March 2001
Parenting Today's Teen
"Career Exploration: What do You Want to Be?"
by Lisa Beamer

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a question that takes on new meaning for teenagers. It is during the high school years that they begin to think about what direction they want to take in life. Some teens are more driven to explore this than others, but in most cases, each of them is thinking about it to one degree or another.

Four-step Process
According to Randy Miller, founder and CEO of Ready Minds, a distance-counseling program, teens generally go through a four-stage process as they begin to think about a career. They begin with self-assessment; looking at where are they now and then they explore the possibilities of where they want to go. What interests them? They then begin the decision making process of choosing a college, a major and other variables that will help them reach their goal. Lastly, they will need to market themselves to make that career happen."

They don't fully understand it's a process," says Miller of teens, and even their parents. Sometimes they think they should just be able to decide what they want to do, but it really does take these four steps to make it happen.

Assessments
One of the ways that schools encourage teens to start thinking about the future is by administering various assessments. These tests, of which there are many, usually explore the student's interests, skills and values. They then put the information together and recommend certain career paths or areas that the teen might want to consider. Teens and their parents should understand, though, that these assessments are only guides, not the final word on what the test-taker should do for the rest of his life.

"There is a lot of validity to these tests," says Miller, "but personalization is critically important. What do the results mean? They are just one piece of the puzzle."

To figure out what these test results mean, teens can turn to their high school guidance counselors, to private counselors or to groups such as Ready Minds who specialize in guiding students through this career exploration process. Another place teens might want to go for help in understanding their career assessments is to local colleges and universities. According to Katrina Jordan, Ed.D., an associate director of the Career Development Center at the University of Cincinnati, these schools are often open to high school students coming in and using their career research tools to begin their explorations.

What Do I Want?
Assessments can help in that first stage of the career exploration process, and parents and other adult mentors have the chance to be encouragers as well. However, teens need to take the time to truly consider their own desires as well. Jordan likens it to "wiping the slate clean in their mind" of all that others have told them they "should" do. Without the influence of peers or family, they should ask themselves, "What do I want to do with my life?" Jordan often asks those students whom she counsels, "What would you do if you could do anything?" Once they verbalize their dreams, then parents and counselors can help them to add a little bit of reality to those dreams.

Hands-On Exploration
While teens are using these means of self-exploration, they can also be getting some hands-on experience in areas that interest them. If a teen has a keen interest in gardening, perhaps a summer job at a nursery or greenhouse will help her decide if she'd like to pursue a career in this area.

Extracurricular programs such as Boy or Girl Scouts or 4-H also make it possible for teens to get a taste of various career areas. Boy Scouts have several career-related merit badges that members can earn and in the process find out what each of those professions entails.

Getting to know adults that work in a particular area of interest to the teen is another great way for them to learn about career options. Parents can be of help in this area by connecting their teen with people they know that work in a profession that is of interest to their child.

No Pressure
Thinking about their future career is an exciting thing for teens, but it can also be overwhelming. Don't expect your ninth grade student to have a clear idea of what he wants to major in at college or what profession she wants to pursue. Some may know, but the majority of them won't. It is a process. You can encourage them through it, but don't pressure them into making premature decisions based on your feelings about what they would be good at. Take the time to consider all of the exploration tools and guide them to use the ones that will help them in making their decisions. You might be surprised at the direction your teen takes.