Career Kids

Planning for College? Good News for Southern Californians

If you've got a high schooler beginning the college admissions process and you live in Southern California, you're in luck.

UCLA Extension is offering a FREE college admissions workshop next month. Here's how they describe it:

Find out how to navigate the college admissions process at a FREE workshop sponsored by UCLA Extension. Presented by Dr. Rebecca Joseph, the workshop is designed to give parents the tools and knowledge to help their high school students prepare for the college application and admissions process. The workshop addresses:

• Working effectively with high school counselors
• Extracurricular activities and course choices
• Preparing for standardized tests
• Applying to the right colleges and visiting college campuses
• The college application process itself

The free workshop takes place Monday, April 20, 7-9 p.m., in Dodd Hall Room 147 on the UCLA campus in Los Angeles.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP by April 15 to 310-206-7229 or amarkowi@uclaextension.edu. Include your name, email address and daytime phone number, and number of attendees.

Still Drinking After All These Years

It's a fine-line that needs to be walked when it comes to alcohol. In our household we strongly subscribe to the no-tolerance attitude for underage drinking. It's not OK for our teens to drink under our roof, over our roof, or anybody else's roof. Having said that, we made it very clear that IF they drank, there would be no punishment, yelling, etc., if they called us or a neighbor or the parents of a friend to pick them up. We have a bigger no-tolerance for drinking and driving than we do for just drinking.

How do you not sound hypocritical or tolerant if you say "don't drink, but call us if you do"?

I haven't found the answer to that yet, but that's the way we have handled it.

Now, I know that there have been many parties where the parents not only allowed alcohol, but they purchased the booze! I still shake my head when I think of it. We have a program in our community that helps us with the dilemma of non-thinking parents. It's called the Placer Parent Host Program. The program consists of a public awareness campaign for parents to inform them about the laws. But the power of the program is that parents sign a Responsible Host Pledge guaranteeing that they will not expose youth to alcohol or drugs in their homes, they will not allow parties in their home when they aren't present, they will chaperone the parties and all sorts of other responsible, common sense things. The database of parents who have signed the pledge is on the website so that you can look up the name of the family hosting a party to see if they have signed the pledge.

There's been a lot of buzz, so to speak, about alcohol and lowering the drinking age. Last year, a group of university chancellors and presidents placed their signature on the Amethyst Initiative to open up the debate about this topic. The latest I've heard about is coming out of Minnesota.

Minnesota seems to be a hot spot with this issue. Maybe because it's always so cold over there -- young people drink because there isn't anything much to do outside but freeze? Having said that, I think the young kids here in California are drinking their share, too.

The University of Minnesota is getting ready to have a new policy to protect the students who abuse alcohol and the students who seek help for the drunk kid. Students are often afraid to get help when their drinking buddy passes out because of fear that they will all get into trouble. Students who report and seek medical attention for others will no longer need to be hesitant in an emergency.

Let me know how you handle underage drinking at your home. And do you think the drinking age should be lowered? One thought is to let people learn how to drink before they drive, so lower the drinking age to 16 and raise the driving age to 18. I don't see that happening, but we should be all talking openly about the subject.

Other Web Resources:

Our good friend, Lisa Frederiksen, has tons of information on her site, Breaking the Cycles. Please look at it and also check into her book, If You Loved Me, You'd Stop.

Choose Responsibility is a nonprofit organization that encourages minors to make good decisions, as well as encouraging dialogue about alcohol.

If you are looking for products to help you teach in the classroom check into our Substance Abuse section on the Career Kids' website.

Skilled Trades Jobs

Education Week has an article about how business are having a hard time finding highly-skilled workers, even in this economy with a high unemployment rate. It discusses balancing career training with academics. You may have to register to read the whole article, Career Skills Said to Get Short Shrift

Another article supporting the Education Week's article is from the company RIDGED, which conducted a survey indicating that students don't want jobs in the skilled trades. Students want jobs where they will work with computers. Could there be a connection between what and how material is being taught in school and student's perception of careers?

Financial Literacy and More

We're in a real financial mood around here, with all the stimulus plan talk going on non-stop. If you didn't get our newsletter, you can read our latest article about teaching young people about budgeting.

We saw another article, which relates to common discussion around here, since sending out that last newsletter (which you can easily subscribe to):

Should high school or college students start planning for retirement or save money for homes and paying back student loans? Read Obstacles for Young Investors and the comments section to see how you feel about the topic.

In the article, the parent funds the daughter's IRA. Around our office, we often talk about the desire to start accounts for our children, but is that really what our role as parents is, to fund our children's retirement? Does that encourage irresponsibility or apathy towards planning for the future?

Best Job of 2008

This is a fun clip about Fortune Magazine's Number One Company to work for:

Getting a Lot Out of SWOT*

*A strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture.
-- Wikipedia

To many of us, S.W.O.T. is just a business term. In an analysis of business, we look at each environment and do a SWOT. 

But this same principle should apply in our very own lives. In order to be the best we can be, we should be able to identify all the components of a SWOT.

Begin by asking yourself the following questions:

• What do I do exceptionally well?
• Where are my gifts?
• Do I constantly give my best? 
• In which atmosphere do I shine? 

The same principle applies to your weaknesses, opportunities and threats: 

• When do I hide behind others?
• What opportunities do I have to better myself?
• What stands in my way of success?

Performing a SWOT enables you to elevate your strengths, restructure your weaknesses, advance on your opportunities and crush your threats. 

