Perhaps the best advice in career planning for teens and other young people who have started thinking about a college/career path, is this: start in high school and continue in college. One of the myths about careers in general is that choosing a career path is a simple matter, almost as easy as deciding on a college major.
But, this far from the truth. Career planning for teens can be a complex process, a program of many steps that should be carefully considered and carefully taken. A number of companies and universities have developed programs that can help the teenage job seeker narrow choices and find the correct path toward career success. Some universities provide such guides to students as well as to members of the public (usually for a fee). These guides can include questions that will help the young person focus on a career path, as well as descriptions of various careers. Well-developed programs can assist the job seeker in expanding career choices as well as narrowing career choices. Most important, though, may be the help these programs give to young folks who are not sure where their choices may lead.
Experts in career counseling and teenage counseling urge young job seekers and prospective college students to choose a career path based on their individual skills and interests. This means that, during career planning for teens, much of the advice tends to steer the young person away from one of the "best" careers, unless it really fits that individual. There are always lists of the best jobs for college graduates, the industries that are the hottest and have the best pay and benefits. But this does not mean the "best" careers should be an automatic choice for a teenager or other young job seeker. When going through the process of career planning for teens it is best to choose the college program and career path that is best for the individual.
Many young people feel that once they choose a career path they will have to stay with it for the rest of their lives. However, this is a real myth that comes up often in career planning for teens. People change careers quite a bit, actually. Some change several times during their working life. So, making a choice based on a certain college major or training program does not mean that you will have to stay with that program forever. In addition, the choice of a college path does not mean you are forever committed to the career that comes after graduation.
Every person, at some point in his or her life, leaves school to go into the work force. Many young people believe that is the point at which career planning development begins. For some people, yes it is. But for most people career planning development starts long before they graduate from high school. Most people have developed values and interests by the time they reach their mid-teens. By this time they have likes and dislikes, and have developed personality traits. People generally know by this age what sort of career they would like to have.
The average person spends most of his or her adult years engaged in some kind of work. Of course, it is important to earn a living. But it is also important that you do the kind of work you like to do. That is why career planning development is so important. It starts while you are still in high school, when you select courses that are going to help prepare you for what you want to do in the future. This is also an experimental period, when you can get first-hand experience trying out different subjects to see if you like them. In high school students can also consult with counselors who can explain what is involved in different kinds of work and what subjects a student has to take to prepare for a career in that field.
At this stage in their lives most young people have had some kind of part time employment. This is also very important for career planning development. The part time job you do after school and on weekends might not be the kind of work you want to do all your life, but it can be a big help to you in getting started on your desired career. This job gives you employment experience. It teaches you to be punctual. It is here that you get your first opportunity to demonstrate your willingness and ability to learn new skills. Your employer is the person who is going to write the letter of recommendation that says you are a dependable, trustworthy employee who works well with colleagues.
Career planning development means learning about the labor market, but even more importantly, it means learning about yourself. What are your skills and strengths? Do you present yourself in a positive manner? An employment manager will make the decision on whether or not to hire you based on what is in your resume, and how well you conduct yourself at an interview.
Knowing about the labor market means making yourself familiar with the world of work. Career planning development provides you with a system for finding a job. There is much more to it than looking in the want ads. Career planning development enables you to explore the “hidden” job market. It also leads you to training programs that will enable you to seek even higher positions in your field.
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