Careers advice

[doglover]

My dd is nearly 14 (Y9) and has been told by her school to start thinking about her work experience placement in Y10. She's a very conscientious girl who is now getting anxious about the whole thing .................... any advice welcomed from other parents who've been through this stage!! She's bright (middle of top set), doesn't like anything medical, loves English and history and isn't particularly keen on 'people'!! We're unsure where to get relevant information from and school haven't really been much help. TIA

It's not easy if they don't know what they want to do, or at least have some idea.

Perhaps make a list of things you think she might like to do, then go through them with her? Not liking people is very limiting, careerswise, but perhaps she feels like that because she's 14?

Yes, I agree, LF!! We've done the 'sit down and make a list' thing but she goes into panic mode ................. She isn't really a people person and is happy working on her own or in a small group. I've suggested investigating archaeology, museum work etc.

Have you tried online questionnaires like this one www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/careers/

It seems to take responses and gives personality/job suggestions in order of preference. My.job came up under the first heading. Might be worth checking out?

Many thanks, T39. I'll get dd to give it a go.

She is overthinking it to some extent. It is a short work placement; she is not commiting to a life-long career. Even if she was able to come up with her ideal placement, there is no guarantee the organisation will take her, but it will be useful experience regardless of what she does. What about the local library or archive centre, or if you have any museums locally, that might suit. If not, what about a bookshop.

I utterly agree, CP! I've said many times that this isn't a 'career' choice, rather than an opportunity to experience something different. Good ideas there, by the way: I will propose some investigation ................... Many thanks.

For the record, dd is passionate about the theatre, spends all her leisure time either at drama club or reading and watching plays and still couldn't get a work placement at the local theatre because there were so many applicants.

She did a stint with the local archaeology unit instead and found it very interesting and rewarding. In a way, it was almost better for her, because it gave her a chance to see something she otherwise wouldn't have seen. It gave her an insight into what life is like in a commercial firm and the boss came up with tasks for her to do which gave her an inkling of what university work might be like; he had her trawling through local documents.

Bookshops have been good choices for other children with a similar bent: if lucky, she may find a local bookshop a source of holiday work at a later stage.

My DS2 spent his work experience working in our garden and painting our garden bench. He was absolutely rubbish at it (we ended up with a patch of Berrington Blue grass for a bit) but it saved him from the horror of a proper work experience. He hadn't a clue what he wanted to do with his life at that point and quite honestly a work placement would have been a waste of time for all concerned. He's 17 now and has a better understanding of what he likes and doesn't and what he's good at and he's organised a work placement over Easter for himself.

DS1 on the other hand knew he wanted to be a doctor at 14/15 (he's at med school now), so he grabbed the chance to get work experience whenever he could and it was fairly useful.

She sounds a very conscientious sort of person but she shouldn't be worrying about it at all.

How about going to your local court and listening to a few days' proceedings?

More ideas! Thanks, LF. Food for thought ................

Why would a work experience be a waste of time for a teen who doesn't know what they want to do, LF? Surely it is worth while to widen your horizons, meet new people and see what a workplace is like? Why would it have to be a horror?

Is your DD a dog lover too? Could she work at a kennels/rescue centre?

cory - hmm. In theory I agree with you. But having met lots of different types of teens when they're 14/15, I would honestly say some are not ready for work experience of any kind and work experience is certainly not ready for them! No harm in waiting a couple of years is there?

Lots of socially inept 14 year old boys go on to make perfectly well socialied, respectable, competent, colleagues and bosses a few years down the line. If you had met my son at 14, I feel certain I could have convinced you.

Yes, my dd is a real animal-lover but is a very emotional soul and has said that she'd find it very hard to work in an animal-based environment eg vet/rescue centre. I can understand this because I think I'd be very similar!

I agree, LF, that many young teens are still very much finding thier way. Many of my dds friends are deadset on thier career path - doctors, lawyers, psychologists - and this probably adds to the pressure on the 'undecideds'. My dd is pretty 'young' for her age in some ways but I know she'll find her way.

Unless you know someone who works in an interesting place the likelihood is that your DD will do her work placement in a shop or a childcare setting. There are very very few places willing to take on an U16 they don't know. Maybe your DD could speak to adults she knows about their work and see if she can get a placement like that. It might at least help her rule out one career!

Some more interesting workplaces do have a set number of work placements every year. Our local theatre has them, the university has them; the hospital has them; it's not just about who you know. But you do have to be pro-active and write a good letter to them explaining why you want the placement.

I remember my work experience, in a musical instruments stop. All I got from it was the fact that as long as I didn't actually have to sell anything, I'd love working in a shop. Now, in my mid-20s, I still don't know what I want to do.

My point is, it takes a while for some people. Work experience is nothing to worry about. At worst, it'll show your DD what she doesn't want to do.

Look at Inspiring Futures - they have a psychometric profile thing which gave some good suggestions.