By Terese Corey Blanck and Peter Vogt

As a parent, you no doubt want to give your young-adult son/daughter the best career guidance you possibly can. But with all you could - or should - tell your child about career exploration and decision making, how do you figure out what's most important to emphasize?

Not to worry. We've done it for you with these "12 Timeless Truths of Career Satisfaction" for young adults. Share them with your high school or college son/daughter and give him/her the type of career wisdom it usually takes a lifetime to accumulate!

UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF

1. Your No. 1 Priority: "Know Thyself."

It's critical that you know what you like (interests), what you're good at (abilities and skills), and what's important to you (values). Why? Because this knowledge - though imperfect and constantly changing - drives every person's entire career decision-making process. If you don't know who you are, how can you know where you want to go, career-wise? Sooner or later, you'll need to understand yourself - by choice or by necessity.

2. You LEARN Your Interests.

None of us are born with our interests; instead, we learn what we're interested in (and what we're not interested in) over the course of our lives as we try, or stumble upon, new things. So please … try new things and expose yourself to new ideas. The things you're passionate about now once meant absolutely nothing to you; you had to try them or be exposed to them in order to figure out that you enjoy them.

3. Abilities ? (Do Not Equal) Interests.

It's one thing to be good at something; it's another thing entirely to enjoy that something! What if you're good at something but you hate doing it? Don't fall into this common trap. Instead, find things you're both good at and interested in.

4. It's All About You - No One Else.

When all is said and done, you're the one who lives your life. So the career path you choose must - one way or the other, sooner or later - come down to your interests, your skills and abilities, your values, and your goals. Take suggestions and ideas (including mine/ours) under advisement, but remember that you call the final shots.

5. You Don't Know What You Don't Know!

You have natural abilities that come so easily to you that you don't even recognize them as being valuable. You also have little idea of the incredible variety of careers that exist (and will exist in the future) in the world of work. So ask for help from others (including me/us), especially when it comes to identifying your natural abilities and potential career possibilities. There's a very good chance that you don't see something great that is right in front of you.

EXPLORING YOUR CAREER OPTIONS

6. Questions and Skepticism Are Good.

Is your roommate a great source of career information? Probably not. Friends, movies, and television generally aren't good career resources either. So be skeptical where career information is concerned, and be discerning about who and what you "listen" to as you gather career information. Be especially careful about "job outlook" forecasts; forecasts, after all, are predictions, not facts.

7. Experience Isn't Optional - It's Essential.

In the eyes of future employers, your skills and experience will trump the major you pursued in college (in most cases). Getting experience while in school is no longer merely optional for you; it's essential. Internships, co-ops, volunteering, part-time jobs, community service, study abroad, campus organizations, job shadowing … all of these experiential activities will help you a) explore career possibilities, and especially b) get a job after you graduate.

MAKING CAREER DECISIONS

8. Your Career Path Will Be Winding, Not Straight.

Turmoil, stops and starts, twists and turns … all will almost certainly characterize your career path. You won't do anything for "the rest of your life." So take that type of decision-making pressure off of yourself by thinking in terms of what to do first or next instead of what to do "for the rest of my life." Career decisions can be - and almost always are - changed at some point. They are reversible; nothing is permanent.

9. You Aren't the Only One Who's "Undecided" and Confused.

Indecision and fear about career development are normal among young adults. Some 40 percent of all college students change majors at least once, according to some studies, and 25 percent of students change majors more than once. In some ways, being "decided" is overrated - considering that most people will change careers (not just jobs, but entire careers) three to five times, on average, according to most estimates. So remember that you're simply going through a confusing, sometimes overwhelming life stage that practically all young adults go through (whether they admit it to others or not).

TAKING ACTION ON YOUR DECISIONS

10. It's BOTH What You Know and Who You Know!

You've heard the phrase, "It's not what you know, it's who you know." The reality, however, is that it's both what you know and who you know. So work hard to build quality relationships with other people - particularly people working in careers of potential interest to you. But don't forget that your knowledge, skills, and experiences are equally important.

11. Presentation Is As Critical as Preparation.

You can (and probably will) be incredibly prepared for the world of work, academically and even experientially; but if you can't effectively present yourself - in person and on paper - you won't get as far as you'd like to. So build a career portfolio featuring evidence of your key abilities/skills and accomplishments. Develop top-notch resumes and cover letters. Practice telling stories about your experiences so that you can effectively articulate what you have to offer prospective employers.

12. There's No Need for You to "Go It Alone."

Career exploration and decision making - especially in today's complex world - is difficult. It can make your head swim. Fortunately, help is available everywhere in the form of career counselors and coaches, school career centers, mentors and teachers, and a host of other resources (including me/us). Tap into the career expertise that's all around you. There is absolutely no need for you to "go it alone" where your career exploration and decision making are concerned.

-- Terese Corey Blanck and Peter Vogt are career coaches with College to Career, a Minneapolis company that offers personal career coaching geared to the unique needs of high school and college students. To learn more about College to Career, visit the company's web site at www.collegetocareer.net. Or contact Terese Corey Blanck, President, at 763-494-4447 or tblanck@collegetocareer.net.

Copyright © 2003, Terese Corey Blanck and Peter Vogt. All rights reserved.