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Does your child’s expectations match the reality of the job market?
We all have big dreams and ambitions when we’re growing up, but research suggests that there is a massive ‘mis-match’ between the expectations of teenagers and reality.
Nick Chambers, director of the Education and Employers Taskforce, who published the Nothing in Common report in 2013, highlighted the serious information gap for teenagers and possible careers.
Teenagers often have no idea about the potential earnings for different careers, the qualifications required and the reality of the market places. The most popular jobs are sometimes those that are in short supply, and are from a very limited scope in terms of sector.
This narrowness of young people’s view of the types of work available, and the failure of employers to present a broader picture of opportunities, has led to many teenagers and young people being frustrated with their lack of qualifications, career options, and the ferocity of the jobs market.
Poor careers advice in schools has been attributed to this problem, as most schools now lack sound face-to-face careers advice, due to funding cuts and changes within Government.
So, what can you do to ensure that your child has a realistic view of the jobs market, and how their ambitions could match up to reality?
There are some incredibly enlightening statistics from the reports which is worth considering when talking to your teen:
- There are 10 times as many people aiming for jobs in the culture, media and sports sector than there are jobs likely to be available.
- Almost a quarter of jobs are in the distribution, hotels and restaurant category, but only about one in 40 youngsters are considering careers in these industries.
- Fewer than one in 30 young people are considering jobs in banking and finance, even though one in five jobs are expected to be in this sector.
So although being an actor seems like an impossibly exciting and ideal career, the likelihood is that few are likely to make it. Therefore, those drama qualifications may be more hindrance than help in years to come.
Of course, you don’t want to squash your child’s dreams and de-motivate them, but a reality check is always useful, as is preparing them for the real world.
At Career Analysts’ we have worked with thousands of teenagers and young people to ensure that they get on the right career path for future fulfillment. We do this in confidential, one on one sessions to find out more about a teen’s likes, dislikes, and motivations to ensure a true, unbiased picture of what makes them happy. Our advisors have a great understanding of the current and future job market, and likely career paths, so by working with your child they can ensure that they are fully prepared for what life has to offer!
By working with them to realise an attainable dream career, we can ensure that the qualifications and training path they aim for suits their personality, working style and motivations This ensures a perfect ‘match’ in their ambitions and career!
To find out more about Careers Analysts, visit our homepage. To read more about the Education and Employers Taskforce survey visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-21762564
Why should you help your child choose a career?
It’s all too easy to get over involved in your teenager’s life, and there’s always the strong possibility of pushing them away by being too over bearing.
You should let your children make their own choices in further education, university and career. By having more motivation and ‘buy-in’ they are more likely to work hard and succeed. But a bit of firm encouragement, the input of objective, impartial advice and some creative thinking can ensure that you, and your child, feel like you have made the right choice.
The reasons why you should have an input into your child are pretty simple – of course you know them better than anyone else, they should listen to you and respect your opinion, and you have their best interests at heart.
It is very important to get involved when they are making such life shaping decisions to ensure that their chosen course or career suits their personality and motivations, that it will make them happy, that the chosen path is practical and cost effective. Especially if you are the one that’s paying for it!
But some outside influence is essential, and sometimes you can’t just leave it to under funded school-provided services.
At Career Analysts’ we have worked with thousands of teenagers and young people to ensure that they get on the right career path for future fulfillment. We do this in confidential, one on one sessions to find out more about a teen’s likes, dislikes, and motivations to ensure a true, unbiased picture of what makes them happy.
Although you know your child best, it’s hard not be impartial, especially when it comes to any potential weaknesses! There’s also the hormonally charged minefield of teenage minds to consider, which can sometimes be better explored by an outsider.
We conduct in-depth psychometric analysis of aptitudes, personality, and occupational interests to quantify individual preferences, traits and strengths and weaknesses and set these against the backdrop of their personal, practical circumstances to ensure that the advice we give is targeted specifically your child’s requirements, opportunities and aspirations.
This is then followed up by a one-on-one personal consultation with a fully qualified Occupational Psychologist. Our Occupational Psychologists are trained to have an understanding both of personalities and careers, matching the aptitudes, personality and qualifications of the individual to the career paths and roles that will suit their very individual, personal circumstances.
We also offer Parent and Guardian Extension Sessions. This allows you explore the outcomes of the teenager’s consultation and talk about the future with our Consultant, without impacting on your child’s own session. We find this is the perfect opportunity to discuss recommendations in a professional and objective manner and adds additional value to the programme.
Our young people’s programmes have helped thousands of people find the right A Levels, Degree and career. To find out how we can help you and your child, contact us today
Tips to get that dream job
They know what they want, but they don’t know how to get it… what tips can you give your child on applying for their dream job after further education or university?
1. Cover the cover letter (or email)
It’s important to spend time on each and every covering letter, and not just send out the standard one with a few changes. If your child really wants that job, they’ll need to do some research on the company and make sure to sell their skills.
Many employers don’t consider CVs without a covering letter, and as most CVs are skim read at best, that letter is the best chance to stand out amongst potentially hundreds of other candidates.
