FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

Cher Jackie,

J'ai utilisé un livre moi-même assez tard dans la vie pour un changement de carrière et il a recommandé à mes étudiants.

Disponible en France chez Amazon:

http://www.amazon.fr/quelle-couleur-est-votre-parachute/dp/2893772846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301304334&sr=1-1

Amicalement,

Mike

Jackie, as a former small business accountant, I can say that even though you may choose a job where you are your "own boss", you always have to answer to someone -- usually your customers and/or the bank. Having your own business can be very rewarding, but as I'm sure your father can tell you, it's not always easy. If you have a creative spirit, look at what you enjoy, become a passionate student in that subject, then see if you can do it better than the average person. Try to create a "Win/Win" situation: you enjoy your job (win)and you give something to others that they enjoy(win). And you can tell your dad that he has definitely created a Win/Win, thereby making the world a happier place!

I worked in 'La Mode' as a Costume Designer on films and commercials.....its fun when you're young, traveling etc. but its hard being freelance and always looking for the next job....also very competitive and only really rewarding if you're one of the few at the top. Maybe you could start your own fashion blog for your friends, put together little shoots with clothes and looks you like and your favourite shops etc. even what you wish for.....who knows where that might lead.....

Dear Jackie,

I would suggest that you follow your interests knowing that you can change your mind about what you want to do later. About those grades... mine were great but, when you think about it, Sir Richard Branson never finished high school. He has done pretty well founding Virgin Airlines, Tower Records and other businesses.

If you are interested in fashion, perhaps there are ataliers (sp?) that you could work with to see what the realities of design and execution would be for creating clothing. Also, in the US there are lines of cosmetics based on wine grapes... Just a thought!

Hi Jackie - You are at one of the most difficult stages that any young person faces in a country where you are expected to make a career choice before you really know much about life or more importantly, yourself! Perhaps, one of the major differences between our respective countries is that in the U.S. we can constantly re-invent ourselves, while from what I have heard about France, you must make career choices while still a teenager.

I am a lawyer and have worked primarily for myself for 35 years. No one tells me how much (or how little) I can earn, when I can take a vacation, when I get a promotion. On the other hand, there is no paycheck waiting for me at the end of the month, no one to buy my health insurance, etc. If you can handle working for yourself, it can be a great life, but it is stressful. But then, so again is a life where you wonder if you will lose your job because the boss or the company made some bad decisions or the economy went south.

I became a lawyer when I was 25 and didn't really know what I wanted to be when I grew up until I was in my late 30's and realized that I was already there. My advice is to choose something that gives you as many options as possible so that you are not tied to one thing that you find out you dislike later on.

Perhaps your parents would send you to the US for a year or two to live with friends or family and study here. You would find an entirely new world opening up to you

Bonne chance Jackie! Life is what you make it.

Dana

I think that in this day and age that what job you initially have will not be the job you have five or ten years later, so what you really need is a broad background in the basics with the ability to learn quickly. My father worked for the same company all his life. My father-in-law also worked for only one company. One generation later I've worked for at least eight different companies. Your career or area of expertise may remain somewhat the same but the specific tasks/jobs will change depending on what's hot in your industry and who your employer is. So learn to adapt to change and keep up to date with the changes in your industry, whether you're working for yourself or an employer.

Hi Jackie,

Il est agréable de voir que quelqu'un d'autre est d'accord avec moi au sujet de 'What Colour is Your Parachute' (Sam Mooney). C'est vraiment un livre super.

Amicalement,

Mike.

Jackie:
J'ai quarante-neuf ans, et je n'ai pas trouve' le metier parfait pour moi-meme. J'etais etudiante avec des tres bons notes, et j'ai ete avocat pour longtemps. J'etais miserable! Je continue a chercher ce que me plait et ce que je peux bien faire. Mon avis? Faites tous ce que vous pouvez - voyager, lire, parler avec beaucoup de gens en des metiers divers. Surtout - ne laissez pas des autres vous gener et vous presser de choisir trop tot!

PS à la maman de Jackie:

J'adOoooore la photo at the top of this newsletter.
Excellent action shot!
Perfect composition!
Graceful silhouette!

