The studies on gifted children’s social competencies, as a rule, postulate that it is the professional adults who should counsel children on their vocational choice. The authors argue that this idea neglects young instructors’ potential in developing gifted children’s social competencies. The authors, approaching the issue from the perspective of cultural and philosophical anthropology, explore the role played by the younger people in encouraging children’s success-oriented behavior and adequate career choice. The article compares two projects -“Successful Enrollee School” in Russia and “Academy of Schoolchildren” in Germany, which both offer an opportunity for gifted children to reflect on their life prospects and to develop their social competencies through communication with undergraduate and graduate university students as well as young instructors