3 answers
Nikolet
Student
Village of Pelham, New York
5
Questions
Asked
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How could I help others find their career?
Ask them what they want to do in their life #career-choice #life #career-plan #career-path
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3 answers
John Cline
Channels Specialist at Google
47
Answers
Mountain View, California
Updated
John’s Answer
Nikolet,
Thinking about your job and career is a very complex process so having someone there to guide you can be very helpful. I have been in this field for years and I can tell you the most important thing is to listen. It is very natural to want to offer advice based on your experience and knowledge, but sometimes the most helpful resource doesn't offer anything but a ready ear to allow someone esle to process what they think.
I would encourage you to take things slowly. A lot of people feel an urgency to decide what they want, or an anxiety about not knowing. You want to be supportive and know that often times these conversations can be very overwhelming. There are thousands of different jobs and companies out there so individuals can quickly feel lost in the market and sometimes discouraged.
Before we open things up too much the place I like to start is with a person's interests or hobbies. What do they enjoy doing? What classes do they most enjoy? What are they good at?" Not everyone can turn their hobby into a successful career, but this is a great place to start to understanding the type of work someone would enjoy. This can start as simple as "I love trying new foods" and "I'm good at sports" but try to help them understand why they enjoy these activities and how that could translate to a potential job. Do they love trying new foods because they are adventurous, do they need variety in their life? Are they good at sports because they have the ability to focus on a single task really well or work really hard?
What do they not enjoy?
It is a bit corny, but if they can answer the typical interview questions like "what are your strengths and weaknesses" then they will be far more successful in finding a job they are good at and enjoy. So many people pursue jobs they think will provide financial stability, when you can actually make a lot of money in any job (if you work hard and develop your skills).
Last thing. Be realistic but also be very encouraging.
I hope this is helpful, this is a question that could take a whole book to answer. Everyone's journey is different, but this is how I would start.
Thinking about your job and career is a very complex process so having someone there to guide you can be very helpful. I have been in this field for years and I can tell you the most important thing is to listen. It is very natural to want to offer advice based on your experience and knowledge, but sometimes the most helpful resource doesn't offer anything but a ready ear to allow someone esle to process what they think.
I would encourage you to take things slowly. A lot of people feel an urgency to decide what they want, or an anxiety about not knowing. You want to be supportive and know that often times these conversations can be very overwhelming. There are thousands of different jobs and companies out there so individuals can quickly feel lost in the market and sometimes discouraged.
Before we open things up too much the place I like to start is with a person's interests or hobbies. What do they enjoy doing? What classes do they most enjoy? What are they good at?" Not everyone can turn their hobby into a successful career, but this is a great place to start to understanding the type of work someone would enjoy. This can start as simple as "I love trying new foods" and "I'm good at sports" but try to help them understand why they enjoy these activities and how that could translate to a potential job. Do they love trying new foods because they are adventurous, do they need variety in their life? Are they good at sports because they have the ability to focus on a single task really well or work really hard?
What do they not enjoy?
It is a bit corny, but if they can answer the typical interview questions like "what are your strengths and weaknesses" then they will be far more successful in finding a job they are good at and enjoy. So many people pursue jobs they think will provide financial stability, when you can actually make a lot of money in any job (if you work hard and develop your skills).
Last thing. Be realistic but also be very encouraging.
I hope this is helpful, this is a question that could take a whole book to answer. Everyone's journey is different, but this is how I would start.
Miko Baldwin
Government Contracting
5
Answers
Baltimore, Maryland
Updated
Miko’s Answer
Helping others find their career is not an easy task. However I helped my mentoring group find their careers by first setting up a meeting/call with them to talk about their hobbies, things that interest them or even their skill set. You could also use these sessions to ask what companies do you see yourself working. Next you can have them look up job postings at that particular company just to get a look at the different careers. This can help determine their ideas of what exactly they are looking for in career.
Simeon Snow
Risk Assurance
1790
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Simeon’s Answer
The starting point I usually recommend is going to the department of labor's website and seeing what the fastest growing fields are. That will give you a starting point if you're drawing a blank about what you'd like to do. I'd also recommend looking at YouTube videos where employees discuss their favorite and least favorite parts of their jobs. One of the downsides to a lot of career decision materials is that they don't usually tell you the downsides of different careers, so it might help you narrow down the options you're considering.