Merci aussi for "les scènes champêtres" offering such a pleasing contrast of 'green, yellow & blue' ... and thank you too for the cheerful linear scene with vines, path and "ruisseau". Happy dogs!!!

Hi Jackie,

Sorry, not good enough to write in French yet but here are my thoughts (not that I necessarily follow my own advice mind you):

It is not uncommon to not know what career you wish to persue so don't be upset by this or if others around you have already decided they want to become astronauts or reality tv stars.

It is better to consciously choose a direction, even one you are unsure about, than to drift lost on the currents of the meaningless and uninspiring jobs that seem to abound these days.

Go in the direction you choose with your whole heart. If "La Mode" is the only area of interest to you at present than follow it. You may follow this path your whole life or you may discover a new direction while on your journey.

For many reasons I understand it can be difficult to motivate yourself to work hard at school even when you know in your head it would be beneficial to your future. One thought is to imagine taking charge of your own education...what do you want to learn about while you have all those teachers and textbooks at your disposal?

Bon chance!

Jackie,
Je n'ai aucune idee ce que je voulais faire jusqu'a l'age de 19 ans. Mon universite etait excellent (the University of Michigan), et si je 'n avais pas les bonne notes il me fallait d'aller quelque part moins bien.
La, je me suis rencontree les amis, tres intelligents, plein d'idees et facons de vivre ideals. Un jour, par hazard presque, j'ai decidee prendre un cours de la photographie. Le premier jpour de ce cours, BAM!, coup de foudre...je l'adorais! Je suis photographe depuis 35 ans, heureux au dela des mots. Goggle-moi si vous voulez regarder que j'avais faits. Bonne chance, bonne question!
Nicholas Nixon
Boston, Mass, USA

Hi Jackie,
It's hard to know what you want to do when you are young. You will change as you mature and what you like when you are young may change later on. My children had a hard time choosing classes in college. My son began with computer science but found out that he just didn't like it and now is in Wildlife Management and loves it! My daughter decided on Environmental Science. If you love fashion maybe try to take some classes over the summer or meet up with some students at a fashion school in your area. I know it's hard but it is good to start thinking about what you would enjoy because you want to love your job!

Salud Jackie,
I, too had your quandary when I was your age, older, and even older! My family was medical, so I worked in hospitals part time when attending college. I decided that was not for me. Then, I thought my passion was law. I married in college and my husband and I were both going to attend law school, but only he did, and I got another degree. Turns out the law actually drove us apart ( I didn't agree on many of his legal stands he had to take for his firm). After divorcing, I went into writing, my passion; but the only work I could find wasninadvertising, so that became my career at the time. Then I married a doctor who drew me into medical marketing, but Also full-circle into medical administration and education. In my "next" life, I determined, out of need to fulfill my neglected creative impulses, as well as my frustration over never having the right handbag for my purposes when traveling, speaking at meetings, etc., to design a handbag! Who would have thought that my rambling trail through life would lead me here? I designed and patented a unique handbag that is reversible and convertible to accommodate all my needs, from a backpack to an evening bag--I call it "Chouette". I guess my point to telling you this is that you may not be destined for just one thing; and sometimes it takes sampling many enterprises to find one that you are both good at, and is your passion. Bon chance!

How to help a young person plan for their future? Hmmm. One thing I know for sure is that you will reinvent yourself many times during your life. And you never know where or when an opportunity that will be particularly good fit for you will come from so . . . keep an open mind and heart, read (biographies would be helpful) as much as you can, listen to your parents. Talk to people who are already in the field of interest - elders who are nearing retirement. They have lived longer than you so they know more. Volunteering is an excellent way to "try on" a path. You will know when you have found "it". Please do not waste time worrying about it - investigate.

Hi Jackie,

I'm 83 and I didn't know what I wanted to do when I left school, except that I liked engineering. My Dad had other ideas and I spent two years in the bank, six months in the RAF before they threw me out, sick, back to the bank for two years and then in desperation I took a job as a trainee farm labourer. I gradually raised my status until I was the tractor driver and eventually took a course which enabled me to be a car mechanic which I enjoyed and eventually I went to South Africa as a service rep for a London firm. I finally found my true mètier in computers where I was so happy I would have worked for nothing but they actauly paid me to write programs which I enjoyed immensely.

