How to Help Your Teen Decide on a Career Path

It seems as soon as kids start kindergarten, people ask them what they want to be when they grow up. By the time they get to high school, teens need to be thinking about a career path.

Here's what you can do to help your children find their calling.

Don't force your teen into doing what you want. I asked one of my son's teenage friends what he wanted to be when he grew up. "A doctor or a dentist," he said. He wasn't very excited about it, so I pressed him. He told me that those were the only two choices acceptable to his parents but he doesn't want to do either. When I asked him if he could talk to his parents about other career options he sighed and said, "You don't understand." It's OK to encourage your teen to pursue a career path that you think would be rewarding, but remember that it's ultimately your kid's decision.

Consider their interests, abilities and personality. What's important to your teen? Do you have a kid who can't sit still, or is your teen painfully shy? Is your teen detail oriented? A people person? Do they do best under pressure or with gentle encouragement? All of these things should be taken into consideration. Outgoing types tend to do better working with people, such as in a teaching or sales position, while introverts tend to do better in technical fields, such as science or engineering.

Help them be realistic. Another thing to take into consideration is how realistic your teen's career goal is. For example, your teen may want to play in the National Football League, but in real life they sit on the bench on their high-school team. In this case, suggest some other sports-related fields as career options. Sports medicine, physical therapist, gym teacher, sports journalist, coach, personal fitness trainer, sports equipment sales or workout-facility owner may be more viable career paths for your teen.

Learn about different career paths in the field. If your teen sort of knows what field they want to go into but can't narrow it down, explore their options. For example, if your teen has a general idea that they want to be a doctor, look into the many types of career paths in the medical field. The options of cardiologist, pediatrician, neurologist, ophthalmologist and surgeon are all there, but don't limit yourself to just "doctor." There are also physician's assistants, nurses, radiologists, anesthesiologists, medical researchers and medical examiners.

Find a mentor or a "shadowing" opportunity. There may be mentoring programs in your area for your teen. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce, high school or assembly person for a list of mentoring programs. If there's nothing available for your teen, talk to people who actually do the job your teen is interested in and see if anyone is willing to help. Ask if your teen can spend an afternoon shadowing a professional at their workplace. Most people love to talk about themselves and their work, so take advantage of that.

Make sure your teen's high school curriculum qualifies them for their chosen career path. Teens who want to go into medical or legal professions benefit from taking Latin in high school. There's a big difference in the educational backgrounds required for an art teacher and a microbiologist, so plan accordingly. Likewise, if your teen aspires to graduate from an Ivy League school, make sure they're taking the right classes and getting high enough grades.

Choosing a career path is a big decision, and teens need their parents help and support to find the right fit.