As parents, the teenage years can be a difficult time to keep up with the constant changes and day-to-day tasks of parenting. It is important, however, to not lose sight of the larger goal - readying your child for college and the future. With college costs and job market competition on the rise, it is essential to make sure your teen is prepared for what lies ahead.

According to a  study, 75% of high schoolers already have a career in mind, and 74% think it's important to have a plan before they graduate, which shows how important it is to get your child ready for college and future success during high school.

Here are some top career planning strategies parents can leverage to set their children up for success.

• Talk to your teen about their interests and goals. Ask them what they are passionate about, what they hope to accomplish in life, and what they want to do after high school. Use these conversations to help your child better understand their potential and the opportunities available to them. Encourage them to explore their interests and the different career paths they can take.
• Understand the different types of educational pathways available to their child. For instance, college-bound students may choose to pursue a traditional, four-year degree program, or they may opt for a two-year associate’s degree or a vocational certificate program. Depending on their interests, talents, and career goals, kids can also choose to pursue a specialized program such as pre-medicine, engineering, or law.
• Create an actionable plan for your child that outlines the steps necessary to reach their academic and career goals. This can include defining goals such as taking standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT, achieving a certain GPA, or completing required coursework. Additionally, parents can also help by exploring career options and researching colleges or universities that offer their kids’ desired programs.
• Encourage your child to visit college campuses and attend career fairs to gain more information about their future. Campus visits will allow them to get a better understanding of the school’s culture and what it’s like to be a student there. Career fairs provide an opportunity to meet with employers and learn more about jobs, internships, or passion projects in the field.
• Help your teen create a stellar resume that displays their academic successes, out-of-school activities, leadership roles, internships or passion projects, volunteer work, and awards or recognitions they have earned. This will help them get noticed by potential employers and give them an edge.
• Get your teen to perfect their networking skills. It's a key component of the job search. Prompt them to go to job fairs, join professional organizations, and make contact with those in the industry.
• Get your child prepared for the interview process. Have them research common interview questions, practice answering them out loud, or record themselves on video. You can even role-play the interviewer and offer feedback on how they can improve their answers.
• Get your child ready for the interview process by having them research the most common questions, practice their responses out loud, or record themselves on video. You can even take the role of the interviewer and give helpful advice on how to strengthen their answers.

In addition to these strategies, you can also encourage your child to engage in a career exploration program offered by InternMart to identify their potential career paths. Data suggests that 39% of children have participated in either a career exploration class or a program geared toward helping them identify their future career aspirations.

InternMart is a great solution for parents who are looking for ways to make sure their child is on the right track to success. With its assessment capabilities, parents can gain insight into their child’s strengths and weaknesses, and understand the trends of different industries. Furthermore, parents can leverage this platform to identify the capabilities of their child, such as personal interests, and find passion projects that match those interests.

With a comprehensive assessment of their child’s skills, parents can make informed decisions about the best direction for their child and the best opportunities available. InternMart also removes the worry from parents by helping them stay on top of the job market. Through its trend analysis, parents can discover the most lucrative and in-demand fields and explore other options if they don’t match their child’s interests. Additionally, parents can access the latest job postings and stay up-to-date on the best internships/ passion projects, and entry-level positions. This helps parents make sure they are well-informed and can provide their children with the best guidance.

Looking for advice or want more information? Set up a free consultation with one of our experts.