I was in that job for a long time, twenty years' finishing up in my own business where I found I couldn't do what I wanted as I had to run the business!

Eventually I went to the USA and found it was very different to what I expected. after twenty years, I took the opportunity to move to Sicily, where I met you mother in a group of ex-pats. Isn't she a wonderful person?

Now I live in Sicily, on the slopes of Mount Etna See my web page at fredspage2.org. For me, I am at last in Paradise.

But at the tender age of thirteen I hadn't a clue as to what I should do except by 16 I wanted to be an engineer, but was not allowed to!

So my advice is to get as wide an education as possible, don't worry about the scores and watch out for the oportunities which will present themseves. Take those which appeal to YOU! ALL the advice I received turned out to be wrong, and I wish I had done what I wanted from the start. Not that it didn't turn out well in the end -everythng happens for the best, but it may not seem so at the time.

My very best wishes for your future.

Fred.

Jackie, please excuse the errors in my comments above. Perhaps nearing 84 years of age can be an excuse, even if it is a weak excuse!

Dear Jackie,
I agree with TK. FROM MD. Internship is always a good start. My daughter worked for many shops. She loved fashion also. Her last job was for Lilly Pulitzer. It was a really nice job with great perks. Do you have a local dress shop where you could volunteer? Bonne Chance!
Ktee

I teach 18 year old college students here in America and they certainly do not know what they want to do with their lives! So you still have some time to explore your interests. What Color Is Your Parachute? is a great book; I'd second that recommendation. The biggest mistake my students make is choosing a profession for which they have no passion. Perhaps you could try "interviewing" some adults who love their jos. Ask them how they discovered their passion and pursued it!

Salut Jackie,
Je crois que si tu aurais demander a ta maman ce qu'elle conter faire de sa vie quand elle avais 13 ans, elle n'aurait pas dit qu'elle serais blogueuse, qu'elle aurait ecrit un livre, ou qu'elle saurait comment s'occuper d'un vignoble! Je ne ni pas les consignes de tes profs. Si, il faut avoir une base par laquelle prendre de bonnes decisions pour son avenir. Avoir une notion que la mode t'interesse, c'est super. Il y a beaucoup de carrieres genre design mode- et ca c'est sans parler des possibilitees d'etre comptable dans une maison de mode, fiere la pub pour la mode, etc. Entre temps, aux E-U, il y a des enfants de ton age qui sont sacrement precosses qui se lancent deja dans la mode. Voici un article du New York Times au sujet: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/fashion/24KIDDIES.html?pagewanted=all . Entre temps, il faut ameliorer les notes! Tu n'es plus une toute petite fille. Ce que tu fais maintenant auras des consequences pour ton avenir- ne prends pas de risques inutile. Reflechit et soit fiere de toi meme.
Bon courage!
Natasha

Jackie, there are many jobs that will allow you to work in the Fashion industry. Here are some ideas: clothing model, hairstyle model, fashion designer, fashion illustrator (drawing or painting), fashion photographer, writer or reviewer for fashion magazines, window display design, merchandise display design, retail store owner or manager, retail buyer for a store, fabric designer, seamstress, pattern cutter, make-up artist, hair stylist...I've probably overlooked some jobs. You can see that your grades would need to be very good for some jobs (especially in math or art) but not so necessary for others (pattern cutters need to have good eye-hand coordination!)

I hope you will not worry too much about the future, and enjoy being a teenager! Bonne chance, Jackie!

Bon Jour Jackie! :-D

Sorry this is in English, my French is still in it's infancy!

What wonderful advice everyone has given you!

Here's my 2 cents...I think you should:
study well, do your best and try not to worry!

Explore all your interests and take into account all the gifts you've personally been given. Look for possibilities such as volunteering or observing others who may have a career that interests you.

I also think you should spend more time visiting your Aunt Heidi & your grandmother Jules for additional ideas! ;-)

Amicalement,
Gaelle

Jackie,
Je sais bien que la systeme scholaire est tres different en France qu'aux Etas Unis. Ma niece a eu la meme probleme pendant toute sa adolesence.
Pour avoir les plus bonnes notes que possible il vous faut choisir les sujets que vous aimez les mieux. Soyez ouvert sur la question de metier, mais soyez curieuse. Je vous jure que les adultes aiment parler de leur metiers aux jeunes gens - peutetre en deux ans vous pouvez commencer a faire des intervues pour cuellir information sur la realite des metiers.

