from the Career Development Center

Navigating Career Conversations with Friends and Loved Ones

Some helpful suggestions for navigating those awkward and sometimes difficult conversations with those we love when they ask, “What are you planning on doing?”

• Discussing your career plans can sometimes be difficult to navigate. Strive to keep the lines of communication open. Remember communication involves both talking and listening. Don’t forget to listen to what others may share and if they don’t already, request they do the same.
• Plan for what you want to say. Think about what others may say and ask. Be ready to answer questions and don’t be surprised if others’ questions are the same as your own.
• If undecided, share the steps you are taking to resolve your indecision. Hearing that you are meeting with a career advisor, taking a career exploration course, or actively exploring career options by researching or job shadowing can be very reassuring to others.
• If you’ve decided, share the steps you took to reach this decision and outline your future career planning and preparation strategies. Supplement this conversation with any materials or resources you’ve collected. Remember to be specific and present fact-based information such as starting salary, market projections for this career, etc.
• Discuss what you’ve learned about the steps of the Career Exploration Process. The more you learn about yourself the better prepared you are to explore options and to build experience.