Superfutures's Blog

A recent article by Justin Lahart entitled “What Would You Do With an Extra Hour?” brings up the very pressing issue about the current disconnect between unemployment and the way Americans spend their free time.

Excelling at one skill is no longer enough, Google executive Sean Harvey told a group of students recently. These days, it's about "doing multiple things well," he said.

I invited Harvey to speak at a "Discover Your Future" seminar offered by SuperFutures.org, an organization I founded to help young people build the skills needed to succeed outside the classroom.

When Sean Harvey was writing travel books, little did he know that one day he’d be running the AdSense business at Google, responsible for everything from software engineers to marketing the advertising service to big name customers.

One of the best lessons we can teach kids heading into the real world is the power of proactively going the extra step to say "I want this job" or "I really want to work with you." The same is true for getting into college. So, if you or your student is one of the many on the college wait lists - and those lists are extra long this year - then go one step further: send a brief but powerful letter emphasizing your interest in attending that college. Highlight why your student is a real fit for the university - what will he or she bring?

Are guidance counselors in our high schools doing the job?

No, according to teens surveyed nationwide, as the New York Times reported.

Did you know only 38 minutes* is spent directing our kids on their futures? In other words, figuring out what they want to do when they grow up?

Techno Teaching - the new trend in education. Teens now spend as much as 30 hours a week online.* The internet is a great resource that can enhance your teen's education, and some teachers are taking their teaching styles online to meet this trend. Sites like Edmodo act as a private micro-blogging platform built for teachers and student interaction. Modeled after other social networking sites, teens feel comfortable using it.

Career planning – parents and teens put it off until college is at the door. But that’s a big and costly mistake, especially in this new economy.

The result: our young people find themselves matched with the wrong job, costing them a lot of stress and unhappiness, and companies a whopping $44 Billion*.

Could a student be taking the wrong classes or too many? It happens. Sebastian, our graphic designer and a recent graduate is carrying $55,000 in student debt - $15,000 more than necessary... all because he took more classes than required to graduate. If you’re a transfer student, you’ll really want to watch out. But that’s not the only time it matters. Say you’re studying abroad or taking an internship across the country for credit -- you’ll want to be careful there, too.