Career Guidance For Teenagers In Today's World

As parent, career advisor or tutor, what career guidance for teenagers can you give that's useful, encouraging and honest? Today's teenagers will have to make their way in a very competitive world.

Sensible career guidance for teenagers will encourage them to work for the best "A" Level grades (or their equivalent - eg BTEC or NVQ3) they can. High grades at this stage keep their options open. This is important when you consider a quarter of the teenage job seekers can't now find any job, let alone a job with good prospects. If teenagers stay in full-time education, they still face a future where one in five graduates is unemployed.

Some of the better employers - eg accountancy firms - that previously recruited graduates now recruit "A" Level students instead. These employers put their new recruits through university, saving the students (and their parents!) up to £100K in tuition fees and living costs. They're offering students a very good deal and naturally they're only interested in employing the best and brightest of candidates.

Teenagers wanting an apprenticeship to kick-start their careers need to realise employers can afford to be very choosy (1,000 candidates applied for 100 apprenticeships recently). Employers want people who are bright and work hard so they'll be more impressed by good academic grades than mediocre ones.

Until very recently, the most commonly given career guidance for teenagers to all bright pupils was to study for a degree ("career prospects are better as a graduate"). Parents and students increasingly doubt this (there are too many unhappy graduates living on unemployment benefits) but places at conventional universities are still massively over-subscribed.

What's the right career guidance for teenagers wondering whether degree study is for them? Students and their parents should push tutors and specialist career advisors as hard as they possibly can for one to one assessments of the teenagers' developing academic potential (ideally based on both their course results and good psychometric information), their personal strengths and their career interests.

The best advice here is to put on the pressure early - career guidance for teenagers is a neglected, under-funded public service and it may be very difficult to get an appointment with a professionally trained careers advisor. You may wish to consider paying for career guidance from a private-sector provider - there are many good ones.

What about career guidance for teenagers panicking they may not get a university place? Advise them to first think long and hard about the value of a degree to them (is it more than £100K?) and how likely it is that they'll get a 2.1 degree in their chosen subject. Persuading teenagers to focus in a cool, rational way on what's in their best interests should calm them and may even prompt a re-think.

Good quality career guidance for teenagers will also help teenagers investigate the many different ways of achieving their goals (eg a rewarding adult life, a professional job, etc) beyond those which require study at a conventional university. Options here include gaining a degree with the Open University; completing the relevant professional training programme organised by national bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development; and undertaking degree-equivalent work-based National Vocational Qualifications (at levels 4 and 5).

Finally, career guidance for teenagers mustn't forget the importance of personal development and having fun during this stage of life. Investigate student exchange programmes and local town twinning arrangements and encourage your teenagers to see something of the world and its peoples while they're still free to do so.

Linda Whittern is Director of Careers Partnership (UK). She has contributed to government policy consultations on national career guidance delivery. Careers Partnership (UK) provides friendly and thorough one to one career advice for teenagers to help them make good decisions about their future study and career choices. Contact us for advice on your teenager's range of options.

Simple Guidance to Make a Good Career Choice

As you can find plenty of career options, you may be confused to select a good career option. It is however not an overwhelming task to determine the best career choice. Before making a career selection, you need to assess your skills, interests and personality traits. This can help you to decide which career would be more suitable for you. It is advisable to make use of some self assessment tools like free career tests available online to get 99% accurate results. You can even opt for a career counselor who can aid you to select a good career option.

While making self assessment, you can get to know various types of occupations available in your locality. However, the occupation list may be lengthy and you need to make it shorter by eliminating the occupations that are not suitable to your interest, skill and traits. You can then mark down the occupations that you feel appealing and write down those occupations separately.

Exploring the occupations in the list is the next important step in making a good career choice. You can try to gather as much information about the occupation on the list as possible. You need to know some basic information like educational and training requirement for that career, salary details and so on. You can utilize some useful online resources like careers by field or career briefs to get some fundamental details about a career. It is then easy for you to eliminate the career types that offer lower earnings than you expect.