Cher Jackie, even Einstein had bad grades. What matters most is passion and perseverance. Just do your best, pray and don't let it worry you at all. If you choose a profession now, it can easily change when you grow up. Who knows...you may choose to be a professional mommy and wife! Those are excellent professions, though the pay is sometimes a little slow in coming! :D

Chere Jackie,

Vos commentaires m'interessent toujours. Et je me rappelle l'epoque ou j'avais 13 ans. A mon avis, c'est assez jeune pour avoir deja decide quel metier on va suivre. Les annees de cette periode de vie sont pour penser, decouvrir, se renseigner, et essayer des possibilites differentes. On peut parler avec des gens dans le domaine dans lequel on veut entrer. P. ex., si vous voulez travailler dans La Mode, essayez de trouver des gens qui y travaillent, et parlez-leur au sujet de la vie quotidienne dans un tel boulot.

J'ai toujours recu de bonnes notes, et ca aide un peu. Ca montre qu'on n'est pas stupide, et qu'on travaille acharnement. Voudriez-vous un medecin qui a recu de mauvaises notes? Moi non. C'est pour cette raison que les ecoles de medecine exigent de tres bonnes notes, car ne pas savoir ce qu'il faut peut avoir des consequences desastreuses. Dans La Mode, c'est moins dangereux, mais quand meme, il y a de la matiere a apprendre.

Dans l'economie actuelle, qui est pire aux Etats-Unis que presque jamais sauf la Grande Crise Economique des annees 1930, c'est tres difficile de trouver du travail. Moi, je cherche deja 2 ans, et je me debrouille en chomage avec l'argent que j'ai epargne, qui disparait rapidement. Pas question d'aimer beaucoup son travail, quoique cela soit ideale. L'important, c'est d'avoir un poste qui paye les depenses essentielles.

Outre La Mode proprement dite, vous pouvez acquerir des talents utiles presque n'importe ou, comme taper a la machine (clavier d'un ordinateur), classer les documents (on devra classer les factures et les patrons dans un magasin de mode), apprendre a facilement faire des calculs (pour les ventes), etc. etc. Il y a peu de capabilites qui ne soient transferables d'un domaine a un autre.

Vous pouvez apprendre les details des coutouriers comme Chanel, Cardin, etc. etc. (j'en sais peu), et ce qui distingue leurs styles. Vous pouvez demander aux amies ce qui leur plait, et pourquoi, et developper des idees des sortes de vetements qui leur vont le mieux.

Enfin, si vous ne pouvez pas trouver un boulot dans La Mode immediatement - ce qui arrive a beaucoup de gens en commencant a travailler - pensez a autre chose que vous pouvez faire entretemps, qui ne sera pas trop desagreable. En faisant "n'importe quoi" au commencement, vous pouvez continuer a chercher un poste dans La Mode, et le travail du debut deviendra une qualification pour une situation plus responsable et interessante plus tard.

Bonne Chance!

Jackie-Follow your "passion" whatver that might be and it will ead you to your future. Good grades are only part of the picture-I am a school teacher so I know a little about this. You do not have to figure out your entire life before your 14th birthday! I wish you happiness and fulfillment as you meet the challenges of the future.

I am happy to read of Jackie's thoughts about her metier. What is the difference between "metier" and "profession"? There is a difference, as exempified in a watch ad in Paris-Match with John Travolta.Son metier etait acteur et son profession etait pilote ou vice versa; j'ai oublie.

Hi Jackie,
I don't know if it's the same in France, but in the U.S., WHO you know is everything. Get to know people in your chosen field who can recommend you when a job comes up. They'll get 500 applications for every job opening, but the job will go to someone they already know or is recommended by someone they know.

