Read this article to see why trying different things is smarter than having a strict plan. It gives teens the freedom to change their minds and offers parents simple steps to help their kids succeed in today’s changing scenarios.
For Teens: Exploring is Smart, Not Wasting Time
Feeling stressed because you don’t know exactly what career you want? That pressure to pick a perfect, permanent job or major right now is old news. Your parents’ generation had stable, predictable career paths, but your world is different. The best jobs next year might not even exist today, and you’ll probably change jobs over ten times!
Exploring is your most valuable skill. It’s how you learn to be adaptable, which is the key to future job security. A gap year, trying different classes, or changing your mind isn’t a mistake; it’s the quickest way to gather real information about yourself and the world.
Think of your first choices—your major, a certificate, a first job—as a test product. You try it, see if it works, and improve it or change it entirely. It’s totally fine to try something and decide it’s not for you. That experience teaches you more than sticking with something safe and boring. You have the right to pivot!
For Parents: Let Go of the Fear
We know you push for stable jobs because you love your kids and worry about money. You think a prestigious degree guarantees success.
But today, the ability to change is the real security.
1. Trying Things Out is the Best Money Spent
It feels expensive if your child changes majors, but the real waste is paying for four years of school for a career they hate, which leads to quitting or burnout later.
Kids who spend time getting real experience (like an internship, a skilled summer job, or running a small online business) are far ahead. They learn what work they enjoy and what problems they care about. This knowledge is better than any school course.
Instead of pressuring them to commit, support short, low-risk activities: interview someone in a cool job, take a cheap online course, or get a short-term contract job.
2. Watch Out for Your Own Past
Sometimes, the push for a certain career isn’t about your teen’s future—it’s about your own past regrets.
If you are always pushing one job, ask yourself honestly:
- “Am I trying to finish a dream I couldn’t achieve?”
- “Will my child’s success be used to make me look better?”
Your child must follow their own path. The best thing you can give them is the confidence to handle a world that changes all the time.
Work Together: Focus on Problems, Not Paychecks
Stop asking, “What will your major be?” and ask these questions instead:
- Ask about Purpose: “What problems are you most excited to solve?” (This leads to their mission.)
- Ask about Skills: “What skill could you learn this summer that would be useful in any job?” (Focuses on flexibility.)
- Ask about Help: “Can I use my contacts to get you a quick job shadow or experience?” (You become their coach.)
Let’s swap the stress of “I have to know everything now” for the excitement of “I have the freedom to explore.” Success today belongs to those who are curious and adaptable, not those who stick to the oldest plan.
… Coach Saira Kale
#CareerCoaching #FutureOfWork #CareerAdvice #GenZCareers #StudentLife #CareerGuidance #ParentingTeens #ExplorationOverPlanning #LearningAgility