas. For example: Police Academy #1, study criminal science or forensic science #2 and business management #3 with a strong desire to become a detective or work in forensics or to own his/her private detective agency.
Waiting until one has already graduated is a bit late because now the graduate will have a 'late' start in getting accepted to a college or an "other" program. During the time this graduate would now figure out what he or she wants to do or study, then apply to several programs/schools and WAIT for interviews etc., he or she will probably take a menial job, hopefully one in the area of his/her interest, but most likely NOT. This means the graduate has time to 'play around' or 'give up hope' on continued education, and/or 'losing momentum'. Some will work hard to get on a course, the right course, but many will get off course, sadly.
Therefore it is my contention that one must/should decide before he/she graduates what he/she will be doing after graduation way BEFORE graduation. He or she may have decided to go to college but does not know yet his/her major....that is fine but at least while doing undergraduate courses/core coursework he or she IS IN college and making that decision, instead of "deciding what to do over the summer".
That being said, I think we all agree that there will be those students who are 'late bloomers' or 'undecided at the time of graduation', no matter how hard a counselor or teacher tries to steer the student at a younger age. Perhaps this is where the original question comes from.
I personally begin an introduction of myself, then have the 'cream of the crop' high school students give their name and reason why they are taking the elective course of pharmacy technology/pharmacy technician [or BS in pharmaceutical sciences]. IF I HEAR anything that sounds remotely like because my parents told me to, because there is good money in it, because I heard it is an open field etc, I immediately give my speech about having passion in what one does in life IF they can at all have any say in this decision. I do not address one specific student, but the whole class after all of the introductions.
I realize that in many societies one does not have the ability to make this decision, it may rest on inheritance of a family business, family or society expectations, or government expectations etc., However here in the US and in many other countries people have the right to select what they want to do/study in life. But there can still be pressures from others. In this case, I ALWAYS promote that the student come to terms with what he or she likes to do best that one can make a living at and be HAPPY, that money does NOT buy happiness, that not all that one would do in life brings lots of money. I say: "do what you like, what you are passionate about, even if it does not pay well and you will be happier than doing something you do not like and making more money." But hey that is just me......
Well actually I think several of the previous responses are similar, while not exact! :)
To the GRADUATE : Do what you LOVE, and you WILL love what you do! [my students quote me on that all the time! ]
Thank you for this opportunity to voice my humble opinion....
Jeanetta
An additional thought: What I teach ends with obtaining a license. I would NOT want anyone working with patients who has NO desire to do this! If they have NO desire to work with patients, medication etc., they will commit more medication errors and deaths and injury to the patients will/could result. So I try to 'weed out' those who are not committed to the medical field, science or working with people. So people who have a passion for art or music AND no desire to work in the medical or scientific world, but who's parents have forced them to take a class in pharmacy or their girlfriend/boyfriend is in the class....will not make the best employee in this field; unless he or she suddenly develops a liking for it, which is rare. Since my students do an externship, and get on the job experience, before the license, this also weeds out those [during the program] who thought they would like the pharmaceutical/medical world, but found out it is not for them. This is rare as well. But it is what these classes are for... to give students a chance to decide if this is what they would like to do before they put time and money into college with this as a major; rather than be in graduate medical/pharmacy school, finding out after all the science classes that they loved STUDYING science, but do not like WORKING in science, medicine or with people! By the time they are in pharmacy school or med school they should be VERY certain this is what they wanted. But unfortunately if the student has never worked in medicine, they can find out when it is too late in med/pharm school that this is just not for him or her. This is rare too, but guess what? It is happening more an more these days! Why? Just my opinion but I say because more med/pharm schools are accepting those with BS in English and History etc, not just those with science degrees such as BS Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics etc. I am not saying that someone who has such a non-science degree can not make a good pharmacist or doctor, but what I am saying is we see more and more people not liking their rotations or hands on experience now at the age of 24 - 26 year old in year 3 or 4. This is one reason why most pharm schools have started rotations in year 1 or 2 now. Why wait until year 4 of pharm school! I say why wait for 20 to 22 for year 1 or 2 of pharm school? I say decide much earlier in high school by taking the types of classes that will give you experience and a taste of what the real world is like. So take that computer programming class, nurse assistant class, pharm tech class in high school and figure out if that is for you. That is what I'd say to the high school student before he/she graduates.
I, myself, loved math and thought I would be a good accountant when I was 16 :) So I headed in that direction. But fortunately while in HS I had an externship in a new experimental internship program that sent me to the accounting office of a privately owned air industry company. I HATED it! I HATED being cooped up in an office working on the books! Nose to the grind, you might say! About the same time I was developing a fondness for my first chemistry class, where I learned very new things and applied math in a very different way. When I applied for college at the end of my 11th year I was a 'math major', but when I actually entered college I was considered 'undecided', and by the time my first semester had ended I was a chemistry major and in my third year I added classes in 'education'. Considering I used to teach my dolls and stuffed animals [my pupils] math using homemade chalk [my own recipe] at age 5 - 7 yrs old, I would say that teaching has been my real passion. But I would NOT be happy teaching English! Nor would I be good at it! Sign me: Happy, but not rich!
Again to the GRADUATE : Do what you LOVE, and you WILL love what you do!
Do what you want but do it better than anyone before. Be your benchmarking.
Dear,
beyond the natural skills of the person, I advise you to look at the opportunities in the region where it tends to act professionally .
Greetings!
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