Anti-Career Planning Article

Today, the Post-Gazette ran a Washington Post article that slams career planning for kids. The author's argument is that kids should have a chance to explore, not get stressed out about having the right internship or identifying the perfect job. "Young people should be allowed to explore their interests for the sake of exploring their interests, not to get a head start in the working world. Teens should be able to choose paid jobs and volunteer work fairly casually, not for the impact these activities will have on their resumes. Yes, the working world is competitive these days, but that doesn't mean people benefit much if they start worrying about resumes and internships at 12 instead of 18." Ms. Slayter isn't describing career planning. Well... at least not GOOD career planning. She's describing "tracking." Here's the part of the article that really irritated me: "The truth is, most of us these days change our majors several times in college, change careers several times in our 20s, and change careers a few more times before we retire. It's completely routine for people to hit age 40, 50 or 60 and still not have found their professional niche, or to be in pursuit of a new one. No amount of planning and premature decision-making when you're still picking candy out of your braces can circumvent this process of self-discovery." Slayter is right. We will change careers. But this process isn't easy breezy for all Americans. For some, it's a very difficult and expensive process. This is why we need to build skills that allow people to grow in their careers throughout their life.