Want to Work with Teenagers? Here Are Some Ideas

There are many ways in which adults can work with teenagers. Employment as a teacher, counselor, or mentor may be among the most obvious, but quite a few other methods exist. For example, if you are a journalist or blogger, you can tailor much of your work to topics that impact teenagers and that interest them.

Similarly, a job with a marketing company may engage you, with the bulk of your work going toward persuading teenagers to buy certain products or services. It’s worth taking a few minutes to review a few jobs often overlooked when it comes to connecting with teenagers.

image:pixabay.com

1. Marketer

Teens have many wants and desires. Their interests include, but are in no way limited to, makeup, fashion, technology, and friends. Tons of companies serve each category as well as many other categories. Get a marketing or communication degree from a school such as USC, and you learn how to use strategies such as developing a good team, setting goals, and pinpointing your audience to better sell your message to teens.

2. Librarian

Whether you work as a school librarian or as a librarian in a public branch library, you have the opportunity to shape the lives of countless teenagers. For example, you can develop classes and workshops that address teens’ pain points or needs. You can order books and ebooks that appeal to them. You can also create community mentorship programs, volunteer projects, and the like. You can also set up modules for parents of teenagers; click here for more information.

3. Foster Parent

Many adults would prefer to take in babies and young children. However, there is a great need for teenagers. They should have families and structure as much as anyone else, and the experience of fostering a teen can be extremely challenging. Extremely rewarding, too. Coupon books, surprises, and family involvement are three ways to show teens that you care.

4. Blogger
Perhaps you are the parent of a teen, or you foresee some kind of business opportunity through blogging that is targeted toward teens. Maybe you have to blog as part of your job description (see librarian above!).

Whatever the case, blogging does represent a potentially fruitful opportunity for connecting with teens. You can go general, with practically any topic up for grabs. Or you may prefer to keep the scope of your blog relatively narrow, for example, focusing on how teen girls can keep themselves safe or on strategies for young people as they apply to college or decide what to do with their lives.

5. Business Owner

You can start a business that will have teens as its main customer segment. A driver education school and a clothing store are two options; another is working as a personal trainer for top-line high school athletes. You have many interests and business ideas, no doubt. See how they can be adjusted so that they help teens.

Working with teens can include a staggering number of opportunities. You need not limit yourself to being a teacher or counselor. Go into marketing, entrepreneurship, blogging, or foster parenting, to name just a few possibilities.