The workplace might seem like a far-off idea for your teenager right now, but it won’t be long before they have to start thinking seriously about where they want to spend a good chunk of their lives and what they want to do for a living – and that can be a daunting prospect when they realize. 

As a parent, you need to be there to help prepare your teen for the world of work, and that job can take a few different forms. With that in mind, here are some things you can do to help.

Encourage Self-Exploration

The issue is that young people have to pick a career quite early on, before they’re really fully formed or know what it is they want to do with their lives. That can lead to a lot of disruption and unhappiness, and it can even put them off working altogether. 

Although there might still be some changes in career as the years go by, one of the best things you can do to help your teenager is to ensure they really think about what’s going to make them happiest and explore their own preferences and likes as much as possible. True, you might want them to take one route, but pushing them in that direction when they want to do something else is never helpful. However, by allowing them to really understand what it is they want, you can be sure they’ll be happier with their first job, and they’ll be in a better position to learn and grow. 

Look At Practicalities 

Because your teenager is young and won’t have experienced much in their lives just yet, they’re not necessarily going to be aware of all the practicalities that come with getting a job.  That’s something else you can help with to ensure they’re as prepared as possible for their new way of working and living. 

Look at the jobs they’re considering applying for and go through all the things that have to be thought of to ensure it’s a good fit. The job itself is always going to be your teen’s choice, but what about transport? How will they get to work? How much will it cost? 

What kind of flexibility is there? How many vacation days will they get? What’s expected in return for the salary? Where is the job located – is it one of the top 25 best cities for Gen Z workers, according to Checkr? These – and more – are all things that your teen may not have thought of, but that will make it clearer whether applying for a particular job is a good idea or whether it would cause more problems than it solves. 

Give Them A Good Work Ethic

If you want your teen to be ready for the world of work, something else you can do (and that really should be done from as early an age as possible) is to help them develop a good work ethic. If they know about hard work and how rewarding it can be, they’ll be less shocked when they have to get started and more likely to succeed. 
Some ways to instill a good work ethic in your kids is to give them chores to do around the house, for example, and to ensure they always do their homework before they get any screen time. Extra-curricular activities can also be a great way to help, as not only will they learn more, but they’ll have to juggle various important responsibilities at the same time.