More and more young adults are finding themselves at a crossroads right out of college, striving to find the career path that truly works for them. If your college grad is among this growing statistic, offer them this advice on some of the calculated career risks your son or daughter may need to consider in order to make a change to their ideal career path.

1. Go back to school

If your college grad can handle the financial responsibility of going back to school – and can juggle it along with the other responsibilities – additional education can move their career forward. An advanced degree or added certification can help your son or daughter reach their end goal, whether that is gaining a raise or promotion or changing their career path altogether.

Encourage your college grad to fully investigate their options. Have them talk it over with their boss or mentors to find out if making this financial and time commitment is really worth the while. After all, in some fields an advanced degree matters; in others it does not.

2. Change careers

Struggling day in and day out in a career one doesn’t enjoy is a thing of the past! In today’s work environment, people are making the changes that put them in roles that are personally satisfying and fulfilling. If your college grad is toiling in a job they despise, but hangs in there because it is a paycheck and there is a sense of comfort in the routine and familiar role, you may want to talk to them about what’s truly important to their future.

Encourage your son or daughter to put some thought and research into what they really want to do with their life – and to find something they love – before they’ve spent decades clocking in to a job that makes them miserable. But, again, encourage them to really research their options so that they do not make the same mistake twice and leap into another career that is a disappointment.

3. Say no to added responsibility

It may sound counterproductive to an up-and-comer’s thriving career, but advising your adult child to say ‘no’ to a proposed promotion may be just the advice they need. Not all promotions or projects will put them on the career path to success, and being able to weigh those decisions is key to career longevity and happiness. Sometimes standing up and saying no – even to more money or recognition – is the best response. It also helps set the tone and builds your son or daughter’s reputation as a person of character and foresight.

4. Start a business

Many college grads enter the working world only to realize that reporting to someone else is harder than it seems! If your adult child has an entrepreneurial spirit, now may be the time to encourage him or her to harness that ambition and put it into their own business.

If your son or daughter wants to pursue their dream of being their own boss and starting their own business, encourage them to do their homework and research all aspects of the industry, including talking to others who have taken similar paths and building a solid network within their chosen field.

Discuss with them, too, some of the hazards of moving away from a full-time job, such as having a steady income, paid vacation and health insurance. By considering all aspects of starting a business, your adult child will have a more realistic shot at developing a career path they love!

Copyright 2008 Hallie Crawford. All rights reserved.

NOTE: Feel free to "reprint" this article as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info at the end).