Asking ‘what job do you want to do when you are older?’ comes naturally to many of us when speaking to young people, particularly as they approach the key transitions from school or college.
Some young people will find it easy to answer, with a definitive view of what they want to do. But many won’t have formed clear ideas and may feel under pressure to make a decision about their long-term future or that they are behind their peers in not having figured out their future life.
From a personal perspective, I experienced both sides with my children. From an early age, my daughter had a very clear ambition to become a vet. She was adamant she would do A levels followed by a veterinary degree. When she was asked, she was confident in her imagined future. My son, however, never had a clear view of his future career, wasn’t sure whether university would be right for him, and was visibly uncomfortable whenever questions about his future were posed.
The reality is, some people think in the long term and like to set out clear plans. Others want to focus just on their next step, while some are natural explorers, seeing where opportunities take them. And of course there are many variations of these. We are all individuals and we think, learn and develop in different ways.
The tendency is to focus on those young people who don’t have a clear direction or are undecided on their next steps. Of course we need to support them, helping them understand their preferences and motivations, explore options, overcome any barriers and investigate where their choices could take them.
But what of those who are clear about their career path? They can easily be overlooked or quickly given advice to help them move forward. But if a young person says they want to do a certain job in the future, what is that based on? Is it simply what their parents or other family members do? Is it because they feel that’s the type of role ‘someone like them’ does? Do they understand the reality of that career path – the day-to-day work involved and whether that suits their own skills and character?
After many years of certainty my daughter realised before college that she didn’t want to ‘spend her life operating on guinea pigs’ so chose A levels to take her on to a law degree which would allow her to ‘get any job in an office’. After her first year at college, as we traipsed around university law schools, she realised that office work held no appeal as a future. Her heart was still with working with animals but she didn’t want the medical focus. She restarted with science A levels, gained a zoology degree and is looking to work in animal conservation and behaviour.
The point is, if I’d known then what I’ve learned working in the careers sector, we would have explored with her why she wanted to be a vet, rather than simply feeling grateful that she had a clear purpose. She could have considered what attracted her to becoming a vet, what the work would really be like, aspects she would enjoy more or less and so on, and ultimately had a smoother transition.
So when we ask young people what they want to do for a career and we get a clear and confident answer, it can be helpful to gently explore and challenge further. Many will have a good understanding of their chosen career and be very happy, but some may benefit from deeper thinking. That’s where a personal guidance interview with a careers adviser can really help the individual explore their motivations and options. And of course, gaining real experience in their chosen field not only boosts their CV but also gives them a better understanding of the realities of the career.
At the CDI we advocate for every person to have access to professional career guidance, to help them develop the right career path for them, be confident in their choices, and have the career management skills to overcome obstacles and succeed – whatever that means for the individual.
David Morgan
The CDI is the professional body for those working in all aspects of career development. To learn more about the work of the CDI, please visit our website.