If you’re the parent of a college-bound teen who is culturally sensitive or appreciative of different cultures, encourage them to consider a career that will allow them to use their skills within a multicultural setting or on behalf of an ethnically-diverse group of people. This could increase the likelihood that they will end up having a job or career that is professionally and personally fulfilling.
So, which professions should be considered by a young person who knows about and appreciates different cultures? I can think of quite a few and have developed the below list of 18 possible jobs they could have one day. Please be sure to print out the list and share it with your teen soon. (If you don’t currently have a teen living at home, feel free to share this with a relative, family friend, neighbor or another young person who might enjoy reading it.) Hopefully, the list will come in handy as they are deciding which major to select when they are in college.
1. Civil Servant—A staff member of a national, state or local government department or agency that works in such areas as cultural instruction, language training, etc.
2.Community Development Manager—The head of a community-based organization or corporation that aims at improving the quality of living for residents in a certain area through expanded services, development of new homes and businesses, and the completion of other projects.
3.Diplomat—An official who uses various skills to engage in international relations with other countries on behalf of their home country.
4.Diversity or Inclusion Specialist—A professional who develops policies that help create a diverse and equitable environment for employees at a company, cultural institution, or non-profit, or for students, faculty, and staff at a college or university.
5.Event Manager—A person hired to create and present celebrations or programs for companies, cultural institutions, community organizations, etc.
6.Foundation Director—The individual responsible for developing and overseeing the policies and goals, as well as the programs or services offered by, a not-for-profit foundation.
7.Historian—A collector of information, documents, photos, footage, artifacts or other items that help people learn about past events, a particular culture, etc.
8.International Business Director—An executive who oversees or manages a company’s international sales-, manufacturing-, or marketing efforts.
9.Interpreter—A language expert who translates a speech, presentation, interview questions, etc., that are spoken in one language into a different one for an individual or group of people.
10.Journalist—A writer who pens articles for print publications or online media or one who writes and presents stories on news programs.
11.Marketing Director—A business executive who provides oversight for projects aimed at promoting or publicizing a company or nonprofit organization, as well as its products, programs or services.
12.Pastor/Minister—The spiritual leader of a church or the head of a ministry at a church, college, etc.
13.Missionary—Someone who travels to a particular area to teach, provide medical care, participate in building projects, and complete other tasks that are designed to help improve the lives of local residents.
14.Public Relations (PR) Specialist—A communicator who is hired to create a favorable public image for a company, university, nonprofit or individual through the development of press releases, scheduling of media interviews, etc.
15.Social Media Manager—An individual who engages with the public about a company’s products—or a non-profit’s programs or services—via its official social media accounts.
16.Teacher (Middle- or High School)—An educator who is trained to teach specific subjects to young people at a public school, private school, homeschool coop, or via an online platform.
17.Translator—A person hired to translate books or other printed materials from one language into another one.
18.Travel Coordinator—A professional trip planner who sets up activities (e.g., visits to cultural institutions) or excursions (e.g., cultural food tours) for individuals, families, or groups.
There are obviously other jobs that could be great for a person who enjoys learning about cultures and teaching others about them (e.g., college professor, social worker, textbook writer, etc.). But I hope this list will be seen as a good starting point when researching which careers might be most enjoyable for a culturally sensitive teen who is already thinking about what life could look like for them after college. Just encourage them to keep their eyes and hearts open to the wide variety of professional opportunities that exist for them to positively impact different communities, cities and, ultimately, the world in which we live, for years to come.
