The document features various professionals sharing their experiences regarding career advice they received from their parents during their youth. While some were encouraged to pursue specific fields, others found their paths independently, leading to diverse careers ranging from nursing to entrepreneurship. The narratives highlight the impact of parental guidance on career decisions and personal fulfillment in professional life.

1. IN YOUR YOUTH, WHAT PROFESSION DID YOUR PARENTS ADVISE YOU TO PURSUE?

2. Meet Coach Monique!
Monique A. Betty is president and founder of CareerSYNC, an executive coaching firm that specializes in coaching professionals interested in improving their leadership skills, desire to reinvent their career, or are ready to jump-start a mid-career job search. Her daily mission is to create remarkable client experiences through results driven engagement.
Coach Monique is a Certified Career Coach and has earned her Master of Business Administration degree, on a Consortium Fellowship, from the University of Michigan and Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University. Throughout her 20-year corporate career she was identified as a high- potential leader with demonstrated success at The Coca-Cola Company, Eli Lilly &Company, Abbott Laboratories and Eastman Kodak Company.

3. I was always trying to figure out science and I was good in mathematics so my parents wanted me to go into engineering. Today I am a Software Engineer. I loved Electrical Engineering too. I have a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Regina G.
Software Engineer

4. At birth my father decided I should be a nurse, all my aptitude tests in school indicated either nursing or social work and now some 60 years later I am still nursing. Somethings were meant to be.
Nancy L.
RN Lead Instrument Processing

5. This topic caught my attention because my parents never advised any of my siblings or I to be anything. Maybe it was a different time back then. I didn't let that stop me though. I went to college got a degree and learned much along the way.
Pamela W.
Home Health Care & Care Management Consultant

6. Growing up in a musical family, I was always encouraged to pursue and study music. I ended up getting a music degree and have wrestled with whether or not that was the best idea.
The student debt and slim job field in music can be discouraging.
Stephanie T.
Administrative Coordinator

7. Parents had no interest. My school counselor said I should be a forest ranger because I had a high aptitude in math and geometry. Back then girls were discouraged from engineering, so my counselor said forest ranger. That makes sense?
Mary M.
CAP-OM IAAP Certified Administrative Assistant

8. I grew up just outside Detroit. My parents encouraged me to get a job at General Motors right after high school graduation and I would be set for life. I did as they suggested and shortly after getting hired realized that I liked business and if I was going to get ahead I needed a college education.
It took me until I was 41 yrs old, but I succeeded in getting my MBA from Michigan State.
Sue K.
Experienced Employee Benefits Manager and Consultant

9. I was told to learn how to type, take the Civil Service Exam and get a government job. I did that but I always wanted to be a public Speaker/Preacher and now that's what I do. I did work for the government for a short time, and most of my work has been Administrative, where I had the opportunity to use my gift to speak by teaching life skills, and training men to be mentors.
W. Nikki P.
Public Speaker, Preacher, Mentor Recruiter/Trainer
Photo by sparetomato, flickr.

10. My parents wanted me to work for the government. I took some sort of initial survey, but did not pursue it. If I had, I could be retired! Instead, I went with a small business and loved it. Long story short, was laid off after 40 years.
Jacinta P.
Designer and Gallery Manager

11. Something that "made a lot of money", i.e., business. I did what I was advised, and felt like a failure doing jobs that didn't suit me at all. By age 30, I ended up getting my Masters in Social Work and began my career as a Psychotherapist and coach, doing exactly what I love.
Tamara J .
Love and Relationship Expert

12. My parents told me I could do whatever I wanted...but I should never be a teacher!
My dad was an art teacher and told me to do anything but that! Guess what I ended up doing..I was an elementary classroom teacher for many years.
Now I use my teaching experience to tutor and coach. Wouldn't have it any other way.
Wendi C.
Certified Life Breakthrough Coach and Tutor

13. My parents never pushed me. Thank goodness they didn't. I have re- trained twice since I was a teenager. Some people have a vocation early on in life and are passionate for a lifetime. I have re-trained as I have evolved as an individual and have had an extremely satisfying working life. I'm still now doing what I love and have no intention of retiring.
Vivien M.
Creativity Developer

14. My parents really wanted me to be a physician like my grandfather. My father had started to be a doctor and switched over to business but wanted another doctor in the worst way. I ended up a medical technologist then Entrepeneur with my own company for 16 years.
Cynthia S.
Human Resources Director

15. Growing up in a family oriented in the Medical field, I was encouraged to follow this direction but in whatever specialty my heart was leaning on. I chose to study skin, intrigued by my own skin issues.
Eleni P.
Board Certified Esthetician-Author

16. My parents never advised me on anything career-wise. At 18, they thought that I was the best one to know. I mentioned psychology to an uncle who said it was for crazy people. So I gave up on it and went for business as a challenge for the kind of personality I had.
Isabelle F.
Life - Business - ADHD Coach

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The Women of Connect: Professional Women’s Network on LinkedIn share their experience about career advise from their parents/caregivers during their youth.