Emerging Adult-Children Research

"The boomerang generation brings many challenges back to the surface for both parents and adult children to figure out. Since many of these issues may have been building tension for years it makes no sense to argue and fuss about it again, instead treat this very important career discussion with your son or daughter like you would with an important business decision-just the facts.

Set an appointment to sit down with a legal pad to sort through the answers to the following questions together.

When were you first interested in this career field and why did you pick this area to specialize in?
What is it about this career that you are most excited or passionate about?
When can you move into this career field and what certifications or degrees will you need to start?
Who do you know that has done well in this field and have you sought their advice to guide you?
Explain the details of how you will move from having career aspirations into developing career achievements?

This question brings up the details of their plan, including timing, costs, benefits, values, educational requirements and such, so there is the potential for some emotions to rise as each person sorts through the issues. Keep in mind that the primary goal is to come to a decision to best guide this young person toward early career success, so it may be wise to take a short break, or schedule another meeting to allow some of the information to be addressed when emotions have calmed down. Wisely guiding a young adult through this process is a challenge, however, it may solve years of wasted time in the wrong career field just to prove a point."