Hi Jackie,
Unfortunately, my french is not up to responding! So I'll have to reply in English. Having been born and raised in Canada we didn't have to decide what we wanted to do "when we grew up" until the end of high school. I was pretty focused and knew I wanted to be an artist - so I planned all my schooling around getting into a BFA(art classes, extracirricular art clubs, etc). Then in my third year of university I realized most artists have to have some other career to pay for their art, many I knew became waiters/waitresses by day. I preferred reliable food/shelter so I went into a Master of art conservation. I now work in a museum, am well paid, have reliable job security and I LOVE my work. I agree with the people who tell you to pick an area you are passionate about but I would also caution you to be open about the different directions those interests can take you. Look at the underlying reason you are attracted to a field - do you like fashion because you like fabrics? Shapes/ textures/ colours? Or is it dealing with people? Do you like the photography aspect of it? Or the drama of presenting fashion shows? Do you like to design/sew clothes? Each of these things fundamentally relates to other jobs. Some of which you may not need as high academic grades to succeed in. Though there are almost always more opportunities when you do have better grades - it's also easier to get high grades when you are working on something you love. If your school offers art or drama options maybe you could take some of those? You may find something more specific than "fashion" that excites you.
You will find that once you start looking into any field of work there are so many jobs you will never have heard about before. I agree with TK in MD that doing internships is a great way to decide if you want to do something - but make sure that you are experiencing the 'grunt work' of a profession, not just highlights as often happens with a short job shadow. I believe that if you find work were (for you) even what others feel is drudgery is enjoyable or at least feels worth doing, you've found something that will fit you well.
Good luck!

Kristin - merci d'avoir partager les pensées de Jackie. Comme je te l'ai dit, je suis prof de français aux jeunes qui ont 14 - 17 ans...Alors, dans quelques semaines je vais leur offrir les paroles qu'a écrit ta fille pour qu'ils les traduisent et pour faire rouler une conversation. Merci! Je vais vous dire leurs conseils.

Doing what you love is the single most important thing in life. When you 'feel' good you are in the flow of life. Not to say that we won't experience bumps in the road, that may not be joyful. We all come here with our own gifts to share with the world. I too was torn at a young age for what "to do", but always wanted "to be" an artist. I struggled to "make a living", so early on made my passion a hobby and worked at the post office for 10 years to make "money" - big mistake. It was totally unproductive and a very unhappy experience. Now at 50 something I'm still reinventing myself, visualizing life through creative eyes and trying to stay out of the mainstream mindset. Be free, be creative, you are young - if you desire, try many things to feel out your talent - trust your intuition. Do work hard at whatever you are focused on - school included. Try to see the big picture in your studies and how they give you a road map to work with. Most important - Be Happy!

C'est horrible qu'à 13 ans, tu dois déjà penser à ce que tu vas faire dans l'avenir.
J'étais dans la même position, mais beaucoup plus tard, vers 17 ans. J'ai fini ma terminale en philo, mais c'est pas exactement la direction que j'ai voulu prendre. J'aime bien le dessin et voulais entrer dans l'école de Beaux Arts après le Bac. Mais mes parents me l'ont découragée, car d'après eux, c'est difficile de gagner sa vie comme artiste. Heureusement, à l'université de Californie, j'avais encore deux ans pour explorer. J'ai découvert que je voulais travailler dans le departement des affaires étrangères. Mais à la sortie de l'université, je me suis mariée avec un ingénieur qui voulait que je reste à la maison pour prendre soin de nos enfants. En bref, je n'ai pas de carrière professionnelle. Mais pas de regrets, car mes enfants sont maintenant des professionnels (médecin, ingénieur, banquier, professeur d'université). Tu peux donc dire que ma profession était donc de les guider. ça revient à la question de "notes", essaie de travailler de ton mieux et tout s'arrange.
Bon courage, la belle Jackie.

Bonjour Jackie
(s'il vous plait, pardonnez-moi mon francais) N'inquietez-vous. Certainment vous doivons travailler, mais aussi, et plus importante, vous doivez trouver un metier que vous aimerez. J'ai 50 ans mais je ne sais pas quoi que je voudrais faire dans l’avenir. J'ai plus de succes, et d'argent, mais je n'aime pas mon métier. Suivez ton coeur!

