Careers advice for young people needs a rename and a rebrand.
Leaving education for employment is one of the hardest steps a young person will take. Although a life milestone that every working adult will have taken, the processes, policies and practices are constantly changing.
It’s controversial but we are asking that for the baby boomer generation, unless you regularly hire and train young people – should you really be offering careers advice? The psychometric tests, the video interviews, the power of social media in every job application – a lot has changed in the last 10 years alone. Now we know many schools out there ask for parents and local businesses to pop in and offer careers advice but we believe this could yield greater results if re-branded.
More damage than good
Regularly taking part in career insight days at schools and colleges, we have overheard one too many times “oh don’t take that subject – it’s not very well respected” , “If you take that now and want to be a something else in the future it will come across as a back up plan” “if you don’t go to a top university is it even worth going?”
This needs to stop. These are the opinions of time gone by. Failing to realise the advice is outdated and not representative but it’s also having huge impressions on the young people hungry to learn what the future holds.
Now we aren’t suggesting that our parents generation can’t discuss their roles, their experiences and the lessons they learnt. But it should be marked as experience sharing and not advice. Advice is tailored – individual and often positive and high impact once rapports are established.
Where experience adds even greater value is if it’s recent.
Here at HireHigher we are advocating the young people to sign up and share their story. They have the role next on their life career ladder. Whether that be at university, on an apprenticeship or in the working world – they are best poised to tell students exactly how it is.
Young people of Surrey: Tell your story, give the answers to the questions you knew you had and who knows you could inspire those who will fill your shoes as you step up!
