So, why is career planning important?

• Because our children need to know who they are, what their strengths are, and what they enjoy before they go to college, even before they choose a college, so that they will choose the right program of study and the right college in order to become employed in the right career for them.

• Because many of us still believe that college is the place for youth to “find” themselves and to experience college life. But today, college is much too expensive, and far too many children drop out disillusioned and adrift because they had not found the right fit between their goals and the college they attended.

• Because going to college should not be “the goal” for our children. Focus on your child’s personality first: Who is she? Where does she want to go? What’s important to her? And then help your child set goals to get where she wants to be.

• Because the four-year college degree is not the automatic ticket to success. Things aren’t so simple anymore. The job market has experienced radical changes, and our children need to know that the blueprint for success is different from what it used to be twenty-five years ago. We need to give them information about many educational options – not just one. And they need to understand that planning, preparation, skills, the right attitude, and a good career match are what lead to success, not a piece of paper.

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If you’re planning, you’re learning
College is only a key, not the door
I wish I had known….
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What sometimes happens when we don’t plan
So, why is career planning important?
Parent action plan
Links related to career planning