2. Network
In today’s social media age, networking has taken on a whole new meaning. Your teen or young person can get into direct contact with a company very quickly. This has tremendous advantages for getting noticed – but make sure it’s for the right things! We’ve all heard horror stories about the effects a mis-thought tweet or compromising photos have had – make sure your child’s social media history looks as promising as their future!
3. Tailor your CV
Make sure that their CV, as well as their covering letter, is targeted to the right job each time. Highlight the skills and interests that apply to each individual position, where possible, to really enhance their chances.
4. Spellcheck & spell double-check!
One way to get your CV dismissed is a throw away spelling mistake or silly error. Take time to read their CV to make sure you that you catch any thing that the spell checker may have missed.
5. Interview Tips
Preparation is your best friend. Remind your child to think about how much they know about the company and the role, and think about what questions they might be asked. They should have their responses ready! It’s a good idea to sit down and do a mock interview, to calm your child’s fears, and highlight any gaps in their knowledge. It’s also good to have a think about body language. Clear, calm speech, looking people in the eye, a nice smile and a good handshake goes a long way!
6. Get some expert advice.
Our advisors have spent years working with companies and candidates and know the best ways to highlight skills on CVs, and how to approach companies for your dream role. We work with young people, teens and more to make the most of their abilities, whether it is writing a covering letter or coaching for interviews. If your child could benefit from this one-to-one tuition, contact us for more information.
Be happy in your job and earn more money!
An interesting piece in the Guardian Datablog this week referred to a study by Professor Satya Paul, an economist at the University of Western Sydney.
Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey (HILDA), Professor Paul has deduced that being happy means you are more likely to earn more. If you are more satisfied with life, despite statistically working less hours, you will get more income.
This is an interesting thought, and not necessarily explored as fully as it could have been in the article (we haven’t read the full report so don’t judge us on that!). Although happiness comes in many forms, we have always worked with our clients to analyse their interests, motivations and skills so they pick a career path that truly makes them happy. And when you are happy in your job, and motivated, you are more likely to succeed.
The study seems to suggest this as well, as Paul infers that happier people are better workers – the increase in income resulting from higher happiness is a result of happier people being more efficient in earning activities.
So, if you’re happy, you’ll be happier in your job, work more efficiently, and earn more money. Simple!
So, how can you support your child, teenager and young person to pick the right career? Have you full explored their skills, their motivations, dreams, goals and interests? By using our unique combination of psychometric tests and skilled career advisors, we can provide the objective, insightful data to inform you and your child as you take the next steps in A Levels, University or first jobs.
We don’t look at how intelligent your child is, but their strengths and weaknesses. It builds an overall picture that can suggest suitable career paths, by looking at what makes them happy and which careers will achieve this.
We then work with your child on a one-on-one with a series of suggestions for suitable career paths that we have identified from the psychometrics. Once we’ve eliminated those that do not appeal until we are left with a very small number of suitable and practical career options that your child can investigate further and make a decision.
If you are worried about helping your child choose the right A Levels, Degree course, or career, we can help. Our programme is designed to help your child come to a decision about future careers, and give them a strong understanding of themselves. Understanding our motivations are a key step to finding true happiness, in our career and beyond.
So, what makes your child happy? As they grow up and begin to make big decisions about the rest of their lives, how can you support them? What is the right advice to give for their future career?
We can help you make these important steps together. For more information, contact us today or visit our website.
How can I help my child prepare for a career?
Choosing a career while you’re still a teenager and have a lifetime ahead of you, as well as countless distractions, is never easy. But what steps can you take as a parent to help your child evaluate their career options and start along the path to their dream job?
Talk about their ambitions, dreams and goals.
Discussing their ultimate hopes enables them to think big and explore every option. It doesn’t matter what these dreams are, but thinking about achieving the very best sets their sights high, and also motivates them to work harder right now. This motivational tactic will keep the conversation open between you and your child during what can be a very fraught time in your lives, and helps you both focus on the big picture.
What do they like to do?
As we’ve said before, a big part of our assessment when talking about career options, for every one we help, is talking about a person’s interests and what motivates them. It’s one of the key elements of an enjoyable career. So take the time to sit with your teenager and assess what they like to do and what they are good at. You could then match those traits to possible careers and give them something to aim for.
Get involved.
You could then start to get them involved in one or two of their highlighted ‘dream jobs’ work experience, internet research, going to relevant exhibitions or events and talking to various friends and family in their preferred field (if you can). This will help them align their dreams in more practical settings, and help you both assess the careers in terms of salary, working conditions, and much more.
Get ready.
Don’t forget the practical things – what sort of career path is your child likely to take? University, college or apprenticeship – all these routes require certain skills or exam results. Making sure they take the right GCSEs and A Levels will really help them realize their dreams, and making sure the subjects interest them, and they know why they are taking them, will help motivate your teenager through the grueling revision, coursework and exams.
We hope this helps you and your child prepare for the world of work, and what hopefully be their dream career. Remember though, to keep this flexible – things change, especially at this age, and you can bring undue stress on you and your child by staying fixated on a particular path. Good luck!
