When it comes to your career, be careful about taking your parents advice

The first place most college students go for career advice is their parents; not their career services center. Parents want what is best for their children. Like any advice, they will give it from their own perspective and experiences.

My parents were Baby Boomers. When they were coming up in the working world, it was not uncommon to stay at the same job for 30 to 40 years. Pension plans, annual raises, and health benefits were standard. Company loyalty was at an all-time high. Corporations took care of their workers. Retire after putting in your time and sit back into your golden years was the standard.

Parental advice aligned to the trends Boomers experienced. I remember going to my parents for advice on careers in college. I was excited to tell them about the prospects. "Find your passion Josh,""find a company that will take care of you," "make sure they have good benefits," or "can you see yourself there for a long time?" This was the advice from a Baby Boomer generation who had experienced some of the best years of productivity and wage increases. Corporate loyalty kept them in their jobs for a long time. There was a perspective that if you put your head down and did your time, the company would take care of you.

Does all of this still hold true?

To some respects, yes. But for the most part, no.

Millennials and GenZ's embarking into the workforce are expected to change jobs eight to ten times in their working life, according to a Gallup poll. Pension plans are nearly non-existent for the private sector. The public sector is following this trend. Retirement plans are left up to the employee to fund. Social security may run out by the time many millennials and GenZs retire. Many corporations put the needs of the shareholders before the employee. Wages have only increased by 11% since 1980 while productivity has increased over 70%. Health benefits are expensive for employers leaving burdensome costs to the employee. Not to mention the student loan crisis. Average student loan debt is around $31,000 in 2019.

We can't forget that millennials and GenZs are postponing many of life's milestones such as marriage, kids, and a mortgage. This could be a result of career trends and debt. If you are entering the workforce, ask yourself the following if your parents are not:

• "What type of learning opportunities exist at the organization?"

• "Do they value outside perspectives and points of views?"

• "Have you done a thorough search of the company reviews?"

• "What does upward mobility look like?"

• "What is the 401k plan and do they match?

• "What are the demographics of the organization?"

The labor market is much different now than what our parents entered.

The advice our parents would have given us would be much different. I'm not saying do not listen to your parents when it comes to a job. You should. However, take their advice and use bits and pieces of it. Advice is relative to experience. If you are entering the workforce, try out different careers and industries in your twenties. Find a niche that best suits you and specialize in it. Do not be afraid to reinvent yourself every five to ten years. Use each career experience as a series that builds on each other over time.

Be careful about who you receive advice from. Even if it is the ones closest to you. Find mentors who have gone down a similar path and who are closer in age/experience/industry. Study the Future of Work and follow your own path.