>> Teens and career choices

Parents walk a fine line whenever they try to help their children discover their vocation or calling in life. Too much meddling from a parent — even subtle suggestions — could be counterproductive. As a former college counselor, I have seen many parents dominate a career counseling appointment that was meant for their child. Some would even answer questions that were directed to their child. “He wants to be an engineer,” said one parent in a deep authoritative voice. His son sank into his chair and stared at the floor.

One positive thing that we can do for our children is to encourage their passions. Once teenagers identify their passions in life — those things that bring them great joy — they can begin to search for occupations that match.

Although the U.S. Department of Labor lists over 20,000 occupations, most young people are aware of only one percent of them. As a result, they choose their vocation, career or college major from a very short list. To expand their awareness of occupations, I recommend printing out a copy of a popular, four-page list of 800 occupations at http://www.eurekanet.org/downloads/pdf/OccListB.pdf (case specific). Possibilities can be circled. For information about specific occupations, go to the “Occupational Outlook Handbook” at http://www.stats.bls.gov/oco/ocoiab.htm.