After exploring the careers in the list, you would have only a few career types left in the list. You can collect more comprehensive details about such career options. You can seek the help of people who have great knowledge about the career types you are interested in. You can arrange for an informational interview with them to learn about the occupations. It is wise to ask some important questions like the working hours, potential growth in that career etc.

You can narrow down the list of occupations based on the details you gather in the informational interview. If any career type requires putting forth more time and energy to prepare for it, you can consider another career option. It is worth to set your career goals and take actions to reach them. Developing a career plan map can help you to select the right career option and to achieve your long term ambitions. 

John Brady is a career and job counselor, who also owns a blog on job search [http://www.localjobjournal.com]. He regularly writes articles on local and government jobs and careers [http://www.localjobjournal.com/articles].

College And Career Development Combined - Best Career Guidance For Students

There are definitely plenty of prospects to gauge your abilities, interests, and ideals for an opening career or a change in career. But in case you are inquiring of yourself the combined query, "What does college and career development mean?" you may wish to take into account one of the several programs and procedures that assist in uniting together the two areas of adult life.

A number of these programs concentrate on the chief areas of creating concepts for majoring in college and the kind of careers that would logically ensue from that field of study. Therefore, after inquiring, "What does college and career development mean?" and searching for solutions in systems that are sponsored by universities or private companies, you should locate well-developed program packages that cover personality appraisal, recommended majors and careers considered suitable, as well as certain abilities testing material that enable you to apply to your selected school.

A majority of these programs usually are designed for the high school juniors as well as seniors who have only started to consider attending college and the things they may do once they are through with their class work. At odds with popular belief, the system of mapping an education and a career should carry on through college. When you obtain a solution to the query, "What does college and career development mean?" it is a good idea to continue exploring options, modifying the system and re-assessing your skills and abilities.

Companies have created programs that can assist a job hunter reduce choices and discover the right path to attain success in his chosen career. For instance, quite a few companies make available such manuals to students and also to the general public, normally for a fee. Now these manuals can comprise of queries that will assist the job hunter concentrate on a chosen career route, together with details of different careers, giving some pointers to the query, "What does college and career development mean?"

Other than the plans of private companies, a university may make available its own system, intended at those who wish to discover the various areas of work or desire to change jobs. But, the university plans might have comprehensive information and appraisal material intended for those selecting particular college-to-career routes. These can be a wonderful pursuit for fresh high school graduates as well community college graduates.

Besides the prescribed systems and procedures that assist in evaluating skills, ideals and abilities in high school and college and further ahead, the individual can carry out numerous things that will assist in finding a solution to the query. Attending classes to discover areas you excel in and find enjoyable is one measure. Seeking advice from counselors, career experts and acquaintances is another. Besides, any actual life experience, whether at school or at work, will help in answering the query "What does college and career development mean?"

Abhishek is a Career Counselor and he has got some great Career Planning Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 71 Page Ebook, "Career Planning Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Career-Guru.com/769/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Career Transition Programs - The Best Career Guidance Provided

Most of the employees in the United States are not contented with their present jobs. A survey conducted in the year 2007 reports that around 84% of the employees in the states are still on the hunt for their dream jobs. What does this survey conclude? It concludes that a number of employees are having plans to change their career or switch jobs. A majority of people voted for work that had fun as their dream job. The next popular answer went for the pay scale. The above facts relate that a majority of the employees in United States prefer jobs that they like very much.

By chance, you may be identical to those workers who always complain on all matters. This is where you can find the career transitions programs to be helpful. The people who are lagging in their professional life can seek the help of career transition programs. You may be one among them and still confused about your future. Programs on career transitions are there to help you now.

Programs for career transitions are designed for people like you. The people who wish for a career change can also make use of this program. Career transition programs aid you i filtering the career options you have and help you select the right career path. These programs groom the talents an individual possess. They help us in finding our talents and groom it. The talents are developed and exploited very well. Some people are not aware of the abilities. These hidden abilities are identified by the individual with the help of programs on career transitions. This moment explains your area of interest and directs you to search a job of your interest.

