How to Help Your Child Choose a Career Path

Determine where your child exels

• 1

  Ask your child to complete a strengths and interests questionnaire. There are several types available online, or ask your child's high school adviser. Many community colleges also have strengths and interest questionnaires to assist students in choosing career options.

• 2

  Evaluate your child's school transcripts. Look for subjects she is particularly good in, regardless of whether she enjoys the subject.

• 3

  Talk to your child about the extra-curricular activities he excels in. Find out what activities are especially easy for him, which ones seem frustrating or overly challenging.

• 4

  Talk to your child's teachers, work supervisor, or volunteer supervisor to find out their perception of your child's strengths.

• 5

  Talk to your child about how she handles challenges, frustration and difficult people or situations. Make notes on what she sees and her strengths and weaknesses in these areas. Also make notes on your observations of your child in these areas.

Determine where your child's interests lie.

• 6

  Examine the "interests' section of your child's strength and interest questionnaire, mentioned in step 1.

• 7

  Talk to your child about his school subjects. Find out what he likes and dislikes about each one. Things like "enjoys researching for papers, but hates writing papers" or, "enjoys writing fiction, but hates writing about literature, " can be very useful.

• 8

  Find out which extra-curricular activities your child enjoys most, and most importantly, find out why he enjoys those activities.

• 9

  Suggest your child complete some volunteer or internship time at various jobs, in different fields. Maybe he can volunteer for a local veterinarian or animal shelter one month, and intern for a lawyer or office manager the next month, and a plumber, or electrician the the next. A variety of volunteer or intern positions will help your child further evaluate what he enjoys and what he is good at.

• 10

  Encourage your child to have hobbies. Hobbies allow people to explore new fields of study on an informal basis.

Compare strengths and likes to career fields.

• 11

  Give your child several books which describe different jobs in various fields. Ask her to read through and mark any jobs and fields that interest her.

• 12

  Help your child read through and identify jobs or fields she would be interested in. Have her identify academic and extra-curricular interests. Make a list of each job and field your child marks.

• 13

  Talk to people working the jobs and fields your child expresses an interest in. If you know people working in these fields, ask if your child can accompany them to work for a day or two. In those fields or jobs you don't have friends working, ask your child's high school adviser or the local community college adviser if he/she knows anyone willing to allow your child to sit in for a day or two.

• 14

  Encourage your child to take an introductory class on the chosen career field. For example, if your child is interested in psychology, see if your local community college offers an "Introduction To Counseling" class.

• 15

  Have your child discuss career options with and adviser at the colleges she is considering.