4 Ways to Fight Back When Family Questions Your Career Choices

With the holidays around the corner, dinner table conversations about work are bound to come up. It’s common to feel anxiety at the thought of explaining what you do for a living to a skeptical audience, especially when your job title can’t be summed up simply or straightforwardly. Don’t panic yet. It may seem difficult to get Aunt Sue to understand what the heck a Digital Strategist is or to convince Dad that you’re able to support yourself just fine thank you, but it’s not impossible. Use these strategies to navigate tricky, sometimes triggering career conversations this holiday season. 1. Start with Questions It’s drilled into us that the best way to get others to understand what we do is by wrapping it up in a quick, 30-second elevator speech. While your carefully crafted pitch impresses prospective employers, it may only confuse and alienate your loved ones. Instead, gauge where your loved ones stand with understanding your career rather than immediately launching into explanation mode. Start with a broad, simple question such as “How familiar are you with [insert your profession]?” or “What do you know about [finance, sports marketing, etc]?” By taking the lead, you have more control to steer the conversation in a positive direction. Think of it like a mini-market research challenge. It gives you the chance to unearth misconceptions they may have about what you do so you can correct them in conversation. 2. Focus on Framing What might seem com...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Anger Bullying College Family General Happiness Holiday Coping Industrial and Workplace Mental Health and Wellness Money and Financial Professional Relationships Self-Help Career Choices Criticism Defensiveness Family Gathe Source Type: blogs