In today's world, there are numerous programs for career transitions are available. Each area has some centers that offer career transition programs. You have to browse the internet to find them. You will be put to surprise on seeing the number of companies listed. A number career transition coaches are available too. You might not have known about them, but you can realize there importance now. You professional career might be at risk now. In this case, it is better to seek advice from an expert in this area. Do not be static regarding your career and waste your money on it. Never worry!! There is an answer for you, neither when you are tired, happy or confused.

Are you never interested in working anywhere and still prefer to lie on your bed? Never be with yourself regarding your present job. It is now time to consider about your present job and decide whether to continue in it or not! Thinking twice about the career, current job or company is very important. An expert can be handy at this stage. Find a good career transition program that can aid you in filtering your thoughts and help you in deciding a good career for the rest of your life.

Abhishek is a Career Counselor and he has got some great Career Planning Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 71 Pages Ebook, "Career Planning Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Career-Guru.com/769/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Career Guidance - Who Needs It?

People regularly seek advice from experts on their health, investments, and how to fix their car. But when it comes to the biggest decision of all, choosing a life/career direction, they struggle in silence.

It doesn't matter if you are a student, a job seeker, a career changer, or someone considering semi-retirement options, finding a direction that fits you is just plain difficult by yourself.

Many hope they will eventually fall into the right career. Others wait for the "billboard" moment in which their future life direction will suddenly flash before their eyes. Does it happen? I have yet to see a billboard with my name on it.

Studies show that only 15-20% of all U.S. workers are highly satisfied in their current jobs. Add to that fact data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics which shows that the average worker now moves through 10+ jobs over the course of a career and you get an ugly picture of how well we all do when left to our own devices.

If so many people are frustrated and unhappy, why don't they seek help?

3 Key Reasons People Don't Seek Career Guidance from a Career Consultant


They don't know what career consultants really do;
They don't think they can fit it in to their schedule;
They're afraid it will cost too much.

Sound familiar?

So why should you seek the guidance of a career consultant?

What a Trained Career Consultant Can Do for You


Help you assess your interests, strengths, skills, values, and personality;
Help you identify a career direction that really fits you;
Help you uncover what may be holding you back;
Help you map out education and training steps (if needed);
Help guide you in how to market yourself (resume prep, networking, interviewing).

The absolute best thing about the career guidance process is the way it makes you feel. Stop right now and close your eyes. Check how you really feel about your current situation. How do you feel about the way the next 10 years of your life are likely to unfold if you stay on the current path?

Are you on the right track? Are you really happy? Is your current direction the best use of your talents? Do you feel valued? Are you excited when you wake up in the morning?

OR...

Do you feel like you're drifting, boxed in, or just scraping through each day? Are you frustrated, anxious, or even angry because you really don't know what your next step should be? If you fall into this second group, it's time to get some help.

You take your car to a professional for a tune-up... isn't your career direction more important than an oil change?

How to Find A Qualified Career Consultant


An easy way to find qualified career guidance is to search online. But as you consider your options, make sure that you choose a program that lets you actually speak directly with a career consultant - some services only offer email exchange.
Look for a career consultant or career counselor who has a Masters Degree and at least five years experience in career guidance.
Beware of anyone who will not tell you up front what his/her fees are.
Look for a program that offers a combination of self-assessments and 1-to-1 personal career guidance.

Stop waiting for a billboard moment. Get the help you deserve to find a life direction that fits!

About the Author: Brian Sanders is President and CEO of Clear Ambition, an online career guidance program that helps people make better, more confident decisions about their life direction and career path. The program combines self-assessments, career exploration tools, and 1-to-1 career guidance in one convenient, affordable program. Clear Ambition helps students and adults at all life stages. Find more information about career guidance or try a free interest analysis.