Mark Franklin, CareerCycles practice leader & president: Career Statement
1. DESIRES: I want to help people become empowered in their career & life choices. I want creativity, variety and intellectual stimulation in my work. I am feeling great being creative and having fun. Together with a growing and amazing team, I am positively influencing people and experiencing pride in achievement. I am receiving financial reward and continually feel how great it is to have and experience what money can buy. I want to be part of a movement to have a Career Statement in the minds and hearts of everyone, 16 and up, reviewed monthly.
2. STRENGTHS: I want to use my unique combination of expertise and background in counselling psychology and industrial engineering to continually improve CareerCycles’ holistic career management program. I want to use my creativity, verbal and written communication skills, people skills, counselling knowledge and systems thinking.
3. PERSONAL QUALITIES: I am part IDEALIST which means I tend to be enthusiastic, value authenticity and act as a catalyst for change; I’m part RATIONAL which means I’m logical, like abstract ideas and value knowledge.
4. ASSETS:
EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS I bring with me a Masters in Counselling Psychology, and over 10,000 hours of direct counselling and coaching experience at CareerCycles and in the Career Centres of the University of Toronto and York University, and have earned the Career Management Fellow (CMF) from the Institute of Career Certification International. I have a Bachelor of Applied Science in industrial engineering and related career experience in technology and management consulting with KPMG and others. I hold a valid Professional Engineer licence. I’m qualified to administer and interpret the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and a member of the Association of Career Professionals International (ACPI).
DEMONSTRATED INTERESTS in radio broadcasting, active travel, astronomy and cycling.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS in project management, Spanish, French and bicycle repair.
EXPERIENCES working in management consulting (KPMG), decision support technology, and leading and designing group travel programs in Canada, Cuba, Nicaragua. Volunteer board membership with Toronto Cyclists Union and Toronto Bay Initiative. International ‘freestyle’ travel and cycle-touring adventures in Vietnam, Cuba, East Africa, India and Nepal.
5. OTHER PEOPLE: I’m mindful how my role as parent of a teen influences my career and life choices.
6. POSSIBILITIES I’M CURIOUS ABOUT are: succeeding in the career services firm I’m leading; developing a more active travel program building on the journeys I’ve led in Canada, Cuba and Nicaragua; furthering my broadcast radio experience; continuing volunteering as board member of Toronto Cyclists Union; working toward a private pilot’s license; cycle touring in more remote corners of the world like West Africa; pursuing further education in Positive Psychology and journalism.
Deconstructing my career was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, arguably as stressful than the process of becoming a physician in the first place. It was one thing to admit I’m fed up with aspects of my work…it’s a far more daunting task to decide how to act constructively to make things better. Mark was extraordinarily skilled at taking my personal history and attributes, translating them into both career options and workplace assets, and helping me focus my own ideas into a workable career path. -Frank Warsh
“I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have sought out career counselling, and even more pleased that Mark was my counsellor. I didn’t expect that the results would be so ‘life-changing’ for my entire life — truthfully, I expected the sessions to affect only the ‘career’ side of me! -Mila F.
“I am SO grateful and lucky that I had a chance to work with Mark. He helped me regain confidence to believe in my dreams again. It’s incredibly valuable to have support and guidance when you are making a big change in your life. At this stage of life I want to go in the right direction and until I met Mark, I was lost and loosing confidence in the potential I felt I had but couldn’t see in myself anymore.” -Liz Pohl
“Your methodology provides so much encouragement, as well as clarity of self and circumstances, that it becomes impossible not to take action. I am very grateful for your assistance in my time of need.” -Rui Umezawa
“Fantastic. Very professional and excellent to work with. It was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. It was really a pleasure to work with Jayne. It got me through a tough time and gave me great new skills moving forward.”
Diane Rutherford
“Thank you for facilitating a successful career-focused session for CHS staff."
Dale Nicholson, Director, Canadian Hydrographic Service
“I was drawn to this model when I first saw it presented. It pulls together the best parts of career counselling and career exploration.”
Kathie Lamie, MSW, Personal Development and Career Consultant
“Enjoyed every second! I liked the can-do attitude! If you can dream it, you can do it! Thank you.”
Judith MacKinnon, Sheridan College
“Your methodology provides so much encouragement, as well as clarity of self and circumstances, that it becomes impossible not to take action. I am very grateful for your assistance in my time of need.”
Rui Umezawa
