Ten Career Tips to Share With Your Children (And you too!)
Q. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" A. "Somethingthat hasn't been invented yet."Most of us were brought up to study hard, get good grades,choose a "practical" college major, and strive for a "good job." Talk to a stranded midlife ...
...career-changer and you realize thegame has changed. Yesterday's rules prepared us to be passengerson a large ocean liner that promised a smooth voyage. Today werealize that ocean liner turned out to be the Titanic and weneed to keep ourselves afloat on a small life raft if we want tosurvive.Here are some tips to help your child learn not only to survive,but to thrive and grow in a chaotic world.1. From the first day of kindergarten, encourage your child tobuild on strengths rather than focus on limitations. Does she spend hours studying models of cars for the last twentyyears? Maybe she'll become an auto mechanic -- or maybe she'llparlay her ability to classify detailed information into acareer as a biologist or pharmacist.2. Encourage your child to choose a field of study based on hisor her natural abilities and passions, not "what will get me ajob."Claudia Kennedy, the Army's first female three-star General,majored in philosophy. In her book Generally Speaking, sheclaims philosophy prepared her to become a top-levelintelligence officer. Carly Fiorino, famed CEO ofHewlett-Packard, studied medieval history. And Michael Lewis,financial writer and best-selling author of Liars Poker, was anart history major.3. Assure your children that few mistakes are fatal. Did your child fail a course? Face rejection from a first-choicecollege? Most of us can't avoid an occasional failure, but wecan learn bounce-back attitudes as soon as we can talk.Yolanda Griffith, WNBA basketball star, dropped out of a premierprogram due to pregnancy. She returned to a lower-ranked collegeprogram, baby in tow, and now plays for the Sacramento Monarchs.I once taught a student who had flunked out of junior collegefollowing a close call with the legal system. After a four-yearstint in the US Navy, she returned to college, maintained adean's list grade point average, and went on to a top law school. 4. Encourage your child to experience success in any area ofher life. Did she make the honor roll? Get selected for a play, a club, orathletic team? Win an election for competitive office? Survive astrenuous application process for a summer job? Once your childhas tasted success, he will know how it feels and will act likea winner when he enters the job market.Cecilia, a shy twelve-year-old, blossomed when she won the leadin a school play. "We want you to improve your grades, not spendtime in rehearsal!" fumed her worried mother. To everyone's surprise, Cecilia's grades improved and she madenew friends with the "good kids" who were also achievers. Mostimportant, no matter what happens, Cecilia can return to thatfeeling of success whenever she gets discouraged.5. Getting into a top university -- or any university -- willnot guarantee success.I've met Ivy Leaguers who have experienced unemployment,bankruptcy and even homelessness. I've met high school drop outswho flourished on their own initiative. In my own small town, acouple with degrees from excellent schools have dropped out topursue artistic careers -- and they clean houses to pay thebills. Recently a minimum wage job was posted by a nonprofit --and several unemployed lawyers applied.Career-changers who face the future with an attitude of "I canhandle anything" are the ones who win today. Tossed into theocean, they'll improvise a set of oars and keep up their spiritstill they figure out what to do next. Those who feel betrayed("I thought I was set for life") flounder around for weeks,months, even years.Entitlement is over. Those who have a positive outlook, who canseize the unexpected opportunity, can count on reaching theshore. And they realize that only they can transform a restingplace into a safe harbor.
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