Over the next few months we will analyze significant steps for success.  These steps are designed to encourage, direct and build the self-esteem of young people.  I encourage you to take the steps with us and build a life long success manual.

STEP 1: SWOT, analyze you!  What are your strengths, your weaknesses, your opportunities and threats.

STEP 2: Build from your strengths.

STEP 3: Face your weaknesses.. Dreams are launched here!

STEP 4: Take advantage of your opportunities

STEP 5: Learn from your threats

Join us as we break down the steps that will launch, design and equip you for success.

Original post for Career Kids blog by Demene Benjamin. Read more of Demene's tips at her personal site,www.demenebenjamin.com

Career exploration during the holidays

During the holidays many companies increase their number of employees.  Companies need these "holiday helpers" to cover the active holiday season; therefore, the jobs are temporary.  What a perfect time to try on a job!!!  If you are in high school or college, or maybe an adult considering a career change, what a great way to experience different work settings without too much commitment.

This exploration may lead to discovery of jobs that you didn't know existed.  You may find that you truly enjoy the work and may seek long-term employment through the company.  Or, you may learn that the job just wasn't the right fit for you.  Great!  Now you know, and without much time or money invested.   

Some companies to consider would be: shipping/receiving groups (i.e. UPS, FedEx), airlines/airports, retail, and restaurant.

You'll find a lot more ideas and resources for holiday job hunters at the CareerKids website, here.

Original post for Career Kids Blog. Barbara Smith is a professional counselor for children in the elementary grades.

Joe the Potato Peeler Salesman

A reader left a comment in an earlier post asking if anybody saw the potato peeler salesman clip on the Today show. Since everything is on the internet (young people please take note), I easily found the segment.

It's a great reminder of lots of things:

- If you enjoy your job, it doesn't feel like "work"
- Don't think you know someone based primarily on their occupation
- The definition of success is different for everybody

Read the article and watch the clip about Joe Ades. You'll enjoy it.

Finish

 

Sometime ago, I was a cross country runner. In my first year of running, I managed to qualify as one of the top five from my high school. I hated standing at the starting line waiting for the gun, but just as the gun went off I went into the zone. Over and over again I said, "finish, just finish."

 

 Over the years, my sister and I have made family plans and created lists of things that had to be finished. Some of the items were so simple: do the laundry, wash the dishes, go shopping. Sometimes I think we made the list long just so we could say we got it all FINISHED.

 

Each January, I sit with my kids and have them write their annual goals, things they would like to accomplish and finish before the end of the year. We review the list each December; talk about what we FINISHED and what needs to be revisited.

 

Last week, the idea of finishing came rushing back to me as I sat and listened to a lady talking about the great accomplishment of crossing off the FINISHED items on her to do list. I laughed when she said she writes things down just to say she FINISHED them.

 

As I analyzed the idea of finishing, I realized that "to finish" something implies that you have completed a cycle. You had to start something in order to finish it. Mike Spraklin's philosophy of rowing says that the finish is the aspect of “sending the boat away.” It is actually here that the feet are pushing the boat away while the arms are working with the body and oars are leaving the water. Wow, what a wonderful picture of the entire cycle. 

 

To take the analogy out of the world of sports and to apply it to everyday life would mean that you have to first believe, work your belief, and then finish!  

Will you chose to be a finisher?

 

 

Original Blog written by Demene Benjamin for CareerKids.com

To learn more about the author, please visit www.demenebenjamin.com.

How will the Financial Crisis Affect Students?

As I write this, the Dow Jones is down almost 500 points and below 10,000. No one really knows from one day to the next how the markets are going to react and how long the difficult economy will be with us and how low it will go.

If you want tips on how to speak with young children about financial matters, here is a good article with expert advice on how to be honest without frightening children.

I have kids aged 13, 19 and almost 21. These are the questions I have relating to them:

Will they be able to get student loans to finish college?
Will they be able to keep/find jobs during the school year and summer?
What advice should I be giving them with their long-range career planning?

For my first question, I was reassured when I found that congress passed the Ensuring Student Access to Student Loans Act of 2008 one more year, assuring loans through the 2009-2010 school year. For more information about student loans, go to the America's Student Loan Providers website.

My next question is will my daughter be able to keep her part-time job that she depends on? Will my son be able to find a job when he comes home from school? This past summer was a rude awakening for him because it was not as easy as in the past. Will it be harder? I know knocking-on-doors and networking are still the best ways to find jobs for youth, but don't forget common websites like craigslist and groovejob.com

Young job hunters will not be able to be as picky as they may have been in the past. In my area, many fast-food locations were begging people to apply. I don't notice that anymore. Your geographic area will determine just how difficult the job market will be, but I plan on encouraging my kids to pay attention to any help wanted signs just in case they get laid off, remind them of the skills employers are looking for, including just being on time, and encourage them to consider internships to gain additional marketable job skills. The best place for them to learn about internships is either through their school, such as the department for their major.

Should people make adjustments with their long-range career advice? I think students should still be encouraged to follow their heart, albeit with a little practical sense. You have to enjoy what you do for a living. Period. But, students need to be aware of the related and connected careers available to them in the field they are interested in. Whether they want to be a lawyer, own a restaurant, be a stock broker, a dancer -- all of these careers have related careers that most young people don't think about and may in fact be better options.

Do you have students who are confused or anxious? Are you adjusting your advice? Please tell us what you think. A lot of people are confused right now. We should all be talking right now.