Career Advice for Kids: Play More
by Barbara Moses

Source: Career Intelligence: The 12 New Rules for Work and Life Success

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 (Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc. 1998)

"Parents who are anxious to give their children a leg up in the world often cram kids' lives with educational and 'enriching' activities computer camp, museum trips, music lessons, and so on. But it may be wiser just to let them play.

'Children learn about how the world operates; its rules, roles, and expectations and about their emotions and sense of self through free play,' says career expert Barbara Moses. 'The current obsession with accelerating children's learning robs them of these vital opportunities.'

Pushing children to make career decisions in their teens, with the goal of giving them an edge, may also backfire, Moses writes in her new book, I. Because technology and the economy change so rapidly, the hot jobs forecasted today many not be hot for long. Even computer skills are no 'magic bullet.' Children who keep their options open, who are flexible and able to deal with ambiguity, may fare better in tomorrow's work world.

Rather than pressuring children to prepare for a particular job, parents should help them identify and nurture their areas of interest and ability. 'Encourage them to choose an academic path that personally engages them, rather than trying to second-guess the future market for jobs,' Moses advise. 'If they follow their true interests and strengths, they are much more likely to attain satisfying work in the end, although it may not be in an area they can currently envisage.'

If a child's academic interest seems to be only marginally marketable, Moses suggests 'combining two areas of study to maximize [his or her] flexibility, such as business with history or art; information technology with English literature; and so on.'

When it comes to education, Moses recommends the critical-thinking skills, the broad context, and the flexibility that come with a traditional liberal arts degree. But she doesn't discount vocational training or specialized degrees such as law or engineering. In fact, executives are evenly divided when asked whether they prefer a liberal arts or more specialized education in choosing a job candidate.

'If they [children] do specialize, they should ensure that they have the foundations (social sciences, writing, and thinking skills) to understand the broader context in which they are carrying out their work, interact with people from different disciplines, talk persuasively, write clearly and effectively, and be able to abstract important information from a situation,' writes Moses.

Cooperative education, which alternates academic study with periods of work placement with organizations, is becoming increasingly popular and is sometimes offered even at the high-school level.

'In theory,' Moses concludes, 'co-op education should be of value not just from the point of view of developing 'hard' job skills, but also for enriching an adolescent's opportunity to discover areas of interest, and just as important areas of no interest.'