I’ve spent decades working with teens in various capacities. I’ve developed curriculum, created workshops, hosted retreats, spoken at conferences, and led groups on international humanitarian trips. I’ve also logged countless hours in family counseling as a mentor and coach.  Parenting my two sons during their teens was definitely a high-point in the journey.  It was especially enjoyable since homeschooling gave me and my wife lots of extra time with them during those critical years. 

I’ve never grown tired of working with young people . . . they're definitely my favorite group of people on the planet! I think I’m mostly drawn to the potential of their young lives and the ability to make a long-lasting impact on them.  I also love that they're energetic, optimistic, and a bit crazy at times!

My work as a career guide began in 2014 when my oldest son was a junior in high school and I was trying to give him career guidance.  I was worried that we wouldn't "get it right" and  would wind up wasting time, money, and effort.  As I was helping him prepare for life after 12th, I started realizing the magnitude of career confusion  among teens and the alarming lack of effective solutions . Every parent I spoke to at that time was in the same exact situation . . . confused and clueless!

During my search for solutions, I remembered a unique assessment tool I heard about back in the early 90’s when I was in a leadership development program. It stood out to me because it utilized stories from the participant's past to reveal elements of their innate wiring they could use to assess career fit. Unlike typical assessments that focused on identifying a participant's abilities, this assessment could also reveal how a person’s motivation was triggered and sustained as well as the payoff they needed from their efforts that wold make them feel satisfied with their work.

This tool was mostly used in corporate and executive realms but I saw how the results from the assessment cold accurately guide teens to careers they’d love and stick. I was fully convinced this would be a game-changer and I really wanted to do something about this pandemic.  I took a chance and reached out to Art Miller, the creator of the tool who developed it back  in the late 60’s. He was eighty-five at the time and was very excited about my vision of taking his work to young people. I was overwhelmed by the support and encouragement he provided. After being trained by a senior colleague, Art licensed me to use his assessment and launched me into my mission!

After becoming “official”, I created and field-tested a coaching experience for teens (The MapInMe Journey) that empowers them to use the assessment results to accurately identify careers that would be a great fit for them . . . careers that would allow them to experience success, motivation, and satisfaction. The MapInMe Journey also involves a component that shows teens how to acquire the core knowledge, essential skills, and critical experience necessary for career readiness if they choose to pursue a position that doesn't require a college degree.

I’m incredibly passionate about my  work with teens. It eliminates the stress and anxiety of career confusion and enables them to avoid wasting money, effort, and years of bouncing around from one unfulfilling job after another, hoping to eventually get something they can at least tolerate. I love seeing parents get peace-of-mind knowing their child has accurately identified career fits and learned the process so they can repeat it over and over again if they want to continue exploring possibilities after the coaching finishes.

I’ve worked with teens around the world and have loved every single experience. The two that were most meaningful, however, were the coaching sessions I had with my own two sons. That’s because I not only enjoy the process as their coach, but as a parent, I also benefitted from the outcome! The results of their assessment led them to very different careers and very different preparation paths. Today, they are both successful and fulfilled in their work because they pursued one of the fits we identified  during their MapInMe Journey.

I'd love the chance to work with your teen and clear up their career confusion so they can move forward with clarity and confidence. I’d love to get them the accurate direction that will lead them to fulfilling lifework and full potential. I’d love to get to know you and your situation a bit better so click one of those pinkish red buttons you’ve seen floating around and apply for a consult today.

All the Best,

Jay DuSold