Guide · Parents of children aged 11 to 22
How to help your child choose a career (without pushing them)
Practical steps for parents: find what your child is naturally good at, test it in real life, and plan the skills they need.
By the Apex Strengths Team · Updated 17 October 2026
Most parents want the same thing: a child who ends up in work they are good at and enjoy. The difficulty is that children often do not know what they are good at, and parents see them through their own hopes. A simple, structured approach helps.
Step 1: Find their natural strengths
Notice what they do without being asked: organising friends, fixing things, explaining, drawing, arguing a point, looking after others. A strengths test makes this more objective. Apex Strengths names your child's core strength in plain words, such as Analyst, Systems Builder, Persuader or Developer, and shows the evidence behind it.
Step 2: Check interest and energy
Talent is not enough. Ask which activities leave them energised and which drain them. The full Apex report has a section on energy and stress for exactly this reason.
Step 3: Try it in real life
- Short courses, school clubs and competitions linked to their strengths.
- A day spent with someone in a field that fits them.
- Small projects: building, writing, selling, teaching, coding.
Step 4: Plan the knowledge and skills
Knowledge and skills can be learned. The Apex development plan lists, for each suggested role, the knowledge the best people in that field have, the skills to practise, and books and courses to start with.
What to avoid
- Choosing only by today's salaries. Fields change; strengths last.
- Fingerprint-based "DMIT" tests. Fingerprints do not predict talent, and there is no scientific evidence that they do.
- Deciding for them. Use the report to start a conversation, not end one.
Cost
The test and your core strength with top 5 strengths are free. The full personal report is a one-time payment: ₹699 including GST in India, or US$19 plus local tax elsewhere (launch prices). There is a 7-day money-back guarantee.
Common questions
How can I find out what my child is good at?
Combine observation (what they do naturally and enjoy) with a strengths assessment. Apex Strengths takes about 20 minutes, uses simple everyday situations, and names the child's core strength and top 5 strengths for free.
Is career counselling worth it for my child?
It helps most when it starts from the child's natural strengths. A strengths report gives a counsellor, teacher or parent a clear, shared starting point for the conversation.
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