Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited

Return to career-consulting-limited.com
Managing
People
Managing Your Career
CV Examples
Coaching
Cover Letter Examples
Pre-Employment Tests


What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? Something That Hasnt Been Invented Yet!


Most of us were brought up to study hard, get good grades, choose a "practical" college major, and strive for a "good job."

Talk to a stranded midlife career-changer and you realize the game has changed. Yesterday's rules prepared us to be passengers on a large ocean liner that promised a smooth voyage. Today we realize that ocean liner turned out to be the Titanic and we need to keep ourselves afloat on a small life raft if we want to survive.

Here are some tips to help your child learn not only to survive, but to thrive and grow in a chaotic world.

1. From the first day of kindergarten, encourage your child to build on strengths rather than focus on limitations.

Does she spend hours studying models of cars for the last twenty years? Maybe she'll become an auto mechanic -- or maybe she'll parlay her ability to classify detailed information into a career as a biologist or pharmacist.

2. Encourage your child to choose a field of study based on his or her natural abilities and passions, not "what will get me a job."

Claudia Kennedy, the Army's first female three-star General, majored in philosophy. In her book Generally Speaking, she claims philosophy prepared her to become a top-level intelligence officer. Carly Fiorino, famed CEO of Hewlett-Packard, studied medieval history. And Michael Lewis, financial writer and best-selling author of Liars Poker, was an art history major.

3. Assure your children that few mistakes are fatal.

Did your child fail a course? Face rejection from a first-choice college? Most of us can't avoid an occasional failure, but we can learn bounce-back attitudes as soon as we can talk.

Yolanda Griffith, WNBA basketball star, dropped out of a premier program due to pregnancy. She returned to a lower-ranked college program, baby in tow, and now plays for the Sacramento Monarchs.

I once taught a student who had flunked out of junior college following a close call with the legal system. After a four-year stint in the US Navy, she returned to college, maintained a dean's list grade point average, and went on to a top law school.

4. Encourage your child to experience success in any area of her life.

Did she make the honor roll? Get selected for a play, a club, or athletic team? Win an election for competitive office? Survive a strenuous application process for a summer job? Once your child has tasted success, he will know how it feels and will act like a winner when he enters the job market.

Cecilia, a shy twelve-year-old, blossomed when she won the lead in a school play. "We want you to improve your grades, not spend time in rehearsal!" fumed her worried mother.

To everyone's surprise, Cecilia's grades improved and she made new friends with the "good kids" who were also achievers. Most important, no matter what happens, Cecilia can return to that feeling of success whenever she gets discouraged.

5. Getting into a top university -- or any university -- will not guarantee success.

I've met Ivy Leaguers who have experienced unemployment, bankruptcy and even homelessness. I've met high school drop outs who flourished on their own initiative.

In my own small town, a couple with graduate degrees dropped out to pursue artistic careers -- and they clean houses to pay the bills. Recently a minimum wage job was posted by a nonprofit -- and several unemployed lawyers applied.

Career-changers who face the future with an attitude of "I can handle anything" are the ones who win today. Tossed into the ocean, they'll improvise a set of oars and keep up their spirits till they figure out what to do next. Those who feel betrayed ("I thought I was set for life") flounder around for weeks, months, even years.

Entitlement is over Those who have a positive outlook, who can seize the unexpected opportunity, can count on reaching the shore. And they realize that only they can transform a resting place into a safe harbor.

I offer one-to-one consultations on career strategy.

About The Author

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First step to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com.

"Ten secrets of mastering a major life change" mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com

Contact: cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294


MORE RESOURCES:

Careers  University of Northern Colorado







Careers  City of Phoenix (.gov)



Careers  City of Ontario, California (.gov)





Careers at FEMA  FEMA.gov


Careers | Home  USDA (.gov)


Careers and Jobs at CRS  Catholic Relief Services

Careers  UC Santa Cruz



Careers  Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Working for ICE  ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov)







Careers at USCIS  USCIS (.gov)

Job Listings  Fayette County Public Schools

Employment Opportunities | Game Commission  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov)

Explore Store Careers  Target Corporation

Store Hourly Job Areas  Target Corporation


Corporate Career Job Areas  Target Corporation


Work for Us  National Park Service (.gov)

Work With Us  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (.gov)


Careers at TWU  Texas Woman's University



Faculty and Providers  Rush University Medical Center

Work at the U.S. Department of Energy  Department of Energy (.gov)

Recruitment & Classification  Sonoma County (.gov)



IOM career gateways  International Organization for Migration


Career Opportunities  Gilead Sciences



Careers  BASF

About UDC Career Services  University of the District of Columbia

Jobs  City of Rochester (.gov)

Careers at the IOC  Olympics.com

Jobs at Liberty University  Liberty University


NASA Careers: Pathways  NASA (.gov)

Human Resources  University of Redlands


Our Hiring Process  Target Corporation


Co-op & Career Design  Kettering University

What Jobs Can You Get with a Business Degree?  Southern New Hampshire University

Careers  Calgary Board of Education

Career Services  Cornerstone University


Interview Guide and Tips  Target Corporation



Recorded Video Interviews  Target Corporation



Current opportunities  Turner & Townsend

K9 Recruitment Bonuses  United States Secret Service (.gov)

Careers  West Virginia Department of Education


Careers at Union  Union College

WORK AT LVMH  LVMH


Programs and Internships  Goldman Sachs

Employment Opportunities  Unity Health Toronto

Work with us  JPMorganChase

Careers  City of Norfolk (.gov)


Careers  Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services

Work for the City of St. Louis  City of St. Louis, MO (.gov)

Students and graduates  JPMorganChase


Careers and skills  JPMorganChase


Careers  The University of Texas at San Antonio | UTSA


Current Job Openings  Pinellas County (.gov)

Career Opportunities  University of Houston

Need More Information?
Site Home | Site Map | Links | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
© Career Consulting Limited.com 2011

tumblr visit counter