How To Help Your Child Find A 21st Century Career
ost of us were brought up twenty years? Maybe she'll become
to study hard, get good an auto mechanic -- or maybe
grades, choose a she'll parlay her ability to
"practical" college major, and classify detailed information
strive for a "good job." into a career as a biologist or
pharmacist.
Talk to a stranded midlife
career-changer and you realize 2. Encourage your child to choose
the game has changed. Yesterday's a field of study based on his or
rules prepared us to be her natural abilities and
passengers on a large ocean liner passions, not "what will get me a
that promised a smooth voyage. job."
Today we realize that ocean liner
turned out to be the Titanic and Claudia Kennedy, the Army's first
we need to keep ourselves afloat female three-star General,
on a small life raft if we want majored in philosophy. In her
to survive. book Generally Speaking, she
claims philosophy prepared her to
Here are some tips to help your become a top-level intelligence
child learn not only to survive, officer. Carly Fiorino, famed CEO
but to thrive and grow in a of Hewlett-Packard, studied
chaotic world. medieval history. And Michael
Lewis, financial writer and
1. From the first day of best-selling author of Liars
kindergarten, encourage your Poker, was an art history major.
child to build on strengths
rather than focus on limitations. 3. Assure your children that few
mistakes are fatal.
Does she spend hours studying
models of cars for the last Did your child fail a course?
Face rejection from a athletic team? Win an election
first-choice college? Most of us for competitive office? Survive a
can't avoid an occasional strenuous application process for
failure, but we can learn a summer job? Once your child has
bounce-back attitudes as soon as tasted success, he will know how
we can talk. it feels and will act like a
winner when he enters the job
Yolanda Griffith, WNBA basketball market.
star, dropped out of a premier
program due to pregnancy. She Cecilia, a shy twelve-year-old,
returned to a lower-ranked blossomed when she won the lead
college program, baby in tow, and in a school play. "We want you to
now plays for the Sacramento improve your grades, not spend
Monarchs. time in rehearsal!" fumed her
worried mother.
I once taught a student who had
flunked out of junior college To everyone's surprise, Cecilia's
following a close call with the grades improved and she made new
legal system. After a four-year friends with the "good kids" who
stint in the US Navy, she were also achievers. Most
returned to college, maintained a important, no matter what
dean's list grade point average, happens, Cecilia can return to
and went on to a top law school. that feeling of success whenever
she gets discouraged.
4. Encourage your child to
experience success in any area of 5. Getting into a top university
her life. -- or any university -- will not
guarantee success.
Did she make the honor roll? Get
selected for a play, a club, or I've met Ivy Leaguers who have
experienced unemployment, handle anything" are the ones who
bankruptcy and even homelessness. win today. Tossed into the ocean,
I've met high school drop outs they'll improvise a set of oars
who flourished on their own and keep up their spirits till
initiative. they figure out what to do next.
Those who feel betrayed ("I
In my own small town, a couple thought I was set for life")
with graduate degrees dropped out flounder around for weeks,
to pursue artistic careers -- and months, even years.
they clean houses to pay the
bills. Recently a minimum wage Entitlement is over Those who
job was posted by a nonprofit -- have a positive outlook, who can
and several unemployed lawyers seize the unexpected opportunity,
applied. can count on reaching the shore.
And they realize that only they
Career-changers who face the can transform a resting place
future with an attitude of "I can into a safe harbor.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., helps professionals, business owners and executives transform career breakdowns to career breakthroughs. 21 Day Extreme Career Makeover Great Careers Ezine
|
|
|
|