Guard your heart. My greatest joys and sorrows came from my husband and the birth of my first child. I really enjoyed college, it really opened up a whole new world for me. I have a liberal arts & science degree with a major in French. I love my major. whats nice about liberal arts & sciences is that you know a little about everything but not really a whole lot about anything. I did my masters in education and taught kindergarten in South Korea. I guess I like kids (kindergarten) and French .

So many wonderful advice for you Jackie. I agree with some not others but that is what choice is about. Listen to your heart and soul and explore from there. xoxo

Je pense qu'il est plus facile pour ceux qui ont une idee fixe. Ils suivent un chemin tout droite and peuvent etre maitre plus tot. (On dit qu'il faut 10,000 heures d'etre maitre d'un sujet). Mais la vie ne passe pas comme ca pour tous.

La vie vous mene par ici ou la, et vous pouvez changer ou corriger votre chemin. Ne vous inquietez pas trop!

Ayant dit ca, si vous aime mode, immersez vous. Cousez, cousez cousez. Ecrivez un blog sur la mode, etc.

Bonne Chance!

Hello Jackie,
I see you have gotten many very good suggestions. I agree that you should think of the things that interest you, try volunteering, don't worry about the grade as much as the effort, etc.. If you find you have a talent, remember that it has to be nourished with practice and the courage to try things in more than one way. I know that thriteen is too young to truly decide where you are going in life, but it would not hurt to start the journey and see how many twists and turns there are in the road. I hope you are excited about the twists and turns, because that is what makes life interesting.

Hello Jackie,

One career you might consider is being a marketing researcher...you learn how to study and interpret consumer behavior and predict the kinds of products people will want to buy in the future. I had the pleasure of being a marketing researcher for a fashion company for many years and it was the most fun job of my life! I got to predict fashion trends, help my company determine the kinds of clothes people would want to wear, and help test the new fashion designs with real people to make sure they fit perfectly. I also helped test different interior designs for my company's clothing stores to see which ones customers preferred to shop.

It was really interesting work, and I got to be close to the excitement of fashion but still have a steady paycheck. Most of the big fashion brands hire researchers, and here in the US the career is very much in demand. If, at some point, you decide fashion is not for you, you can transfer your skills to just about any other industry (I now work as a researcher for an internet brand). You'll want to study marketing, psychology, statistics, anthropology, and sociology...or perhaps you can find a program that teaches marketing research directly and so will combine a little of each of these subjects. Good grades are not as important as creative thinking and problem solving. Best of luck!

Hi Jackie,

I am a retired college professor in the U.S. I frequently advised my students about their college majors and careers. I will tell you what I told them, find your interests but also find your academic strengths while you are in school. Interests are important but strengths and talents are equally important to success in higher education and in a career.

I realize the the French education system is different than here in the U.S. where students can take classes in college and take more time deciding what they want to pursue as a career goal. I can't give you advice relative to your system but I would say that you should perhaps begin your search for your interests and strengths earlier if that is required which I assume is what you are now doing. But also pay attention to what is practical in terms of a future in various job fields. Which fields and professions offer the best chance of employment.

A few years ago, my wife and I were visiting Paris and we took a day trip from Paris to the Loire valley. The tour guide for the day was a young French woman who was a recent graduate of a French university. She told us that the only job she could find with her degree was her current job as a tour guide due to the employment rules in France. She told us that there are very few openings for jobs since employers are not able to release employees when business is poor. They are hesitant to hire new employees if they may not need them in the future. If that is still true, then I would strongly advise you to choose very carefully which field you prepare to enter for employment and consider the job market. Interest alone will not be sufficient to gain employment if there are few jobs available in a given field of work.

Lastly, be independent! Prepare in university to support yourself and not just pursue a fun job. Even if you marry and there are two jobs or if you don't work for awhile while having children, you may need to go back to work to help support the family. Pursue your interests but always be practical.

Best of luck,

Roger Anderson
Detroit, U.S.A.

Chere Jackie:
What a charming blog you have written.....& what a wonderful idea Angela has for you: a 13 y/o's fashion blog......why not?! Of course it will be alot of work (your mother can testify) but as so many others have said: follow your passions........& even though it is France....don't ever feel "stuck" that what you are doing one day HAS to be what you'll be doing a future day.
After all....you come by this indecision naturally: did your mother think she'd be writing a blog from the south of France asking blog friends ideas for her own daughter when she was 13? Did your father think he'd own a vineyard & travel to the U.S. to sell his wine? I tend to doubt it.
Don't let les profs scare you.....always always do your best so you can be proud of who you are. Your esprit is wonderful....you may not believe it: you will be totally fine!

