4-H Career Quest Teen Tip Sheet

Prepare for Career Success with these helpful tips:

1. Believe in yourself. You have many talents and abilities already! You
have the potential to accomplish many things in life. Accept and celebrate
the fact that you are a unique person with much to offer to the world!

2.  Surround yourself with positive people. Form a “peer support network” of friends who accept you for who are and believe that you can succeed. Avoid “haters,” people who make you feel trapped where you are, and people who push solutions that come from a pill, a bottle, or something you smoke.

3.  Know where you want to head….have a plan!

Consider these basic steps:
*** Look at information about yourself and careers of possible interest.
*** Set a career goal that looks interesting to you.
*** Think out a plan of steps you can take to reach that goal.
*** TAKE ACTION! Try to carry out your plan one step at a time.
*** Check up to see if the plan is working for you. If not, make some changes that seem to fit.

4.  Consider the resources “at your fingertips” that can help you prepare:

• career related web sites
• library books
• television shows and news items related to your career interest
• newspaper and magazine articles
• people you know or who live around you who might already have a job in the career field you like
• work sites in the community related to your career interest (don't be afraid to call and see if you can volunteer in some way!)

5.  Make sure you are developing the values and habits which help make you valuable to employers --- it's what they will be looking for!

Honesty
Responsibility
Attention to details
Good attendance
Ability to get along with others
Willingness to use your potential and learn new information and skills

6.  Use your time wisely.

• Be serious about school, especially about the subjects that relate to your future career interest.
• Get involved in clubs or groups that allow you to practice skills or learn things that you will need to know.
• Limit your television and video game time.
• Spend your time with a positive group of friends whom you can count on for support. If you wouldn't be comfortable sharing your career plans with them, then this is not the group for you! Look for people who will give you help and encouragement!
• Look for chances to share time with adults who can give you help and information about your career interests.