| If you have a teenager who is going to college, you | | | | Additionally, many college and university websites have |
| are probably spending a great deal of money on his or | | | | a list of degrees and/or majors along with |
| her education. Surely you want to see your child | | | | corresponding careers. At this stage you'll want to be |
| succeed, but you may have concerns about their | | | | promoting the exploration of various majors and |
| ability to do so in the particular career field they have | | | | careers so that your teen has a good idea of what |
| chosen. Perhaps your teen hasn't selected a major | | | | opportunities might be available to him or her. |
| yet. What can you do to get your teen on the right | | | | 4. Incorporate a Financial Component: As your teen |
| track? Here are five steps to help you assist your child | | | | begins to identify a few potential majors and |
| in making a successful career plan. | | | | corresponding careers, inquire as to how much money |
| 1. Identify Areas of Interest: If your teen has not yet | | | | he or she will be able to make in that career field. This |
| selected a college major, ask about the kinds of | | | | information can be found by searching salary websites |
| careers he or she has thought about and what is | | | | or asking a search engine question such as, "How |
| appealing about those professions. If your teen has | | | | much money do nurses make?", or simply typing in |
| already selected a major, ask what he or she might | | | | "Average salary for accountants." You may also want |
| like to do with a degree in that field and if there are | | | | to work with your teen to help him or her get an idea |
| any other career ideas that have come to mind. This | | | | of what kind of salary is needed to live a particular kind |
| step is designed to get them thinking about their future, | | | | of lifestyle. |
| rather than just selecting a career because they feel | | | | 5. Develop a Plan: Now that your teen has narrowed |
| pressured to do so. | | | | down the available career choices to those that are |
| 2. Stimulate the Thought Process: When your teen | | | | most appealing, assist him or her in choosing the best |
| talks about possible careers or courses of study, | | | | option and making a plan for obtaining the requisite |
| inquire as to the thought behind that idea. Ask thought | | | | education and finding employment in the chosen field. |
| provoking questions such as, "What kind of job do you | | | | This will necessarily involve selecting a college or |
| see yourself doing with a degree in economics?" "With | | | | university that offers the desired degree program and |
| a degree in business, do you see yourself running your | | | | determining the requirements for attending that |
| own business or working for someone else?" "Where | | | | educational institution. |
| do you see yourself working with a degree in | | | | In my experience, many teens don't have any real idea |
| psychology?" "What appeals to you about a degree in | | | | of what they want to do in life because they have not |
| liberal studies?" This step is designed to get teens to | | | | spent any time looking into what might be available to |
| think about what they might do with the degree they | | | | them. The discovery process should be expedition |
| are thinking about getting. | | | | rather than an event. After all, you will likely be |
| 3. Encourage Discovery: Once your teen is thinking | | | | spending a significant amount of money on your teen's |
| about a particular degree, encourage him or her to | | | | education and your teen will be spending the next 30 |
| discover what usefulness that degree will have. It can | | | | to 50 years working in the field he or she chooses. |
| be as simple as typing a question into a search engine | | | | This is where you can be involved in helping your teen |
| such as, "What can I do with a sociology degree?" | | | | make the right choice. Discovery is the key. |