Dear parents,
Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions in life. The range of professions on offer today is vast - everyone is spoiled for choice. It is important for young people to think about their own abilities at an early stage and to find out about careers with a future.
When it comes to school and career guidance, you, dear parents, are in the overwhelming majority the first point of contact for your children. Your opinion shapes and influences young people. However, don't decide alone which career path you would like your child to take - shape this exciting and certainly not always uncomplicated path into professional life together with your children.
What tips can we give you and the young people for preparing a visit to a career guidance and career choice fair?
Over two days, the Chance fair offers a wide range of opportunities for discussions, contacts and job applications for school and career planning.
- How does your child imagine visiting the fair?
- Familiarize yourself with the fair!
- Take a look at our homepage and get an initial overview of the exhibitors and program.
- Use the various offers on job profiles, study opportunities, internships, arranging appointments, the visitor service on this website and the list of exhibitors or program to make an initial preselection - which exhibitors and/or presentations (for parents and/or young people) would you or your children like to visit?
- Plan enough time for your visit to the fair.
- Create a list of questions. Questions that interest your child can be noted down in advance of the trade fair visit and addressed personally to the exhibitors - it makes it easier to start the conversation and your child will be able to chalk up the information they have gained as their own success.
- Encourage your child to ask questions and try out different exhibitors - trainees and trainers are happy to answer questions from interested young people - the fair makes it possible for young people to "get a taste" of the different areas and sectors during a visit. Let your child get to know different professions.
- In addition to the exhibitors' presentations, the fair offers application portfolio checks, confirmation of participation, applicant training, etc. - motivate young people to take advantage of these offers - this gives them the chance to find out more about their achievements, applications and career options.
... and the following also applies at the fair:
First impressions count. If you want to make a good impression on future bosses, you should pay attention to how you dress and take these tips to heart: be polite and friendly, listen attentively and take notes. Very important: take a break from your cell phone during the interview ....
How can you give your children initial support?
Talk to your children early on, without any immediate pressure to make a decision, and find out together:
- What interests do your children have?
- Do their leisure interests coincide with their career aspirations?
- What skills do they already have or need to develop?
- Have they already gained initial experience in the desired profession through internships or similar?
- Have the young people already tried out various internships or taster days?
- What prerequisites and requirements do the young people have to fulfill, what academic achievements will be necessary?
- Does your child's self-assessment of their own abilities match their school performance and assessments?
- What achievements and skills does your child need in order to achieve the desired career(s)?
- Do they have a specific career aspiration or vague ideas about their professional career?
Find out which school-leaving qualification your child can/would like to aim for and which apprenticeship or course of study will be possible.
What impressions can you and your children take home with you after visiting the fair?
- Gain an (initial) overview of training and study opportunities.
- Familiarize yourself with the variety of educational and professional opportunities for your child - talk about them.
- Compare wishes and reality together with your child - for example, what opportunities exist on the training, study and job market - so that you can support your child at an early stage to prevent them from dropping out of training or studies.
What specific questions should be answered before making a decision about training or studying?
- Is it possible to do an internship prior to the training or are there open days at the company or study institution for an initial "practical test"?
- How long is the training and/or study period?
- Where are the training and/or study locations?
- What will the living situation and working/study hours be like?
- Is there a salary during the training and how much is it or how can the training/studies be financed?
- What are the chances of being taken on or development opportunities?
- Is there a demand for the desired profession on the job market?
