What is one piece of advice when preparing or mentoring your kids to go to work for their first job? To help parents when mentoring and preparing their kids for their first job, we asked career coaches and experienced parents this question for their best advice. From learning how to accept failure to staying professional, there are several tips that will help guide you in the mentorship and preparation process with your child.
Here are ten ways parents can prepare their kids when
working for their first job:
- Stay
Hungry, Stay Foolish
- Be
Proactive
- Experiment
With Different Roles
- Accept
and Learn From Failure
- Remember
to Have Fun
- Work
Hard and Keep Pushing
- Don’t
Endure the Unendurable
- Ask
Questions and Ask for Feedback
- Stay
Professional
- Observe
Everything
Stay Hungry
It’s essential to teach your kids that their work-life is
not only about earning money. While financial stability is something that we
all strive for, finding an occupation that makes us happy and fulfilled is even
more critical. Whenever I think of the kids just starting their careers, I remind
myself of Steve Jobs’s commencement speech at Stanford University, where he
says: “stay hungry, stay foolish.” This simple phrase shows us that we need to
constantly look for things that inspire us and help us become the best versions
of ourselves. It also implies that you should encourage your kids never to
settle and keep looking for fulfilment in their work life. My advice is to keep
reminding your kids that being successful often means doing things differently
than others and following your own dreams.
Be Proactive
Employers do not like having a team member that needs to be
told what to do and how to do things 24/7. Be proactive and find work to do
even after your tasks are finished. Ask how you can learn more and do more.
This will show employers that you want to be there and want to work hard.
Experiment with Different Roles
You can learn so much from your first few jobs. You can
learn the things you love, the things you don’t love, and what you would want
to see yourself doing in years to come. This is the time to experiment with
duties at work so always be open to learning new things. Some of the best
learning opportunities come from others, be open to learning from those who are
more experienced. This can help fill your future roles with work you love to
do.
Accept & Learn from Failure
Be honest and up front with them. Let them know that it is
okay to fail, but you want them to try their best. If they don’t succeed the
first time, make sure they know how to learn from their mistakes and try again.
Remember to Have Fun
The best piece of advice I could give a kid going to their
first job is to have fun! Work doesn’t have to be a drag, and you should always
work hard, but be sure to have some fun doing it. For a kid entering their
first job, this should be an exciting experience and they should remember to
have fun and do their best.
Work Hard & Keep Pushing
The best piece of advice I would give my kid as they
prepared for their first job, would be to persevere. Jobs are tough and working
long hours takes some time getting used to. I’m a full blown adult and it is
still tough sometimes for me to get used to long days, but you must persevere.
When times get hard, don’t give up. Keep pushing.
Don't Endure the Unendurable
It is important to tell them that, in normal circumstances,
if they work hard and do their part, this will be rewarded with new
opportunities in their career. However, in an age where work has become more
precarious and companies are asking more for less, I always remind them that
they should only endure what is acceptable and healthy for their minds and
bodies. If at some stage they find themselves stuck there is always an
opportunity to go back to grad school or work on new and helpful certificates
and skills. While it is true that he who has a “why” can bear almost any “how”,
they must make sure that this “how” is worth it and not a case of being taken
advantage of.
Ask Questions & Ask for Feedback
As a business owner, I have realized that the best employees
I have ever had are not afraid to ask questions and to ask for feedback on how
they are doing. By asking questions, it shows that they care about getting
tasks done correctly. By asking for feedback it shows that the employee cares
about how they can improve in their job. As a father of two young children, I
realize the day is approaching for them when they obtain their first job. I
certainly plan to advise them to not be afraid to ask questions to their boss
or co-workers and to periodically ask for feedback on their job performance.
Stay Professional
Getting the first job is a big step in any teenager’s life.
Guiding them about their first job is very beneficial as it helps them in
securing their future. My advice for them is that they should act with
professionalism from the first day. In the start, they will get an entry-level
job and thus will have to deal with many people confronting them. They should
act patiently with these difficult people. If someone has an offensive
attitude, deal respectfully with them. Pay no attention to their harsh comments
but if somebody is going out of the line, then report to upper consultants
instead of taking action by yourself.
Observe Everything
The advice I’d offer kids entering the workforce for the first time is to observe everything. The more observant they are, the better they’ll fare. Learning through seeing and doing is the fastest way to get up to speed on what’ll be required of them.