Free Resources to Support Your Teen’s Career

As a parent, you can feel uneasy about how fast the world of work is changing and whether your teen will find their place in it. You might worry if they’ll have the right skills or enough confidence to pick a direction that makes sense for them. 

We all want our teens to step out into the real world, knowing what’s possible and feeling sure of themselves. Sometimes, they need a little push or reassurance to see how their interests can turn into real jobs.

The good thing is, there are plenty of paths they can start with to make a good living—you just need the right resources that give career advice for students. If you also want to guide your kids about the big work world out there without breaking the bank, fret not. I’ve shortlisted the best free resources to support your teen’s career that’ll help them take the next step forward. 

Take help from them, and don’t let your child go out there with no guidance! 

Free Resources to Support Your Teen’s Career You Cannot Miss 

After one scrolling session on LinkedIn, you’ll realize how tough the job market is out there. Fresh graduates cannot land their first jobs, and experienced professionals cannot make progress—there is another level of frustration out there. All this leaves parents worried who want their kids to have clarity regarding what they want to do and how they want to approach it. 

That’s when you need some credible, free resources to support your teen’s career who don’t want to feel lost after graduating. 

Here are some resources with plenty of career advice for teens you can explore and share with young adults who want to make smarter choices right out of school:

BigFuture by The College Board

BigFuture is a user-friendly hub that mixes college planning with career exploration. It goes beyond basic school listings by providing a searchable database of degrees, scholarships, and future job paths. Teens can use this portal to identify colleges that suit them, and it also features career profiles that explain what certain professionals do all day and how to get there.

This is great career guidance for teens who are unsure if a four-year route is the right move. The site’s step-by-step approach makes it easy to compare different tracks and see what qualifications or skills matter most. 

Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

The Occupational Outlook Handbook is one of the most trustworthy free resources to support your teen’s career, as it gives clear details on different professions. There, you can find reliable statistics on standard pay for a job, job growth, and what kind of education each role may require. This handbook is helpful for both parents and teens to skim through. Students can learn about a certain job’s responsibilities, the demand for specific roles, and possible career paths within their fields of interest. 

MyNextMove (by O*NET)

MyNextMove is a valuable platform for teenagers who don’t know where to begin. This teen career exploration resource starts with an interest profiler, which matches a person’s individual likes and dislikes to relevant career fields. That way, a student can narrow down roles that align with these strengths. It gives free career advice for young adults, is user-friendly, and is backed by official labor data, so the information is updated and reliable. Once your teen finishes the survey, they’ll get a list of possible jobs they can venture into. 

CareerOneStop (US Department of Labor)

CareerOneStop brings together multiple key resources to help young people make smarter decisions about their working lives. Here, teens can explore training programs, learn about the average wages of their preferred career paths, and figure out which qualifications matter most for a path they want to join.

So, instead of flipping between numerous websites, they’ll find resume tips, interview pointers, and career exploration tools in one spot. This platform simplifies career guidance for teens and helps parents guide conversations about each field’s outlook so their teens pick something that suits their interests and market demand. 

Khan Academy

We all know Khan Academy mostly for academic courses, but it offers more than math and science help. You can find test prep for SAT and ACT there, along with specialized lessons in subjects like computer programming, economics, etc. Such abundant learning opportunities help teens explore topics and future job trends for teens they may not have considered before and see if they want to learn more about them. 

Coursera (Audit Mode)

Coursera partners with top universities and organizations to offer a massive range of courses. Under its Audit Mode, teens can study many topics for free and explore fields they might be curious about. Coursera’s learning resources in fields like psychology, computer science, or business are structured so students can watch lectures and complete basic quizzes without paying. Spending some time there helps teens get a sense of what different majors or careers might feel like before committing time and money to a college.

CareerVillage

CareerVillage is a Q&A platform where professionals volunteer their time to answer questions from students about certain industries, job roles, or skills. It’s like a place where a teen interested in engineering can ask a real engineer what the day-to-day work looks like or which extracurriculars are most helpful in high school. And they get the answers! It’s an immediate connection to real-world advice from those who have walked a path your child is inclined towards. If you need free career resources that speak directly to everyday concerns, this platform is worth a look. 

LinkedIn 

LinkedIn may sound too grown-up to you, but it can be helpful for teens when used wisely. Teens can follow industry leaders, learn about trends, and see what skills employers look for. They can also research different roles within a company by analyzing profiles of people who already work there.

This level of access can offer career guidance for teens who are confused about how a major translates into a job title. If you’re unsure how social networking might impact your teen, you can guide them on privacy settings and responsibility. Learning how to set up a professional profile, requesting informational interviews, and keeping track of relevant posts can give teens a head start. While it’s not entirely youth-focused, LinkedIn still offers a window into real-world opportunities and a platform to begin forming professional habits early.

Moving Forward with Confidence

You’ve already made a brilliant move by seeking out free resources to support your teen’s career. This initiative puts your young adult a step ahead because they’re gaining the confidence and knowledge that many students only find after stumbling around in the job market. As you continue guiding them, remind them that every skill they acquire and each resource they explore adds to their advantage. Your consistent support and a proactive mindset will make sure your teen is well on their way to thriving in the real world.

Suggested Reads:

• How to Be a Working Mom
• How to Adjust to Life as an Empty Nester
• Family Vision Board

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