Jackie,

For you to write this posting indicates to me that you are conscientious and will do great at anything you put your mind to. Perhaps your grades are not as high as you would like because you are bored with the material.

Grades do not indicate your ability to do things in the world. But they are sure helpful to get into a good school!

I don't know what it is like in France but in the United States you can change careers relatively easily. Nonetheless, teachers still placed pressure on us when we were in school to choose a career. This mentality doesn't make sense in the world today because a career that is in demand right now might not exist five years from now.

To keep up with advancements in the world, my advice is to learn computers really well. Build one of your own. Start to program. Do something cool like create an application that changes clothes on models. In other words, find something you really like to do and incorporate it into a computer project.

Look forward to hearing more about what you do!

AnneMarie

Jackie:

I remember being very confused at your age about choosing what profession I wanted. I had friends who knew exactly what they wanted, but I didn't, and I wondered why. I can offer this: Many people have several different careers in their life, so don't feel like you have to choose one thing and stay with it for the rest of your life. I also think it's important to pick something you really like, for those who work at things they love are always a bit happier. I feel it's a bit early for you to be choosing a career, but I realize France has a different school system and important testing at the end of high school. I just hope there isn't too much pressure at your tender age for such a big decision. Just follow your heart, cherie, it will not lead you astray.

What do I want to be when I grow up? OLD!

Bon Chance! Que sera sera.
(I loved your post about makeup, too. Please keep posting in your mom's blog!)

Chere Jackie:

I have two daughters, 16 and 18 y.o., who, like you, love fashion. When they were in their early teens they followed trends, kept notes about their fashion opinions,shopped only at les puces, altered clothes to their liking, tie-died garments, critiqued models, etc. One photographed herself at your age and sent it to Teen Vogue online and had it posted. (Very affirming of her interest and instincts -- try it out.)

In my opinion, just knowing your passion is a triumph of honesty and clarity. Brava!

Be prepared for the changes every passion undergoes. Find any way you can to approach your sometimes uninteresting studies with this passion as motivator. Consider the geometric aspects of la mode (silhouette, etc.), sketch your ideas (design, fine arts, theater),consider the origins of textiles (botany, agriculture), and the changing social functions of fashion (anthropology, sociology, history).

Continue to express yourself through fashion, remembering that there are ways to stand out from others with creativity and dignity, as well as ways to copy daring/degrading trends that don't preserve the already considerable respect of your admirers. Avoid the latter way.

Good for you for being brave enough to conduct a conversation with thousands of strangers online. Maybe you will one day blog about fashion trends?

HI Jackie,

Like some of the others who have responded, I too, once worked in the fashion industry. My first job at a little boutique in the mall was the most excited I ever felt about work. I loved helping people put together an outfit that made them look and feel great, I loved creating the displays for the the shop window and in the store. I went to a fashion school when I graduated high school; which gave me focus, but wasn't really that useful in the real world.

I have since worked with fashion photographers, as a make-up artist, designer and created fashion shows. There are so many different facets of the industry to explore. The one thing that I never did, but wish someone would have encouraged me to do, was get a job with the largest, most successful big company I could. In my case, that would have been Nordstrom. I never thought of myself as that "type", but after many years, see that those who have been most successful worked for this company at least for a time. They offered the best training, career and advancement opportunities of anyone. Many shop owners I know attribute their success to the experience they gained from Nordstrom.
Aside from that, I think a person should try to do what they find FUN. If it's fun to you, then you have found your passion in life.
All the best,
Kim in Lake Oswego

Hello Again, Jackie & Kristin,
Your grandmother said something in English about God laughing at the plans we make. I have to translate that into the French version of the sentiment, for it was one of my grandfather's favorite expressions- he expressed it thusly: L'homme propose, Dieu dispose.
Natasha

Jackie,
If I can give you one piece of advice, DON'T LIMIT YOURSELF! Refuse to choose a career this early in your life. Instead, explore many possible or interesting careers.

