What are the steps in career development?

Figure out what your child likes and what is important to him.

Our personality has more to do with long term satisfaction and success in a career than anything else. For example, if you love people, you probably would not be happy as a medical technologist who works in a lab on high tech equipment and has limited contact with people. Or, if you prefer less contact with people, you may not wish to be a public relations manager!

What is your child really good at – or want to be good at?

It is just as important to know what you are good at as it is to know what you like – in essence, your skills and strengths. You may really enjoy and value music, but have no musical talent or skill whatsoever. So being a singer or a musician may not be the right career for you.

Your child may have taken various career interest inventories or assessments in school to help her understand her values, interests, skills, and strengths. Most middle schools and high schools in the PACE consortium offer these as part of their career development curriculum. Various online career assessments are available as well. Some good ones are listed at the end of this section - click here to check them out right now!

Or, take a look at PACE's own Career Check. This interest inventory will connect your child's interests, skills, and strengths to a career cluster that he may want to explore further. Click here to take the Career Check.

Learn about what’s out there!

Of course your child needs to choose an occupation that complements his personality, interests, values, skills, and strengths. However, he also needs to know about career trends and options and what type of jobs will likely be available in his chosen field.

You'll find information about careers and job trends in the section titled What's Happening in the World of Work? There is a wealth of other information on the web that describes occupations, salaries, projections for the future, and other trends. One of the most useful is the Occupational Outlook Handbook, a comprehensive guide to jobs and job projections through 2010. It's available in most libraries and high school guidance offices, and on-line at www.bls.gov/oco. Also, check our Links section for other great sites.

Informational interviews are also excellent ways to learn about career trends and options. Link your child up with adults in professions they show interest in.

Get hands on exposure and experience!

Giving your child an opportunity to really experience a career field of interest can be an excellent means for getting your child excited about a career -- or helping him realize that a particular field may not be right for him. Participating in School-to-Work activities are excellent ways to explore options and gain experience. Activities include Job Shadowing, Service Learning, Internships, Cooperative Education, and Youth Apprenticeship. You'll find more information about School-to-Work in the section entitled What Schools are Doing to Help.

The federal government hosts two websites that provide information on School-to-Work activities: www.doleta.gov (the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration website), and www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE (the website for the Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education). These are good places to learn more about activities and best practices that are occurring all over the country.

Volunteer work and part-time employment are great ways to learn about jobs too! And remember, helping your child learn that something may not be right for her is just as important as finding out that something is of interest. Many of us have heard more than one story like this: A student wants to be a nurse, only to reach the “clinical” phase of his education and realizes that he doesn’t have the temperament (or stomach) for hands-on patient care! So much time, money, and effort can be saved by having a student exposed to a career first.

Set Goals – Dream goals AND Realistic goals

O.K., O.K., we all know of a child who wants to be a professional athlete… and he dreams about playing for the Bulls throughout his school years. Help him understand that having an incredible “dream” goal is wonderful, but an alternative goal needs to be in place in case his dreams of glory as pro-basketball player never come to fruition. Perhaps he should think of other sports-related careers: careers in sports medicine, sports promotion, coaching, or physical education. And, as he goes through the steps of career planning, he will likely find that his realistic goal can be equally as exciting as his dream goal.

Also, even though your child should choose a career that she will find rewarding, she needs to keep in mind that there may be consequences to her decision, and that she needs to be prepared to "pay the price." For example, if she knows that museum curator is the career for her, she needs to be aware that the job market is limited and that she will likely have to accept lower level positions just to get her foot in the door before she finds her dream job (and an acceptable salary!). That's precisely what Jimmy Kluge had to do-accept a minimum-wage job as a laborer before he could work as a Wildlife Technician for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. (Click here to read about Jimmy's career path in the Career Spotlight section of our website.)

Or, if your child wants to major in “harp,” fine. But he may want to minor in business or another area just in case playing the harp professionally offers limited opportunity.

Go for it – and hang in there!

Once your child decides on a career path, she will need to take action and be persistent. She will need to map out an educational plan to prepare for that career. She will need to research the best courses to take in high school and the best post-secondary options (if required). When ready to look for employment, she will need a good resume and solid job-hunting skills to find the best job. She will need to know how to network, make contact with employers, develop a resume, fill out employment applications, and interview effectively. She will need to know how to write appropriate thank you and follow-up letters. It takes time to prepare for a career and find the right job. Persistence, along with good follow-up practices, is critical during this stage of the process!

Other thoughts . . .

Over time, many factors will influence your child’s career development process. These include his education, dreams, role models, values, family, spiritual beliefs, testing and guidance, hobbies, leisure and recreation activities, lifestyle preferences, and even bad or unhappy experiences. Remember, career development involves the whole person, so knowing who you are and what will make you happy are critical first steps in the career development process.

Be open to different definitions for success. Success isn’t all about money and/or advanced degrees. It’s about feeling like you are making a contribution in a dynamic work environment. It’s about what feels right for you, no matter what your specific job is.

Above all, remember, there’s a big difference between helping your child get ready for college and helping your child set a career goal and put a plan in place to achieve that goal.

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What are the steps in career development?
What if the process doesn’t work?
Parent action plan
Links related to career development