As a high school counselor, you come into contact with students who have a wide range of skills. That’s a very good thing, but it can also make your job harder. Where do you direct all of this talent and potential? That’s the question.
The answer may reside in sometimes obscure career paths.
In this article, we take a look at how to handle those situations as a high school counselor. Let’s get into it.
First, What is a Non-Traditional Career Path?
The definition is admittedly a little abstract. For example, is law enforcement a non-traditional career path? It’s a staple of the community, obviously, but also a job that appeals to only a small segment of the population. You’ll find that there isn’t necessarily a neat definition. It could just be a job that no one else in the school is paying serious attention to.
Whatever the case, sometimes it might be a form of self-employment—entrepreneurship, freelancing, consulting, etc. Other times, it could be a creative field: writing, painting, film. In still more cases, it could be an emerging industry, like artificial intelligence.
Ultimately, the industry itself is not important. Here’s the salient fact: kids who are coming to you with an interest in an obscure career are probably feeling nervous and uncertain. They’re seeking your guidance with the knowledge that what they want to do is different. There’s a lot of pressure and responsibility in that.
Here’s how you can help them do it well.
Be Open-Minded
It’s first important to avoid, as best as possible, influencing their thoughts on a career path with your assumptions. That doesn’t mean filling them with unrealistically high expectations. We’ll describe in a later heading how you can tactfully express the risks of certain obscure career choices while still being respectful and encouraging.
Right now, we’re simply discussing the way you handle the initial conversation. If someone says that they want to be a musician, the first words out of your mouth don’t need to be, “Well, it’s very difficult to make a living like that.” There may be truth to that sentiment, and it’s probably something they should hear, though rest assured, they have almost surely heard it already.
Your initial responsibility is to hear them out, understand where they are coming from, and advise them as well as you’re able to. There’s room to express concern, but if you do so right out of the gate, it may have a damaging effect on the potential productivity of the conversation. It may also be needlessly discouraging for them.
Point Out Educational Avenues
Once you’ve heard the student out, your next job is to direct them as best you can toward a path that can provide them a way into a career they’re interested in. You’re not making any guarantees about their likelihood of success simply by pointing out that there are excellent music programs or even film schools in the country.
You may even be able to support them further by indicating low-cost options, like online universities or programs that allow the student to gain hands-on experience as they learn the trade. For example, even smaller cities may have shadowing opportunities for film programs that can be a good way in. For aspiring filmmakers who don’t feel ready to transplant themselves out to California, this can be an especially practical step.
If their area of interest is not entirely education-dependent—for example, if they’re interested in starting a business—you may find more success with a mentorship opportunity. Almost certainly, your school has produced successful local entrepreneurs, some of whom may come in for career day programming or other events. Setting up a meeting in a safe, controlled environment is a strong next step for providing support.
The move will always be situation-dependent, of course, but remember that even unconventional jobs often have some kind of credentialing process. If not that, then at least a way for newcomers to cut their teeth before fully entering the field.
A Degree of Caution is Acceptable
If someone comes into your office saying that their ambition is to be a rock star, it is acceptable, even responsible, to articulate the odds. However, you shouldn’t do it only as a form of discouragement. You can also describe adjacent alternatives.
It’s difficult to make a living as a novelist. While you work on it, you could be a journalist, a copywriter, or a freelance writer. It’s difficult to become a rock star. While you work on it, you could teach music or work at a venue.
Yes, there are some jobs that are highly sought after and difficult to get. Most of them do have a more attainable alternative, or at least a traditional job that involves comparable skills. Your role is not to funnel them toward a more traditional career, but simply to help them understand that the skills they have, or are interested in developing, can be monetized in more than one way.
At no point should you discourage them from following their dreams. It’s simply about ensuring they understand all of the options and opportunities available to them.
There’s Nothing to Fear in Non-Traditional Careers
Remember that the job market is constantly changing. You may be continuously surprised by the kinds of ambitions students bring into your office. Remember that your job is not necessarily to fully understand everything, but simply to help them see the path forward.
It’s not always going to be easy, but at the end of the day, it’s an exciting, even privileged, aspect of what you do.
One of the best and biggest things a counselor can do is get the students who come into your room to understand their own potential and feel excitement about their future. It’s an incredibly high calling.
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