PARENTS: THE COMPASS TO CHILDREN'S CAREER

STEP 2: AWAKEN YOUR CHILD INTEREST

     Dreams Are Wishes. In the previous step, we discussed your child’s dreams, his/her imaginary vision of the future; they are important because they express his/her wish for happiness. Dreams leap from the present into the future in one movement. They open your child to new possibilities, but, in fact, dreams are often merely symbols of what your child really values, desires, and likes.

This step is still under “Self-discovery stage”. Now that you must have encouraged your child to dream, it doesn’t stop there; as a parent you have to move your child from dreaming towards the discovery of activities that he actually likes to do as well as making an in-depth move towards figuring out your child’s hobbies, personal interest and recreational activities which act as symbolic expressions of your child’s hidden career interest. Your child’s interests are a good indicator of his work preferences—the types of work he would enjoy. If your child loves to work with model airplanes, he also may want to have a career in design or working with his hands in a mechanical field.

   What sorts of games, hobbies, or activities would he like to try? Think of ways to expose your child to things that might get him interested in a career. Does he like drawing on a computer? If so, he might want to think about graphic design. If your child does not show interest in many things, try to find something new each week to get him to do. Here’s a simple exercise to do with your child to awaken his interests:

1. Ask him to make a list of his interests.

2. Add any other interests he may have overlooked.

3. Think of new things he might be interested in.

4. Try to think of jobs that fit each of his interests.

5. Talk about these jobs with your child.

   By doing this you are matching interest with career. The list might be long but as time goes on, the list narrows to a specific career which suits his/her interest.

STEP 3: ACCESS YOUR CHILD PERSONALITY

    Personality is Important. Interest surveys are easy and fun ways to identify possible career options. Interests are not the only career guides, however; personality plays a big role in determining the types of jobs a person enjoys and even their ultimate success on the job. Young people should choose careers that “fit” their personalities—their values, preferences, traits, and attitudes. Personality tests are more complex than interest surveys because there are many factors that come into play. For example, your child may love to work on computers. He may choose to become a computer repairperson. But when he gets a job fixing computers, he finds he hates it because he also enjoys working with other people. If he/she had assessed his/her personality more thoroughly, he/she may have realized that becoming a computer salesperson, rather than a repairperson, was the perfect job for him!

    Personality Tests are Fun. After your child has identified his interests, he should start to learn more about himself by taking as many personality tests as possible. These are not really “tests” because there is no right or wrong answers. They are merely self-discovery activities. What values do I hold? How do I react to situations and people? Children will love to take these tests because they get to learn more about themselves. Personality tests help us discover new things about ourselves; they help us understand how we look at the world. For example, is your child an extrovert (likes dealing with people) or an introvert (likes working alone)? Young people who are extroverts are far more likely to do well in sales and other jobs that involve frequent contact with people. Those individuals who are introverts will enjoy jobs working by themselves. Understanding your child’s personality is a great way to help him focus on career choices that match his values and personal traits—and getting him to plan an education that makes this possible.

   Personality and Career Choices. How can a personality test help your son or daughter choose a career? These tests can match your child’s personal values and traits to general career areas that are compatible with them. Once again, children shouldn’t feel that they have to choose careers that match their personalities. Interest surveys and personality tests are simply tools that allow them to look at various career options. Their purpose is to get students to learn about themselves and to start thinking about their personal needs, values, and preferences.

   Personality Tests are Self-Esteem Boosters. Personality tests can have another benefit for children: they can make them feel special. These tests help your child think about who he really is. This is very important for young people. As parents, we spend a lot of time with our children telling them what to do and teaching them right from wrong. Children can get the feeling that they are constantly being told who they are as well. These tests allow them to say for themselves who they are and what they want. This helps them feel more confident and competent.

   These summaries the end of “Self-discovery stage” in the next edition we’d be looking at “Exploring the World of Work stage” which involves Step Four: Explore careers, and Step five: Exploring career paths. Some parents think it’s too early to discuss salary with their children, we’d find out if it’s too early or the perfect time to talk about such subject matter.