Associate Professor Berke Kırıkkanat, noting that Turkish youth consider the socio-economic conditions of the country when planning their careers and prefer fields with high employment rates, stated, "Families should not try to fulfill the desires and aspirations they could not achieve in their own career lives through their children. Instead of directing them to a specific area, they should allow their children to act autonomously – to make their own decisions. It is important to give the young person the chance to get excited about their dreams." Associate Professor Kırıkkanat also mentioned that in addition to analytical and creative intelligence, emotional intelligence skills are crucial for career success.
Faculty member of the Department of Psychology at Yeditepe University Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Associate Professor Berke Kırıkkanat provided information on what Turkish youth prioritize and should consider in their career planning. He pointed out that young people place fields where they can find jobs quickly at the top of their university preference lists, choosing health and welfare; engineering, manufacturing, and construction; education; information and communication technologies; and business, management, and law undergraduate fields according to TURKSTAT data. "Technological tools and artificial intelligence accelerate the career exploration process for youth. However, the influence of social media, family expectations, and personal preferences can complicate their decision-making processes," said Kırıkkanat. He emphasized that according to the 2024 Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) Placement Results, one in four youth was placed in their first choice, noting, "This is merely data obtained based on the YKS preference ranking. A more comprehensive study is needed to determine if they have secured education in their targeted field."
The Importance of Developing Emotional Intelligence
"Career structuring is a lifelong process," said Associate Professor Berke Kırıkkanat, continuing: "From an individual perspective, a youth's career goals are shaped by their innate learning potential, areas of interest, skills where they experience success, family life, and the socio-economic conditions of our country. The career fields they discover play a significant role in clarifying their career goals. For example, imitation games played during the play age make discovering interest in various professional fields possible. During school age, areas where they feel their skills lead to success guide them in which professional field they will feel happy, satisfied, and competent. Here, the observational and guiding power of the kindergarten teacher, classroom teacher, and school psychological counselor plays a significant role. In secondary education, the capacity for abstract and hypothetical thinking and the ability to engage in critical inquiry and use digital tools to explore topics of interest, research, and generate new ideas are important steps in structuring their career lives. A young person's exploration of professional values is valuable to their career journey. Particularly in recent years, the importance of skills related to analytical and creative intelligence and emotional intelligence has been frequently emphasized, showing that developing these skills is crucial in reaching their career goals."
"Don't Say, 'I Couldn't Be, Let My Child Be'
Associate Professor Kırıkkanat highlighted that during their children's career exploration process, families should focus on their developmental characteristics, interests, skills, and abilities. "Families should not try to fulfill the desires and aspirations they could not achieve in their own career lives through their children, nor should they direct them to a specific area. Instead, they should allow their children to act autonomously, make their own decisions, and embrace a supportive role by accepting them as they are. They should avoid making social comparisons with themselves or other family members, and they should consider that every child has a unique developmental pace and that their career journey is unique. The child's school psychological counselor and teacher should communicate in a collaborative approach and interact mutually during the exploration of professional fields."
What Can School Management Do?
Associate Professor Kırıkkanat shared insights on how school management can assist youth in their career journeys: "School management should act with the observational and guiding power of the school psychological counselor and adopt a collaborative approach with the family. The school psychological counselor should comprehensively compile data on the youth's career development from kindergarten to the last year of high school, examining the youth and family members. Especially in career counseling, using measurement tools, interviews with the family and youth, and integrating past data can help create a roadmap for the youth. It is important to give the young person the chance to get excited about their dreams."