I have some very exciting news. My book, Unserious Careers, will be coming out in February 2023. I am building a business alongside it to help young people be less serious and more adventurous with their career.

You can check out my new website and I have joined social media (finally!) so feel free to check that out too (links on the website).

This will be the last episode of Advice About Career Advice for now. I always wanted this show to be a resource that a parent could come to years from now and still find helpful. I may come back to it and add more episodes in the future.

I have a new podcast starting soon called Unserious Careers & Gap Years. Feel free to check it out and recommend to anyone who could benefit from it.

The best email address to contact me on now is: hey@unseriouscareers.com

Thanks so much for listening.

Alana

In this episode I share 2 stories of my parents telling me how proud they are. I discuss what this meant to me and why I want to encourage all parents to share the pride around! I also cover what to do in the not-so-proud moments. And to finish up, I have a chat about how pride can go in reverse: I'm proud of my Mum for dropping the occasional F-bomb after years of a no-swearing household!

Connect with me by emailing hey@unseriouscareers.com

See more of my work at unseriouscareers.com

Stepping into a job or workplace that you would like a future in can be daunting. I cover why the stakes can feel so much higher in your child's first strategic job as opposed to any of their previous jobs. As in the last episode, I discuss the why, when, who, what, where and how so that you can think a few steps ahead of a young person and be prepared for what's coming.

Connect with me by emailing hey@unseriouscareers.com

See more of my work at unseriouscareers.com

It's easy to forget how much we learn in our first job. Employment is a whole new world to explore and the best way for a young person to do that is with the support and encouragement of a parent. In this episode I cover the why, when, who, what, where and how of a young person landing their first paid job. In the next episode I will discuss the experience of a child's first strategic job (if you're not sure on the difference between the two, I cover it at the start of this episode).

Connect with me by emailing hey@unseriouscareers.com

See more of my work at unseriouscareers.com

It's safe to say most parents only want what's best for their child. But when it comes to careers, there are lots of opinions on what's best.

This episode is to remind you that you're not a bad parent because you're child chose an apprenticeship over university. A young person shouldn't have to choose a certain career because they're worried about disappointing their parents. So take your personal feelings out of it and forget what other people might say or think about your child's career.

Connect with me by emailing hey@unseriouscareers.com

See more of my work at unseriouscareers.com

For a kid growing up in the 90s, movies and TV had some of the biggest influence on my ideas about the world. But I had never stopped to think about how these shows and movies shaped my understanding of work. They separated jobs into respected or dead end without me realising it.

In this episode I take a trip down memory lane and explore what I picked up about work from what I watched growing up. And yes, I did want to become lawyer for a time after watching Suits.

I also ask some questions to help you consider the career ideas you and your child might have picked up from movies and TV.

Connect with me by emailing hey@unseriouscareers.com

See more of my work at unseriouscareers.com

Burnout is a well-known health concern and many people will experience it at some point in their work lives. There is another form of it though, that I believe commonly occurs in our 20s that we need to discuss. I am going to refer to this as identity burnout. Listen to this episode to learn what identity burnout is, how it differs from regular burnout and how you can notice the signs and symptoms as a parent. It was my Mum who helped me see that I needed to change something when I was going through identity burnout. You have more insight to offer as a parent than you know!

Connect with me by emailing hey@unseriouscareers.com

See more of my work at unseriouscareers.com

Skillsroad is an Australian organisation that provides the tools for young people to transition successfully from school to their career. Charlene Vaughan is the incredible woman responsible for heading up their programs.

In this episode we discuss:

→ The many career pathways that Charlene has travelled down to get to where she is.

→ How her cultural upbringing influenced her career choices.

→ Her observations around young people not being willing to take risks.

→ The need for schools and parents to pass on the message that a young person simply needs to try different jobs.

→ Working hard and whether we need to re-define what that means.

→ The difference that working in a job you are passionate about can make.

→ The conversations we need to have with employers on how to be 'youth ready'.

To find out more about Skillsroad, visit their website. They have recently released their 2021/22 Employment Survey Report. Download it from their website to find out more about what's going on in the mind of young job-seekers.

Connect with me by emailing hey@unseriouscareers.com

See more of my work at unseriouscareers.com