As a parent, you want the best for your child, not just academically, but in life. And when it comes to their future career, your guidance matters more than you may think. According to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), teens’ career expectations are strongly influenced by their parents’ input, especially when those conversations start early and happen often.
But let’s be honest: talking to a middle or high school student about their future career isn’t always easy. Maybe they shrug you off with an “I don’t know,” or say they want to be a YouTuber or pro athlete, and you’re not quite sure how to respond. The good news is, you don’t need all the answers, you just need to keep the conversation going.
In this post, we’ll walk through practical, age-appropriate ways to talk to your child about their career goals, while helping them discover who they are and what they want to become.
Middle and high schoolers are still figuring out who they are. Asking them to pick a career right now can feel overwhelming or even unrealistic. Instead, try starting with curiosity.
How do you talk to your child about career goals?
Start by asking open-ended questions about their interests. Normalize exploration, share your own experiences, and encourage them to try new things. Keep the conversation going over time, and focus on skills rather than specific job titles.
Ask open-ended questions like:
The goal is to get them thinking about what lights them up, not to force a decision. Research from the Harvard Graduate School of Education emphasizes the importance of helping teens explore their interests and values, rather than pushing them toward a specific outcome.
By taking a more curious approach, you’re showing your child that career planning is less about pressure and more about discovering who they are.
It’s completely normal for teens to change their minds, and they should. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, today’s average worker will hold about 12 jobs in their lifetime. The idea of choosing one lifelong career path is outdated. What’s more important is building self-awareness, learning transferable skills, and trying different things.
If your child says they want to be a veterinarian one year and an animator the next, don’t panic. Use those shifts as conversation starters. Ask what they like about each idea. What parts of the job appeal to them? Do they like working with animals, being creative, solving problems, or helping people?
Helping your child notice patterns in their interests builds a stronger foundation for future decisions.
One of the most powerful ways to connect with your child about career planning is to share your own experience. Talk about the path you took, what you thought you wanted to do, what changed, and what you’ve learned along the way.
Be honest about the twists and turns. Let them know it’s okay not to have it all figured out right away. This helps remove the pressure and builds trust.
If you had a teacher, mentor, or moment that changed your direction, share that too. It’s a great reminder that career paths are rarely linear, and sometimes the best opportunities are ones you didn’t expect.
You don’t need to wait until college for your child to start gaining experience. Encourage them to get involved now in low-stakes ways:
Exposure leads to insight. According to a study from American Student Assistance, 79% of students said they would have made more informed decisions about their career path if they had earlier access to real-world experiences.
You can even turn everyday conversations into learning moments. If you meet someone with an interesting job, ask them to talk about what they do and how they got there. It helps your child see the wide range of possibilities, and that there’s no single “right” path.
You don’t have to do this alone. There are many tools designed to help kids and teens explore potential careers based on their interests, strengths, and values.
Consider taking a look at a career discovery platform, like Orchard, which provides students access to hundreds of careers to explore and also includes an AI career counselor to help them out. Tools like this can spark conversations and make the process feel more fun and collaborative. You can start a free trial of Orchard here.
Other helpful resources include:
Taking time to explore together shows your child you’re genuinely interested in their future, and that you’re in it with them.
It’s easy to focus on job titles, but that can be limiting. Instead, help your child think in terms of skills.
Ask:
Once you start mapping their interests to skills, you’ll notice how many different jobs could align with who they are. For example, someone who enjoys writing could explore careers in journalism, marketing, content creation, education, or even law.
The World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report” lists skills like problem-solving, creativity, adaptability, and emotional intelligence as some of the most valuable for the jobs of tomorrow. Helping your child build those skills now, no matter the setting, can benefit them in any path they choose.
Career conversations aren’t one-and-done. They evolve as your child grows. What matters is creating an open, judgment-free space to talk about dreams, doubts, and new ideas.
Keep checking in by asking things like:
Even if they don’t have a clear answer, you’re reinforcing that it’s okay to wonder, and that you’ll be there to support them as they figure it out.
You don’t need to have a background in career counseling to guide your child. Just by listening, asking questions, and showing that you care, you’re giving them something powerful: confidence in themselves and a safe place to dream big.
If you ever feel stuck, remind yourself that career conversations are less about telling your child what to do and more about helping them discover who they are.
And that kind of support? It makes all the difference.
Start a free trial of Orchard and unlock tools, videos, and quizzes designed to help students discover career paths that fit their strengths and interests, no pressure, no guesswork.
It’s never too early to start. By middle school, kids are already forming ideas about their strengths and interests. Casual conversations can begin around age 11 or 12 and evolve as your child gets older. High school is a key time to explore more specific paths, especially as they start choosing electives, extracurriculars, or post-graduation plans.
Focus on curiosity, not commitment. Ask open-ended questions like “What classes do you enjoy most?” or “What problems would you like to solve in the world?” Avoid making it about picking a specific job too soon. Emphasize exploring skills, interests, and values instead of locking into one career.
That’s completely normal. Many teens (and adults) don’t have a clear career path in mind. Encourage them to explore different subjects, take on new activities, or try career exploration tools like Orchard’s free trial. These experiences can spark ideas and help them gain confidence in their direction over time.
It’s a good idea to share information about growing industries, but it shouldn’t be the only factor. Your child is more likely to succeed in a field they find meaningful or interesting. You can talk about how different careers align with their skills and still offer long-term opportunities.
Yes! Career exploration platforms like Orchard offer quizzes, real-world videos, and guided tools to help students discover career paths that match their personality, interests, and strengths. It’s a fun, low-pressure way to start important conversations at home.
Sources:
OECD. (2020). Dream Jobs? Teenagers’ Career Aspirations and the Future of Work.
Schwartz, H. L., et al. (2022). Adolescents and the importance of identity in career exploration. Harvard Graduate School of Education.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021). Number of Jobs, Labor Market Experience, and Earnings Growth: Results from a National Longitudinal Survey.
American Student Assistance. (2019). The Value of Career Exploration for Young People.
World Economic Forum. (2023). The Future of Jobs Report 2023.