Teens Archives - Page 2 of 3 - The Voice of Job Seekers

12 Most Positive Ways to Help Your Teen Find a Job

Editors Note: This is my guest post originally published at 12Most.com, and republished with their permission.

My oldest is a high school graduate (by the time) with two years of work experience. Not just summer experience, he worked throughout his junior and senior years of high school while maintaining a 3.0 g.p.a, playing sports, and participating in clubs.

As a father, seeing him grow in character was just as important as his high school diploma. Our children become more resilient if we allow discipline to prepare them for life after high school including college.

Teens should work. They will find time for video games or hanging out with their friends. When teens turn 16, they are job seekers, as defined by their parents, and when possible the fathers.

These are my suggestions in creating teen job seekers:

1. Employ them early

Give your three and four year old a job, pay them, and watch them work. Notice and remember his or her enthusiasm and zeal. Think about how you can build on their willingness. Oh yeah, did I say pay them?

2. Teach them how to work

If you don’t work with them and teach them, he or she may never work. The younger the easier, the older the harder —then you’re on your own.

3. Don’t make them fill out 100 applications

Instead, dress them up and take them around to small businesses to talk to adults. If they do not like adults during the teen years, they will with pay.

4. Coach your children in their relationships with adults

Yes, they need coaching and monitoring by YOU the parent. Everything un-taught will appear ugly, so prepare them now. Networking 101 starts with conversations, shaking hands, eye contact, and the parent starring as the loving weirdo. Take a bow. You’re welcome.

5. Explain to them what you do

Show them how you do it and make sure they can explain your career to peers and teachers with clarity. Even if you’re unemployed, provide examples of your work and your career.

6. Be honest about your career struggles

You will connect with them in positively profound ways. I did this with my oldest son. At 18, he has more working experience than his under 30 cousins with two years at the same job.

7. Make it clear that at 16, they are job seekers

No matter what your economic status, your teen should work at a minimum during the summer. They can buy their own school clothes and treat the family to lunch or dinner. The pride he or she displays is priceless. I promise.

8. Show them your accomplishments

Awards, prizes, accommodations, or certificates send a subtle message what you expect of them. If they are not proud of you, your work has just begun.

9. Inspire them

Chastising, hazing, stalking, or harassing doesn’t work. Trust them to the seeds of knowledge and experience to grow over time.

10. Anticipate resistance

It is not a cakewalk for many teens as peers claim to lead the glamorous life on Facebook. Have them think about the job they want, and a target company. Is it that bad to work at The Gap because he or she loves clothes?

11. Allow working peers to influence them

There is nothing wrong with them wanting to work where peers already work, unless it is illegal or the friend is a bad influence.

12. Reveal to them that money is not the only incentive

Restrain your inner Warren Buffett and make experience attractive. Don’t be surprised that relationships sprout from working with people from different cultures, genders, and ages. She may be cute, sure he is charming, but work will cultivate character.

My son works out his budget, understands his financial obligations and responsibilities, and values time. Most of his friends still think money grows on trees and aggravate their parents to pay for everything. My son has imperfections and immaturity like many young adults, but he can experience making a few adult decisions as he treats for family dinner on payday.

Is it tough to get your teen to work? I think teens should work. Do you? Please share, I would love to hear.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Job Lesson From Dad: Son, Confidence Will Give You Life Right Now

Confidence, in my opinion, can serve two purposes in anyone’s career. While teens are working, or seek work, they need to know the difference between confidence, and cockiness. They hear words like swagger (“swagga” for some), and think by walking, talking, and thinking boastfully will exude an attractive persona to employers. This is true if the job description calls for intimidating the face-to-face opponent.

cock·y

¹ [kok-ee] Show IPA

adjective, cock·i·er, cock·i·est.

arrogant; pertly self-assertive; conceited: He walked in with a cocky air.

