5 Entrepreneurial Skills Needed For a Job in the New Gig Economy: Preparing Teens

As homeschoolers, many of us are called upon to be more than high school instructors. We also need to be career coaches and guidance counselors. As such, we tirelessly research the ins and outs of college admission, vocational school requirements, financial aid and scholarships, and other valuable information on behalf of our teens. It’s our responsibility to make sure our teens have the skills needed for a job. Our high school students’ coursework often depends on their future career path. However, the world of work is changing rapidly and many now need these 5 entrepreneurial skills to be successful, even if they don’t have their own business.

5 Entrepreneurial Skills Needed for Success

In 2015 (the most recent year for which data is available), about one third of the labor force was engaged in some sort of freelance work, either part-time or full-time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is estimated that by the time many of our teens are actively looking for jobs, that percentage will be closer to fifty percent. How will we prepare our teens to have the skills needed for a job in this new economy? We have to start thinking outside the box. Some of the most important skills they will need are entrepreneurial skills, especially the first 5 entrepreneurial skills, which are not usually part of any curriculum:

• Self-discipline
• Entrepreneurial mindset
• Money management
• Servant leadership
• Initiative
• Flexible thinking
• Lifelong learning

Let’s break these down.

Self-discipline

Many of our teens do not need to be taught this, but some still lack the discipline to do the work that is necessary without nagging or threats. If you are struggling with your teen, you might try my tips for motivating teenagers and see if they help.

But, we know that being able to say no to friends when there is work to do is a mature response. It is essential when they are juggling multiple freelance jobs, starting a business, or even just showing up to work on time! Learning to buckle down, ignore distractions, and accomplish a goal are important elements of the current job trend. Your teen will not be successful without self-discipline.

Entrepreneurial Mindset

A freelance economy is a self-employed economy. Your teen needs to know how to run his own business. This includes marketing, accounting, and time management. Anyone hiring himself out for work is his own boss, whether he is a graphic designer or a driver for Uber. If he is going to make a sustainable income from what are known as side hustles, make sure he has some training in entrepreneurship. Starting his own business while still in high school offers an opportunity to do this.

Being an entrepreneur means having the mindset of finding problems to solve and being the one to step in the gap and solve them. Teens need to be problem spotters and be willing to do what it takes to learn the skills to solve them. Or, they need to be savvy enough to bring people together and lead them in solving problems. This entrepreneurial mindset is one of the 5 entrepreneurial skills necessary to success. If you can’t spot problems and being willing to develop solutions, you’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks!

Money management

Everyone, whether freelancer or not, needs to know how to manage their money. This is especially true for freelancers, though, because their income is sporadic. They must understand how to budget and make their money last. Training in frugal living helps here, too. One of the 5 entrepreneurial skills is learning about how money works: cash flow, profit margin, pricing, and more. It is a great idea to get your teen a mentor in this area, a mentor who owns a business. There are other resources, too, like the Small Business Administration.

5 Entrepreneurial Skills Your Teen Needs: Servant Leadership

Does this one surprise you? Have you heard about social entrepreneurship? Especially among Christians, this is an important skill. Jesus was the ultimate leader and he came to serve, not to be served. She must understand that it isn’t about her and her need to make a buck. It is about serving others and meeting their needs. If she is going to succeed in this new economy, she must be willing to go the extra mile. Many of these types of jobs can go to folks overseas. She has to make herself indispensable. Think of ways to encourage your teen to align herself with this new value set among business leaders. Look at this article to learn about some of the top CEOs who embrace this model. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs are people of great integrity. Learn from them.

Initiative, flexible thinking, and lifelong learning

Gone are the days when a college degree practically guaranteed a job. Many college graduates work at coffee shops, sell siding or knives, or have to take jobs unrelated to their field of study. But, they still have to pay back those loans! Workers today have to be more fluid than ever before, constantly learning new skills, and participating in collaborative environments rather than top-down ones. Young people with ideas, initiative, and flexible thinking will flourish in today’s work environment. Help your teen develop these important soft skills by giving him opportunities to take initiative and think outside the box while under your roof. He will carry that confidence into the world and can then use these skills to market himself on job sites such as Jooble.

I hope you are challenged to think differently about preparing your teen for life and work. We know that it is not as simple as earning twenty or more credit hours through language arts, math, hard and soft sciences, and electives. It is an awesome task to launch our children from our homes. Let’s make sure our mentoring is relevant and that our students have the skills needed for a job in the new economy.

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