What's Next: What You Can do to Help Your Child Choose a Career

By Keith Johnson Ph.D.

One of the most important responsibilities of parenting is to assist children in making good career decisions. The book is designed for parents who would like to understand the basics of the career search process so they can help in this process.

Elements of the career search examined here are career interests, skills and abilities, work values, educational levels, and age-appropriate activities parents and children can do together.

A listing of interesting careers to broaden the child's perspective is also included.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781636929972

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What's Next

What You Can do to Help Your Child Choose a Career

Keith Johnson Ph.D.

Copyright © 2021 Keith Johnson Ph.D.

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2021

ISBN 978-1-63692-996-5 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63692-997-2 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Career Development: Some Definitions and Theories

The Career Search Process

Educational Level and Age-Appropriate Activities

Planting Seeds: Interesting Careers to Share with your Child

Careers That Do Not Require a College Bachelor’s Degree

Thirty Clues for Career Interest

To my children—Jeffrey, Kenny, Christopher, Julianna, and Jeralynn—whose quests for career success inspired me to share this knowledge with other parents

Introduction for Parents: Recognizing Your Role

No parent wants to look back and say, If there was only something I could have done with my child when he or she was young, things might have been different.

Since children spend the most time with one or both parents dur­ing their formative years, parents are in a good position to play a key role in the choice of career for their children. While many parents tend to defer this involvement to school guidance counselors because they feel that they do not have the knowledge or counseling skills, I believe that parents can acquire some basic knowledge, skills, and strategies to influence their children in a positive way and assist them in making appropriate ca­reer decisions.

More than anyone else, parents can observe and evaluate their children. They can see strengths and weaknesses. While we as parents can plant seeds for certain career directions, we should not stifle their own decision-making process. I think it is better to let a child try a path and struggle than for any of us to initially discourage a choice.

While parents tend to leave decisions about careers up to school guidance personnel, I believe parents still have the major responsibility for helping their child choose a career. This is not to suggest that contact with guidance personnel is not helpful. But in many school districts, guidance staff are overwhelmed with other responsibilities, and counseling contact with students is often limited.

The ideas presented here provide a primer to assist you to understand the career search process and help you start your child in the right direction. What I will describe for you to do is a daunting task. It may take years to complete; but as parents, you can help your children see their interests, skills and abilities, and the tendencies in themselves that might point toward successful ca­reers. You can also help your children learn about the wide range of careers and their tasks and rewards. As this occurs, you will see your child develop a positive self-concept and a general understanding that he or she can fit in and be­come a productive citizen.

While many parents are not certain about what they can do to assist their children in this area, I do not believe parents want to see their child treading water in the river of life. I believe that with just a little knowl­edge contained in this booklet and recommended sources, parents can become their child’s career counselor. Obviously, there are things that only a professional career counselor can do, but with an understanding of the career choice process and career information, parents can be effective mentors to their children.

Chapter 1

Career Development: Some Definitions and Theories

The purpose of this booklet is to give an overview of the process of career development. First I will summarize several theories and practices and identify key people, authors, and researchers who can add meat to the bones of this challenging process. While much of what you read here are my views based on years of experience, I want to be certain to recognize the scholars and professionals who have influenced my knowledge and practice. When I share their ideas, you will