For me, I feel that a career should be a vocation or a calling. If you plan to give years and year and year of your life, who or what will it benefit? Will you have an impact on others?

Choosing your path may take many years to decide, but I hope you enjoy the journey!

Alissa (a music teacher)

Dear Jackie: I'm going to reply en anglais even though I should try in French, because at this late stage in life ( age 60), I am learning French. But your questions are so good, they deserve a proper reply. My career has been as a psychologist, but I only arrived at my career after much exploration. These days here in the US, I meet so many kids who feel stressed about choosing a career and getting good grades. Happily for you, you have a passion, which many don't. Instead, people feel they have to make money, no matter whether they like what they are doing or not. A bad idea! Clearly supporting oneself is important, but not at the expense of one's interests and pleasure in life. Please, please follow your interests. I do not see how school grades per se should get in your way, although you will have to be diligent in pursuit of your goals. So much of school is a more general preparation for being industrious, but there are so many examples of people whose school career was mediocre and whose professional life became exceptional. I hope you hear from many in the fashion world and that they are able to encourage you and give you practical advice. The very best to you!

Dear Sweet Jackie,
who I have read about and seen in photos : )

When you love something, it's never "hard"

If you have decided you love fashion, go for it with all you've got and don't let the word "hard" ever come up! You may find it leads you to something you never expected... that you love even more. (like how life is in general)

I am an actress and my grades were good in school but my bent toward creative endeavors
and desire to be an actress is what motivated me. It was not that important to have straight A's in school to flourish as an artist... However, it feels good to have been educated and it feels better to know I did well, even if my grades are not a factor in my profession.

Perhaps begin your fashion goals now by learning about design and designers and reading the cool fashion blogs out there. Make things...find what you like about the fashion world. You have time!

You have a super talented mom and what seems to be a wonderful family...I cannot imagine that you won't find your dream profession.

I wish you the best in your life.

:)
sincerely,
Liz (in LA)

Cher Jackie : Vos professeurs ont tort. Aussi souvent, les jeunes sentent s'ont fait pression sur pour faire de premiers projets qui affecteront le reste de leurs vies, et atteindre des marques supérieures. Mon conseil à vous êtes - commence à explorer vos passions - quelles marques vous heureux dans la vie. Les notes de marque des choses que vous êtes intéressé véritablement en - et explore quelles intrigues vous. Garder un journal de vos pensées et vos idées, et vous apprendrez beaucoup de vous. S'il vous plaît ne pas se sentir que c'est urgent pour vous prendre une décision maintenant de comment vous gagnerez un habite en ce monde. C'est plus important pour vous apprécier votre jeunesse et votre travail vers un chemin pour trouver une façon pour se soutenir qui sera agréable et intersting à vous. Les degrés sont importants - mais c'est plus important pour vous apprendre. Si vous avez un problème dans un sujet, obtenez l'aide aussi tôt que possible. Votre mère est un grand modèle de rôle pour vous. Elle a géré pour créer un travail pour se qu'elle est clairement passionnée de, fait très, et gagne bien de l'argent pour votre famille. Lui parler. Votre Ami - de Californie, Ed B.

Dear Jackie:
Your teachers are wrong. Too often, young people feel pressured to make early plans that will affect the rest of their lives, and to achieve superior marks. My advice to you is - start exploring your passions - what makes you happy in life. Make notes about things that you are truly interested in - and explore what intrigues you. Keep a diary about your thoughts and ideas, and you will learn a lot about yourself. Please don't feel that it is urgent for you to make a decision now about how you will earn a living in this world. It's more important for you to enjoy your youth and work towards a path to find a way to support yourself that will be enjoyable and intersting to you. Grades are important - but it's more important for you to learn. If you have a problem in a subject, get help as early as possible. Your mother is a great role model for you. She managed to create a job for herself that she is clearly passionate about, does very well, and earns money for your family. Talk to her.
Your Friend - from California,
Ed B.

Jackie - vous etes interesse dans la photographie? cet un mieux facon de entrer dans la domain de la mode. Vous pouvez travailler comme dans le 'art department' d'un magazine. Peut-etre, vous pouvez faire un stage dans un magazine, n'importe quoi.