A recent study revealed that dentistry is projected to be the No. 1 sought-after job over the next 10 years, and most job growth is going to be in health care in general. Is this a reliable study to use to help guide my graduating senior son as he considers career tracks as he heads into college?
I think more useful studies for parents with teenagers are the ones that explain the teenage brain and why they are generally insane. (Parent: “What about dentistry — it’s a hot profession.” Son: “What about you not trying to run ruin my life! I don’t want to be a stupid dentist, you can’t tell me what to do!”) If root canals are junior’s calling, then dentistry is a great profession. But the primary driver that should guide everyone when considering a career is to follow one’s passion. People spend more time doing work than almost any other activity — which, based on teenage activities, means sleeping. However, as they emerge from their teenage asylum and slumber, they usually have more clarity about what those options are — and are usually more receptive to that guidance, too. Good luck.
I just received my annual review and was surprised about the criticism my boss had for some aspects of my performance. When I tried to defend myself, he then accused me of being defensive. How should I respond if I disagree with what my manager says?
It can be difficult to take that kind of feedback — especially when many managers are bad at delivering such messages. You could put your hands over your ears and repeatedly say, “I’m not listening, I’m not listening,” but that would likely just add to your boss’ list of criticisms. The best way to handle it is to listen attentively, and don’t have a knee-jerk response. Usually there are at least some kernels of truth — if not spot on. You should ask for specific examples to support the feedback and it is completely appropriate to offer an unemotional response based on those examples that may offer some context. But if it rings true then simply own it, thank your boss for the feedback and commit to improving in those areas. (Then, if it makes you feel better, you can quietly go back to your office and stick pins in the voodoo doll you made of your boss.)