In the interest of addressing issues concerning teens and career direction, it is important to put this into the context of Career ADD.
It is no surprise more teens, college age and young adults are suffering from the impact of ADD/ADHD in all areas of life.
With the pressures of high school and preparing for college, teens who are naturally distracted have an even greater challenge when it comes to making one of life’s most important decisions.
Yet, with even a little structured guidance, teens with Career ADD have a much greater chance of getting on the right track from the beginning. Without this guidance, they can drift into college and life switching majors, job hopping, getting fired and risk losing self-confidence if they lack interest.
For those of you with teens with ADD/ADHD you are likely well aware that your child will do very well at anything they truly enjoys.
On the other hand, they may “forget” to do assignments, lose papers or worse, fail in a subject they don’t like.
I have experienced this, and was fortunate that my son knew his career direction in high school. There were and are still challenges knowing that the ADD is a factor and could potentially keep him from passing classes he does not enjoy.
1. Find a professional to help your child determine a career direction as soon as possible.
The vast majority of students, with or without ADD/ADHD do not know what direction to take. Yet they enter college with the idea that they will figure it all out as a freshman or sophomore.
The truth is they are so caught up just trying to keep up with classes and complete “core” courses, they don’t have time to do the crucial exploration necessary (extremely necessary) to making a decision that could lead them toward career happiness, the first job, and less debt than they would have switching college majors over and over. Add to that ADD/ADHD.
Making a small investment could save thousands and future tears.
The colleges, in general, do not prepare students today to make that critical decision. Career Centers are not equipped to provide the guidance needed to explore who they are as individuals and what makes their hearts sing, and ultimately want to focus on a direction in their junior and senior years of high school or college.
2. Your child must love the direction they choose - monitor their enthusiasm.
So what is the solution? As I have written in several previous articles, it is absolutely critical that those of us with ADD/ADHD do work that is enjoyable and even fun. This, of course, is just as true for us as it is for our kids. Watch how your child responds to their new direction – are they beginning to make connections, do more research and, most importantly, are they getting excited?
When my son purchased a Stephen Hawking’s book on his own, with his own money, I knew we were on to something.
3. No professional? Start with a workbook and take it in spurts by encouraging your child to look within. This will also inspire personal growth.
In my work, I use the What Color is Your Parachute Handbook (2010 Edition) with each and every one of my clients, no matter what age. I have found this tool provides “creative structure” for those of us with Career ADD. There is also a “Parachute” style book for teens that is acceptable too.
However, I have found the combination of the original workbook and personal guidance provides teens with structure and support to make a career decision with confidence. As with adults, teens need to do the inner work and be supported in exploring all possibilities, and to get in touch with what they value and what gives them energy, breeds enthusiasm, which, in turn, provides focus.
This may not sit well with you as parents, particularly if you are set on your child going to college, but not all kids are “wired” to go to college.
Some may lean more toward a career that does not require a degree. Some teens may find that their true nature will lead them toward hands-on careers such as mechanics or electronics, fashion design, art or other areas that can be taught through classes, certifications, workshops, internships or a combination.
No matter, by using the handbook as a tool, you can help them get the conversation started. Ultimately, we want our children to accept responsibility for themselves and love what they do in life.
Doing the inner work associated with developing a positive career direction is a great first step.
Teen career ADD image from Shutterstock
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Everyone has heard of New Year's resolutions. You know, those promises we make to ourselves about things we'll do better in the year ahead. Sometimes these resolutions work, while other times we end up with gym memberships we never use! But have you ever heard of a career resolution? It's actually the same thing as a New Year's resolution, only career-focused.
However, with something as important as a career, you don't want to break these resolutions. That's why it's important to keep these goals manageable.
Here are four simple career resolutions that are easy to stick to and achieve.
Be Self-Aware Of Where You Stand In Your Career
BigstockBeing honest and self-aware of where you are in your career is the most important step in making strong career resolutions. If your career is going nowhere and you're unhappy, then it may be time to consider a career change, which will take you down a different path entirely.
But if you're happy and in good standing with your career, it's a lot easier to set goals for the year and build out a long-term career plan.
Find A Way To Grow Your Career
BigstockCareer growth is a very broad spectrum that means something different to everyone. It could be something as simple as improving on a weakness or building on a strength. It could also be learning a new skill or taking on additional responsibilities at work.
On a larger level, it could be seeking a promotion or moving into a leadership role.
Whatever the goal is, make sure it includes growing professionally. The worst thing you can do is stay the same! If you're not growing your career, you're dying—and becoming a lot less valuable to your employer. There are always ways to upskill!
Better Serve Your Professional Network
With current colleagues, former colleagues, and other professional acquaintances, you've probably built a solid professional network through the years. A strong professional network can come in handy if you lose your job or are looking to make a career change. However, you shouldn't just rely on your network when you're in need!
It's important to find ways to offer value to your network. This could include checking in with members of your network from time to time. Exchange messages on LinkedIn to see how they're doing or share relevant content of interest. If you can help someone in your network going through a career challenge, you should!
Maintaining a strong professional network is like an investment. If you want it to pay off, you have to put some time into it and be consistent.
Take Care Of Yourself
Bigstock
Working on your career is hard work! It's okay to be selfish sometimes. Whether you're working to grow your career or looking for a new job, it's important to find balance.
Your family and health always come first, so make sure your career goals don't interfere with that. If you want to set aside time during the week to work on your career that's fine, but don't miss important family events or milestones.
Don't let your career goals get in the way of your health goals. Go to the gym, take a walk, or go for a jog. Balance is key to maintaining healthy career and life goals. Sometimes you just need to adjust that balance as you go.
Need help sticking to your career resolutions?
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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