They might not listen to your advice on clothing, hair or what they should be watching on television, but when it comes to picking a career teens really are influenced by their parents.
A research shows that parental involvement is one of the biggest factors influencing the development of a childs sense of the workforce. So if your child is in Year 10 or above, its time to start talking about the future.
To get your teen thinking about the future, start a conversation. Discuss your own career path and its twists and turns as well as your childs hopes for the future. Find out what occupations they are interested in and what they know they dont like doing ruling out what they dont want to do can be a great starting point.
Broaden their knowledge of eligible careers of your children. With countless careers in one place, it will expose your teen to thousands of potential opportunities.
If university is of interest to your teen, research some universities close to home. With that in mind, make use of internet resources. Many websites give you endless tips, articles and research on careers and employment trends as well as occupation profiles, job seeking tips and even articles to help parents guide their teen.
Helping your teen pick a career path doesnt have to be as hard as getting them to spend less time on the internet and more time reading books. Talking openly with them about your experiences in employment, opening their minds to new industries through job expos and undertaking some internet-based research, will help lay the foundation for future success in the workforce.
Shoaib Bhat
Muhammed Ali Road
Near Khoja Masjid
Dongri, Mumbai