My now 9th grader is working on figuring out what he wants to do when he “grows up.” Maybe I’ll even figure that out for myself one day…lol. Is there some quick tool that you know of to help narrow down the ginormous jobs list out there, and then correlate it to colleges that can help on that specific path? For example, my son is very talented in art, but thinks he wants to go into engineering, possibly to design cars. I know it’s lofty, and don’t want to discourage him, but maybe there’s some really specialized area in the auto design process that he can get super-proficient at, and get to do what he likes? Am I being clear? Thanks, Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,

You’ve just asked the ultimate question that every person I know is searching for the answer to. Unfortunately, I’m still looking for the answer to the question myself, so if you figure it out before I do, please let me know!

Seriously though, there are several resources that can help narrow the field of options for your son. Aptitude and personality tests can be an asset in helping determine your son’s natural gifts, abilities, and personality type, which can make career decisions easier. Two of the most popular are the Johnson O’Connor and Myers Briggs. Another one I recently took and was very impressed with is Personality Test. These are a good starting point, but should not be considered the “end all, be all.” Determination, persistence, tenacity, and even a little luck can all play a role in his future career options.

I wrote a blog post on a similar topic titled “Is Your Kid a Homeschool Millionaire?” a while back. It dealt with the subject of business, creativity, and finding your passion in life. You might want to read that and watch the corresponding videos for some other ideas for your son, and maybe you too!

I’m currently working on a piece that deals with the philosophy of education and the differences between the technical/business school mentality and the liberal arts/lifetime learning philosophy. Although I don’t expect it to answer the question, it may help others to grasp the differences and use both to their advantage.

If anyone has other suggestions for Jennifer, please leave a comment. This is a great topic and the more interaction we have on it, the better.

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