If you feel you need professional help to assess your child’s personality, motivations and career options, have a look at our website for some more information on how Career Analysts work. Or please contact us!
How can you help your child choose an ideal career?
What makes you happy? As your children grow up and begin to make big decisions about the rest of their lives, how can you support them? What is the right advice to give for their future career?
We think there are four very important factors in what makes you happy in a career –
- Interest! If you can find something for which you have a real interest or a passion you are much more likely to enjoy it and succeed.
- Personality! What is the right kind of role for you given your personality? What is the right kind of environment for you to be working in
- Aptitudes! What are you actually good at? Are you playing to your strengths?
- Values. Some people have strongly held beliefs which would prevent them working in certain areas. For other people it is a motivating factor towards working in certain areas
Since our company was established in 1965, we have helped tens of thousands of young people from all walks of life and backgrounds find their ideal career path and achieve real personal fulfilment. Using independent career advisors enables you and your child to gain an objective view of their personality, skills and interests that will give them a strong understanding of themselves and their abilities when it comes to choosing A Levels, Degree courses, university courses and much more.
What do we do?
At Career Analysts we measure each of the above factors individually using psychometric questionnaires. The first set (interests, personality and values) are completed by the candidate at home, in addition to a ‘Personal History Form’ which allows them to tell us some more personal information about their background and education.
The second set of tests takes place in our offices, including aptitude testing which looks at various types of reasoning – Logic, Verbal, Numerical and Perceptual reasoning, Spatial Visualisation, Mechanical understanding and Attention to Detail.
We are not looking for how bright your child is overall, but the pattern – which are their strengths and which are they not so strong at?
It is only when you put all of these factors together that we can start to see what would be a suitable career path, by looking at what makes them happy and which careers will achieve this. There is then a one-on-one with a series of suggestions for suitable career paths that we have identified from the psychometrics. Once we’ve eliminated those that do not appeal until we are left with a very small number of suitable and practical career options that your child can investigate further and make a decision.
If you are worried about helping your child choose the right A Levels, Degree course, or career, we can help. Our programme is designed to help your child come to a decision about future careers, and give them a strong understanding of themselves.
To find out more, why not visit our website or contact us?
Tips for Graduates
So, your son or daughter has graduated. What’s the next steps to get their career off the ground? Do they have an idea of what they would like to do, but lack the motivation to take the next steps? Here are some tips that may help you guide them along the path to career success.
Use social media: They use Twitter, Instagram and Facebook all the time to find friends – but how about using them to find opportunities for jobs and to make contact with the right people. Companies often announce vacancies through social media, including Linkedin so make sure that their profiles are up to date, promoting skills and following the sort of employers they want to work for.
Look for internships: Working for free doesn’t sound like fun but will help them get the foot in the door. Remind them to make themselves essential while they are there – suggest ideas, take on responsibility and make contacts.
Think when applying for jobs: Don’t just randomly email CVs to everyone. Find the right contact, pick up the phone and ask questions. Explain how they’d love to work there and enquire if there are any opportunities.
Highlight their skills: Work with your son or daughter to ensure that their CV really does capture your best qualities. It may not be skills they’ve picked up in the working world, but applying yourself through study, customer service and anything else relevant should be picked up.
Understand the market: If they are lacking in experience, their first job might not be their dream role, but they need to stay realistic about their career options while retaining their ambition.
Network: It might not bring immediate results, but exchanging contact details and keeping up levels of conversation with relevant people in their industry that they (or you!) meet may pay huge dividends in the future.
Have you got any top tips for helping graduates get that job? We’d love to hear them!
Up to a fifth of new graduates without jobs
Thousands of graduates face claiming unemployment benefits after completing degree courses because of a squeeze on well-paid positions during the economic downturn, it emerged. Figures published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency shows the pressure mounting in the graduate job market.
Across Britain, some one-in-10 university leavers were without a job or postgraduate course. Figures differ according to university and region. At London South Bank University, 22% of students were without a job or place on another course after six months, figures show.
The unemployment rate stood at around 21% at both Bolton and East London universities, while almost 19% of ex-students failed to secure work or further study at University College Birmingham and Westminster University, it was revealed.
Students at these universities were around twice as likely to be out of work as the national average.
Oxbridge graduates fared better, suiting the reputation of the oldest universities in the UK. 9.6% Oxford graduates were left jobless after six months, while at Cambridge the unemployment rate stood at 8.4%.
A separate study published suggested that some companies were even considering screening out any student who fails to score a first-class degree because the surge in applications.
Dr Phil Cardew, pro vice-chancellor at London South Bank University, said the data had been “adversely affected by the economic climate of our local communities”, adding: “We are very much a community-based university. Of course, our employment indicators for part-time, and sub-degree courses are far higher.”
Graduates can enhance their opportunities to find a job by taking on internships, taking advice on their CV and job applications and applying directly to companies. Find out about career planning and advice on our dedicated Career Choice pages.
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