Is your soon-to-be graduate still unsure what they want to do? Maybe they aren’t sure if they want to go to college or they aren’t sure what to major in when they get to college?

Below are 3 strategies that will get them started in the process of figuring out what they want

My client, a senior, knew what she wanted to do, but when this pandemic hit, she started questioning everything. Will she even be able to go to college after she graduates? Should she continue with her chosen major or is it changing too much leaving no jobs for her? What will her future look like? 

She went from excited about her life to anxious and unsure. She was so at a loss, so overwhelmed, she would barely talk to her parents.

That is until her parents found the Life Quest® program. Rather than being stuck not knowing what life would look like after high school, she now has multiple paths that she is excited about. With the program and our coaching, she has thoroughly explored how to monetize her passions even during or after a pandemic. She even has things she can start doing right away to get things in motion. And she has a game plan for her next steps in spite of how crazy the world is right now. She said:

I was crying on my husband’s shoulder as he held me, standing in the kitchen. I was so scared.
I finally admitted to myself that I just couldn’t continue the career I had been pursuing. It was the career I wanted ever since I was a child, but after almost a decade I was miserable. Leaving it, however, was so scary to me. I didn’t know what else I could do. I didn’t know what other value I could bring to the world.

Did you know that there are 7 ways to continue your education after high school?? Most people think there are two options: college or nothing. The 7 options I cover with my clients are all ways to continue education, so this does include university but it does not include going straight away into work. Working is a choice, of course, but I want to focus on the fact that there are 6 other ways of educating yourself after high school.   Before we jump in, there are a few things I want you to know.

• I have a lot of information to share, so get ready to take notes!
• When I’m working with my clients we pick one of these options based on a few different criteria. We take a look at who they are, what educational environments are good for them, which occupations and professions they are considering, and we calculate their ROI. So, I don’t recommend just picking one out of the list; you’ll still want to do your research. If you would like to learn how I do this with my clients,click here. 
• Some of these are a path to university, some of them are an alternative to university, and some could be either depending on what you choose.

 1. Let’s start with the most well known:

“How can kids prepare for jobs that don’t exist yet?”

I was stumped.
 
After working in admissions at a university and then conducting college and career workshops in high schools all across my state, I thought I could answer anything.
 
But when a teacher asked me that one, I admit I was taken aback. How had I not considered this? Especially when you think about how rapidly jobs are changing. For example, if 15 years ago someone told you that students would grow up to become Social Media Marketing Managers would you have known what they were talking about? 
 
So, I went home and immediately began researching the answer to that question. Not only did it become a chapter in my book, but it was also the seed that sparked my entire book. 
 
What I concluded is this: we need to cultivate skills and character traits that allow for adaptability.

Did you know that...

I recently talked with a mom who has a son that knows exactly what his interests are, what he’s really good at, and that he wants to travel right after high school.

I said, “That’s great! And then what?” 
“Oh, he’ll probably go to college.” 
“Cool! What’s he going to major in?”
“He doesn’t know.” 
“Ok, what kind of work does he want to do?” 
“He doesn’t know.” 

 This is very common. I often hear from parents, “My teen knows what they are interested in, but they don’t know how to turn it into a career, and it’s an area of interest I know nothing about!”

It’s always a good idea, before you spend lots of time and/or money investing in a career, to do your research on the profession to make sure it is a good fit for you. There are a few ways I provide this opportunity to the young people I work with. One of which, I wanted to share with you today.

The podcast All Things College and Career, was created with the goal to provide a resource for all people that are researching careers, colleges, or academic majors.

Can you imagine your teen pursuing their future with drive and excitement? Can you imagine knowing that the path they chose will not only lead to a thriving life of financial security but also a life of fulfillment? For so many young people this isn’t the case.
 
Many teens get to graduation and just pick a school or a major because it’s what they are “supposed to” do, it’ll make them good money, or it’s what everyone else is doing. But there’s no purpose other than that and there’s no excitement for their future. Some get to graduation without making any decision at all.
 
This can lead to them feeling aimless in life, wandering through it hoping they will stumble upon their passion. These young people can often feel purposeless which can lead to depression or negative habits. They are often unmotivated, anxious, and sometimes angry. Or maybe it will lead to changing majors, which will cost time and lots of money for both them and you.

The good news is, all of this can be avoided! It is possible for your teen to craft their own unique definition of success that they are excited about. They can find occupations that are uniquely suited to who they are and what they value and then start taking the steps towards them with direction and purpose.

​Think back to 20 years, or even just 15 years ago. If someone told you that many students would go on to have jobs in social media marketing, would you have understood what that meant or how important a role they would be playing? How do we prepare kids for jobs in a future that we can’t predict? In contemplating this question there are a few things one would need to consider.