Careers: Building Your Child's Future Together
(2008)
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When planning a career with your child, consider the following:
- Work situations and skills needed for employment are constantly changing.
- Almost half of the working population expects to change jobs in the next three years.
- Retraining and upgrading skills will be a requirement for maintaining employment.
- Two-thirds of the jobs created today will require education beyond high school.
- The worker of tomorrow must be able to work as a team member, communicate, solve problems, use technologies, adapt to change and be drug-free.
- Career development is a lifelong process.
Pre-kindergarten—Third Grade
- Development Traits
- Needs and seeks attention and praise
- Has boundless energy
- Considers fantasy as reality
- Shows a variety of tension-releasing behaviors
- Career Needs
- Distinguish between work and play.
- Identify different types of work
- Experience different types of work activities.
- Describe how decisions are made.
- Demonstrate a positive attitude.
- Identify personal feelings.
- Parent Involvement
- Listen and encourage.
- Encourage involvement in a variety of sports/hobbies.
- Positively reinforce child for completing chores.
- Praise efforts toward work as well as accomplishments.
- Show an interest and stress importance of school.
- Give toys that promote role playing.
- Make decisions with—not for—your child.
Fourth Grade—Sixth Grade
- Development Traits
- Is more independent
- Feels that belonging to a group and friend are important
- Can assume more responsibility
- Has a surprising scope of interests
- Can think on own but is influenced by others
- Career Needs
- Identify personal interests, abilities, strengths and weaknesses.
- Describe how work at home and/or school relates to jobs in the community.
- Describe how work is important and attainable to all people.
- Describe how personal beliefs and values affect decision making.
- Parent Involvement
- Encourage good work habits at home. Gradually add responsibilities. Effort/experience are more important than quality.
- Don't assign jobs at home based on sex to avoid stereotyping. Show various workers in your community.
- Participate in the school's career education program.
- Listen as your child makes decisions. Keep peer pressure in mind.
Seventh Grade—Eighth Grade
- Development Traits
- Is undergoing dramatic physical changes
- Is sensitive and has need for approval
- Tries to build a unique identity apart from parents' influence
- Wants more independence
- Is curious but not ready for planning
- Expresses feelings more openly
- Career Needs
- Demonstrate effective skills in working with others.
- Show an appreciation for the similarities and differences among people.
- Describe individual skills and aptitudes required to fulfill roles.
- Identify strategies for managing personal finances.
- Describe skills needed in a variety of occupations.
- Demonstrate skills needed to obtain and keep a job.
- Parent Involvement
- Discuss your child's skills, interests, abilities and goals to help plan for the future.
- Encourage participation in service-oriented activities in the community.
- Help children meet a variety of workers by arranging job observations, field trips or personal interviews.
- Use guided money management and allow your child to make economic choices.
- Allow children to work part-time outside the home.
High School
- Development Traits
- Develops a sense of self-identity
- Begins a more prominent and realistic work/career search
- Develops a concern with social issues
- Matures sexually with physical and emotional changes
- Increases independence
- Career Needs
- Understand how individual personality, abilities and interests relate to career goals.
- Understand how education relates to college majors, further training and/or entry into the job market.
- Demonstrate transferable skills that can apply to a variety of occupations and changing work requirements.
- Be able to use a wide variety of career information resources.
- Show responsible decision making.
- Parent Involvement
- Help your child make independent decisions.
- Encourage exploration of all kinds of post-secondary education opportunities.
- Involve yourself in your child's future planning.
- Give certain economic responsibilities.
- Encourage job awareness.
- Be flexible as the decision-making process evolves. It takes patience and numerous modifications.
Visit the American School Counselor Association website.