There was a phrase in the ‘50’s (so I’m told) for cocky young men as, “…he’s smelling himself.” A cocky young man is trying to compensate for weaknesses or missing key attributes. He wants to show the world what he has to offer is as good, or better, than anyone else’s.

con·fi·dence/ˈkänfidəns/

Noun:

The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust: “we had every confidence in the staff”.
The state of feeling certain about the truth of something.

trust – faith – reliance – belief – credit – credence

Confidence is like writing a check knowing that there is money in the bank. People can sense confidence, and people will likely trust a confident person. A confident teen has to be taught how use it to obtain opportunities, especially jobs. Even if, the failure is eminent, a confident person understands the breadth of his or her skills.

Confidence is Taught

Training and influence from parents (or parent) is essential for teen jobseekers. The employment background of the parent is moot since confidence has to come from a guided and clear place. The lack of this life lesson defiles an American dream, derails a generation, and maybe a future career. It’s a gift that will keep on giving, if a parent gives installs it like a hard drive on a computer.

Confidence is Caught

Once a compelling example is witnessed by an impressionable young man or woman, they believe it’s possible, especially if it is desirable. What’s cool is that it is a renewable part of survival and success. If it’s cut off, it grows back. If it shrunk, it resizes and never at times grows stronger. It becomes a part of the body like an arm or a leg, for a teen, or anyone else.

In conclusion, confidence serves two purposes for young jobseekers, particularly teen boys.

Confidence supplies the fuel, motivation, and purpose to sell and excel in any career. It encompasses every milestone of success, accomplishments, and growth up to that point. It is the only way he or she appears employable without a ton of experience.
Confidence is a shock absorber for failure. Crashing, falling, and imploding is part of the adult experience. These kids can’t grow up without knowing what the virtual bottom feels like.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Dads, Talk With Your Son About His Future Career, After The Sex Talk

image credit

The future career talk during teen years is critical. I would like to proclaim that we as “Dad” have a “relationship” talk instead of a “sex” talk with our sons. Both jobs and sex are about relationships, and as Dads, we need to help our sons with building relationships. Our women will love us a little more. Not to mention the similarities that we should no longer ignore, nor disassociate from the main bridge between the two.

Careers are largely about the relationships we build. We have to be liked, but in different ways, without it being about us. Relationships are not about sex, but sex is about the relationship. I didn’t appreciate it until I was married for some time, and I like other Dads, learned this the hard way.

Here are several reasons of my own that relationships make the career, dating, and marriage intertwined:

Relationships and careers require respect and like, giving first, then earning the receipt of it. As a baby boomer, we grew up with a chauvinistic view of women, and the synonym was being macho. In this day and age, I am the caveman. Without validation, it sprinkled on my boys. If we fathers do not teach our boys to respect and like Mom, we have failed to help them with their future relationships with co-workers, bosses, girlfriends, wives, and in-laws.
Both require longitudinal planning. Just because we had short relationships and careers, doesn’t mean our sons have to experience the same. Help them to plant seeds, not just build a shelter. A healthy plant requires cultivation over time. Relationships and careers need the same cultivation, not just when we need something from someone.
Neither relationships or careers are about you. You are going to give more than you get, and receive a portion in return if you’re successful. If you are getting more, then respond by giving more than the other person.
Both have difficult and complex issues. Careers and relationships should be handled with truth and responsibility. Our teen boys need training in handling conflicts, unfairness, and tragedy with grace, courage, and truthfulness. If lying and deceit develops into a pattern early, it is so hard to un-train it (but it can be done). As Dads, if we have a problem with honesty, then it is hard for us to detect it in our kids. This is where we need to be humble and pass the baton to the women in our lives.
Mishandling careers and relationships can tear your life apart. As my working, college-bound son makes career defining decisions at 17 years old, he needs the training from me. He received his first college acceptance, and has more work experience than knowledge about girls. The work challenges are intriguing, but we talk a lot about how to handle them. Dads need that conversation often, at least once a week, even if for a few minutes each. They need to know how to handle work and relationships equally. As Dads, mistakes are training opportunities, and teachable moments that need immediate attention. Be there to catch them when they stumble or fall.

Train your sons character, and not just the behavior. The best lessons are hard to digest, and trying to control him will only breed rebellion in the long run. Being successful for years at a time takes a man who is accountable, dutiful, and skillful at relationships and career. The best lesson is failure, so as a Father, teach them to learn from failure. .

What are you struggling with in having these talks? Feel free to share them with us by commenting below.