Response to “Career lessons from Gen-Y”

Yesterday, I read an article published in CNN Money: Career lessons from Gen-Y by Ali Velshi. As I went about the rest of my day, I found myself thinking about one of the lessons in particular:

“Consult your elders. Millennials like, lean on, and trust their parents. A lot. Brig. Gen. Lori Reynolds, who handles Marine recruiting, showed me a new poster that targets parents, not their children.”

As a parent, I’m thrilled to think that my children will continue to seek my advice as they leave home and enter their careers. And, it got me thinking about the importance of mentors. While my husband and I both have lots of wisdom to share with our kids, we won’t necessarily have specific guidance if our kids choose careers different from ours. They will need to develop relationships with other elders, not just us, to get the best advice.

What will I tell my kids as they start their careers? While parents often know best, you need to find mentors, value their experience, and listen to their recommendations. Mentors will be critical to your success.

I just hope they listen to me!

–Karen