Reading Time: 5 minutes
Imagine, for a moment, your 17-year-old self. Think about where you were, the things that made you happy, what was important to you. How were you spending your time? How were you thinking about your future at 17 – if at all? And if you were, how did you feel about it?
Maybe you were excited because you had it all figured out and knew exactly where you were headed. Or you might have been scared and anxious about what lay ahead. You likely were asked the age-old, sometimes-dreaded question from family and friends: “So, what do you want to be when you grow up?”
As a career educator, and a parent to a 17-year-old daughter, I can attest to the anxiety I see in some young people. I have also witnessed the eagerness of others who are ready to take the next step toward their career. However, in my experience, the second group tends to be a much smaller group than the first.
This article is part of a five-article CareerWise series on “Teen Career Decision Making.” by Rhonda Taylor, published in CareerWise by Ceric
Read the full article – 5 mins
There is lots of great advice here.
Key takeaways from this article–
Do what you can to explore different career options. It can take the angst out of the process because you’re actually doing something to learn about different pathways.
Exploration can take the form of attending career events, doing some work observation or experience, volunteering, reading & researching …
It’s OK not to know at 17 or 18 what you want to do. It’s fine to not have it all figured out yet. It’s OK to take some time and think about what you like, what you’re interested in and seek out opportunities where you can experiment with those interests and likes.
And it’s important to know that it’s OK to change your mind – to go off in a different direction if you learn something about yourself along the way that you want to explore further. Be open and receptive to life-long learning and new experiences, and have fun along the way.
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