All parents want the best for their children, and finding the ideal career is no exception. Providing career advice however is a challenging task for many parents. Many parents may have an understanding of their childs personality however, also needed, and what may be more difficult to provide, is current job and labour market information. This can be difficult given the landscape of our job market has changed so significantly over the years and from previous generations. For example, many older parents have tended to stick with one or perhaps two employers through their career. Nowadays, however statistics show that those entering the workforce nowadays can expect to work in many different roles, with many different employers, through the course of their career.
It is also a common tendency for parents to focus on experience in one area only and this can become a potential problem when trying to provide career advice to their children. Not only that, even if we do know what we are talking about, all parents also know that sometimes our children don’t listen to us just because we are their parents! I have known a lot of parents who are well placed to provide good career advice but find themselves talking to a brick wall. Less than ideal situations also arise when children chose to, or chose not to, select the same career as their parents, for no other reason than it’s what they have learn through their parents and that they have grown up with that expectation. This is obviously not the best career option for a child and it would be preferable to make such an important decision based on sound career advice and information, rather than just following, or not following their parents.
So these are just some of the problems, but what is the answer? The answer in my opinion is for your child to take a quality career test and receive professional career advice based on their results. With very strong emphasis being placed on the word “Quality” there! As a parent you certainly don’t want your child to base an important career decision on the outcome of a quick career quiz on the internet. However, those in the know are also aware there are some quality career tests that are based on research to make them valid and reliable. One such instrument is the Strong Interest Inventory (SII). The SII is probably the most popular career tool used by career counselors all around the world. It will give you a thorough assessment of the test takers personality and job preferences. Nowadays the test can also be taken online through some providers in the comfort of your and your childs home.
One such provider of the SII is CareerSense.com.au who not only provide the test but also provide a detailed and completed report reviewed by a registered psychologist and a follow up phone consultation to review results in detail. This is an excellent option for many parents as it ensures their children’s career decisions are based on objective measures and trusted assessment used worldwide. So if you or your child is at an age where they need to take the important steps in discovering the best career for them, I recommend you buy a gift certificate and have them take the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) at CareerSense.com.au or another provider today. This will provide you with the piece of mind that you are not leaving your child’s future career and happiness to chance. Nathan Jones is the Director of CareerSense.com.au. He is a registered psychologist with extensive experience working in the field of career counselling and support. In 2009 he founded CareerSense.com.au which provides quality and affordable online career and personality testing. CareerSense use only the most respected and scientifically validated testing instruments and professional career counselling services. Visit CareerSense today for a career or personality test at CareerSense.com.au.
