Helping teens with career decisions

Expert tips to guide teenagers toward the right path

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With a multitude of career options available, choosing a dream job can seem pretty daunting. Let's take a look at how you can help your child make the right choice. Arundhati Swamy, Counselor and Head of Parent Engagement Programs at ParentCircle, answers some of your queries.

“My daughter wants engineering because of peer pressure, not passion.” — Malini, Chennai

Malini, you must be dismayed by your daughter's situation. To think that she would make such an important decision based solely on her friend's interests is indeed worrisome. But your daughter is not the only one. There are many youngsters like her out there.

Two things stand out in your query:

e You are pleased about your daughter's creative abilities. Naturally, you want to leverage her abilities within a creative career. e You seem to think that the influence of friends on your daughter is real. The only way to find out if it's true is by talking to her.

Start with self-reflection: Try to recall the entire experience and look for insights. Were there discussions and conflicts over her decision?

Next, it's time to free the emotional clutter in your head. Use conversation starters to understand her feelings: