Get your story straight, and right your career
May 9, 2012
Work-Life Narratives: authoring the future of career. An engaging hour of radio featuring experts in developing your career identify through your stories, and the value of career conversations.
This Wednesday’s Career Buzz guests are experts in narratives at work, and writing as a transformative tool for career management. They’ll share highlights of their transformation-through-writing model which features a four step process: sensing, sifting, focusing, understanding. Frans Meijers, PhD will tell you about his research showing career dialogue as a central part of any powerful environment for career learning. Narrative career approaches are also brought to life in university level courses designed and led by both Frans and our other guest, writer, poet and visiting professor Reinekke Lengelle. They’ll talk about the courses that explore life and career themes through writing, conversation, and their work on “career construction” stories.
Reinekke Lengelle, is a writer, poet, and visiting graduate professor at Athabasca University in Alberta. She designs and teaches graduate courses in the area of writing for personal and professional development. Her co-written article about Narratives at Work with Frans Meijers, was recently published in the British Journal of Career Guidance and Counselling.
Frans Meijers, PhD, is a top researcher in the area of career guidance in the Netherlands. He’s also professor of pedagogy and career development at the University of The Hague. His research shows that career learning takes place as a result of experiential learning and a dialogue about those experiences. This finding has led Frans to develop professional training programs for teachers in how to have true career conversations.
Tune in, learn, enjoy, and send your questions by email as you listen in on these two experts. Career Buzz is on Wednesday May 9, 11am-noon Eastern, listen live from your computer at ciut.fm or tune to 89.5 FM in Toronto.
Sparks from April 25 when Career Buzz explored volunteering to develop your career.
Michael Gustar of Volunteer Hamilton gave an example about using volunteering to for career planning. “We had a student who really wanted to be a veterinarian. She volunteered in an animal hospital and very quickly found out there’s no way she’d be a vet. The reason was she was so passionate and loved being around animals so much that she couldn’t stand being around the pain aspect. So she worked in social services and worked with the human animal instead.” Michael elaborated on the value of volunteering: “Volunteering can be a huge assist on the career path. It can help you hone skills, learn new skills, practice skills. It can help you in networking and finding out where the opportunities lay, and it can help you know where you don’t want to go.”
CareerCycles Tip: Try this short five step experience to milk your volunteer experiences to help you make career and life choices. 1) Think of one of your volunteer activities. 2) Write two qualities of the experience you liked. 3) Write two qualities you didn’t like, and for each one, name what you know you want now because of what you didn’t like, e.g. ‘didn’t like boring tasks, know now I want more challenging tasks.’ 4) Write two skills you enjoyed using. 5) Look at the four desires and two skills and ask yourself: What can I do in my career and life to live these six elements? Contact your local volunteer organization to find more opportunities, e.g. http://www.volunteertoronto.ca/ Listen to the whole interview featuring Heather McDonald of Toronto Cyclists Union, and Shawn Kelly.
Volunteer to be a millionaire ~ What can you learn from cherry blossoms?
April 25, 2012
Michael Gustar was a probationary officer until he went back to college to study volunteer management, got a job at the humane society, and then his career “went to the dogs!” Now as the Manager of Agency and Volunteer Resources at Volunteer Hamilton he’ll share stories of how he helps thousands of people connect to meaningful volunteer opportunities.
When Shawn Kelly retired at age 47 after 30 years working at Stelco, he ramped up his own volunteer activities and now advocates and presents on the value of volunteering to develop your career. Shawn says volunteer opportunities can transform your resume “from blah to amazing.” He’ll share insights from his forthcoming book, “Volunteer to Be a Millionaire.”
As a volunteer president and chair of the Toronto Cyclists Union, Heather McDonald will share with listeners all about her skill-building and career-enhancing experiences. Inspire your life, empower your career, enrich your week. Career Buzz is on Wednesday, April 25, 11am-noon Eastern, 89.5 FM in Toronto or online http://ciut.fm/index.php/about/listen-live/.
Sparks from Career Buzz of April 11
Youth unemployment was the topic, and recent grad Peter Donnan joined us to talk about his unpaid internship and how by making himself indispensible, he got an offer for a full time job. CBC radio producer Neil Sandell has been studying the problem of youth unemployment, and he highlighted for listeners that there are 200,000 fewer jobs for youth in Canada now compared to before the recession. “We need to encourage a culture of great internships,” he said. Listen to the whole interview.
CareerCycles Tip: If you’re a recent grad, or know one, take in Peter Donnan’s advice: “It’s never too early to start looking for your career.” Neil Sandell suggested that it’s better to take something than nothing. Sure you can be fussy and have high expectations, but, Neil said, “you never know from the outside what a job is going to be like, and you never know what kind of learning you’ll acquire. You don’t know where [a job] is going to lead.” Listen to our inspiring archived interviews.
When is a good time to write the next chapter in your career and life story?
It’s spring and the cycles of nature show us it’s a time for renewal. The natural world is reviving, flowers blossoms, trees bud, and your career and life can be aligned with this powerful cycle. Check out this short video linking career and life choices to spring’s inspiration. Easter celebrates the renewal STORY of resurrection, which happened when Jesus was 33 years old. Some call this the JESUS YEAR — a time to clarify what you want in your career and life. Here’s the thinking: If Jesus could be credited for all that was accomplished in his life by 33, then anyone approaching that age might want to assess where they’re at and what they want to do next. But how to answer, “What next?” Sidestep those silly career tests, and instead draw on the power of YOUR STORY – it holds all the clues you need.
What do you think about the Jesus Year? How are your being inspired this spring? Leave a comment!
The ‘quiet disaster’ of youth unemployment
Apr 11, 2012
How can we avert the ‘quiet disaster’ of youth unemployment?
On Wednesday, April 11th, Career Buzz offered an engaging hour of radio featuring Senior CBC Radio Producer Neil Sandell on what he’s learning in a year focused on youth unemployment.
In Canada, youth unemployment is about twice as high as the national average. In Ireland, Italy, and Spain, youth unemployment hovers at 40%. Twenty-somethings, some with multiple degrees, are searching for work in their field one and even two years after graduating. Those with only secondary education are falling further behind. Why is this happening? What can be done?
“Long term unemployment and underemployment among young adults represents a profound squandering of talent, education, and creative energy,” says Neil Sandell, Senior CBC Radio Producer, winner of an Atkinson Foundation award focusing on youth unemployment. “It is dispiriting for the individual. For society, it is a quiet disaster.” Neil has been examining the causes of unemployment among young adults and investigating solutions to the problem that “frustrates young adults and confounds their parents.” He shared stories about what he’s found to be effective programs and best practices to address the issue. Neil’s professional home has been the CBC for more than 25 years. Based in Toronto, he has worked on As It Happens, Quirk n Quarks, IDEAS, and Outfront.
We also heard from young adults in their own words. Peter Donnan graduated in 2011 with a major in psychology from Queen’s University, found an unpaid internship, then was offered a full time position with the company after they realized he was looking for work elsewhere. Michael Panos just found a great job with the help of Youth Employment Services (YES), after leaving university.
Nancy Schaefer, President of Youth Employment Services and Author of Good WORK!, also joined us and helped us understand all the different kinds of people we’re talking about when we use the word “youth,” and what her organization is doing to support them.
SPARKs from Career Buzz on March 28: When is a good time to look for a job? “Yesterday,” said Recruiter Jack Nodel of AReS Staffing. Always keep your eyes open for “strong opportunities that feel correct to you and offer you fulfillment in all areas. It should be an ongoing process.” Jack emphasized the importance of people-to-people connections. “Living that life of building good relationships, referring good people to other people, will lead you into the referrals you’re looking for. When you refer John to Michelle and you open that connection… I’ve learned in my life and career that those investments will be your most fruitful, and those investments will make much more of a difference than hitting the send button on a web-based [job site] that will give you a couple seconds of hope.” Listen to the whole interview
CareerCycles Tip: Be on the lookout over the next few days for an opportunity to introduce two people in your network who should know each other. Make that connection, by email or social media or in conversation. Then stay open to the positive clues you’ll notice.
Inspire your life, empower your career, enrich your week. Join us on WEDNESDAYs 11am-noon at 89.5 FM or www.ciut.fm Listen to our inspiring past shows
Make the connection. Contact Jennifer Mackey, Client Service & Office Manager, at 416 465 9222 or at service@careercycles.com for an initial career conversation. Remember, a referral is sending someone you care about to someone you respect. Please don’t keep us a secret.
Tips on When to Look for a Job & Supporting Healthy Work Culture
Mar 28, 2012
When is it best to look for a job? And, what does it mean to support a healthy work culture?
On Wednesday, March 28th, Career Buzz offered an engaging hour of radio featuring career management tips from a recruiter as well as a founder of a wellness in the workplace magazine.
Always interested in creative marketing frameworks, Jack Nodel now applies his marketing and relationship building skills as Managing Partner of Ares Staffing, a recruiting company. Transforming his undergrad sociology degree and early career experience as a DJ, Jack moved into recruiting, where his skills have helped the company stay resilient during the ups and downs of business cycles. We joined Jack on-air as we explored his career story, and got tips on job compatibility, when to look for a job, and career management.
When Vera Asanin founded Your Workplace, she “created an environment where every person working with [her] would know that the day they created was totally within their control.” As President & CEO of the magazine devoted to wellness, leadership, and supporting healthy work culture in Canada, Vera started Your Workplace as her way of making a difference. “I was fortunate to have had so many positive work experiences before my accident. After two years on disability, I was willing to do anything to have purpose again.” Vera’s story of calm creativity, courage, and resilience through adversity is especially inspiring.
Karen Richardson is an editor, writer, and blogger with a focus on digital media, for Canadian newspapers and magazines including Medical Post, Chatelaine, and most recently as Associate Editor for Your Workplace. Karen’s career story includes chapters in communications, production, publication management, and copy editing.
Career Buzz listeners qualify for a $200 discount on registration for the Your Workplace Conference, coming up on April 18th, 2012. Use discount code ciut895.
SPARKs from Career Buzz on March 14: Career management expert Deirdre Pickerell of Life Strategies shared with listeners the four factors of her employee engagement model. In conversation, we acknowledged that many companies are now conducting employee engagement surveys, but, Deirdre said, “Don’t survey if you’re not going to do something with the results.” Great advice! I love asking guests to tell listeners about the strengths they use to be successful. Let’s call it ‘strengths in their own words.’ Roberta Neault said her strengths are “resilience, constant optimism, and quick thinking.” When I asked economist Todd Hirsch about his strengths, he said, “I used to think I was more of a charts and graphs guy, but my main skill is in communication, both written and verbal.” As a well-respected presenter and media expert, Todd has clearly differentiated himself with his unique combination of strengths.
CareerCycles Tip: Name three of your strengths in your own words that you use to be successful in your career and life – feel free to borrow Roberta’s and Todd’s strengths, or use them for inspiration. Write them in an email and send them to yourself! Listen to the whole interview
Thinking about self-employment as a career possibility? Contact us about CareerCycles’ new Exploring Self-Employment Program. Get started with our weekly FREE TeleWorkshop Or, contact us to schedule your initial Exploratory Consultation and the fee is credited toward your career program of 5+ sessions.
Thanks to all of you who asked about our recent ‘Enriching Lives & Careers Trip to Nicaragua.’ It was truly enriching for our group of eight, and the highlight was the moving ceremony when the construction site of the house we built in 2 1/2 days became the home of a young family. Stay tuned for the video in the next issue of SPARK.
Inspire your life, empower your career, enrich your week. Join us on WEDNESDAYs 11am-noon at 89.5 FM or www.ciut.fm Listen to our inspiring past shows
Make the connection. Contact Jennifer Mackey, Client Service & Office Manager, at 416 465 9222 or at service@careercycles.com for a career conversation. Remember, a referral is sending someone you care about to someone you respect. Please don’t keep us a secret.
Career Management Impact on Employee Engagement & Career Flow
Mar 14, 2012
How does career management impact on employee engagement? And, what is career flow?
On March 14, Career Buzz offered you an engaging hour of radio, featuring experts in the career management aspect of employee engagement, career flow, and how careers impact the economy.
It’s great when you get to connect with people you admire. I’ve long admired the innovative approaches to career management demonstrated by Deirdre Pickerell and Dr. Roberta Neault, at Life Strategies in the Vancouver area. Deirdre is currently completing her PhD in Organizational Systems, where her research interest is the impact of career management on employee engagement, a fascinating topic. She talked about her new model of Employee Engagement. Roberta has been a leading light in the career field, with her courses, webinars, books, articles and journal editing, and I’ve personally learned a lot from her. We talked about her latest book, co-authored with Spencer Niles and Norm Amundson: Career Flow: A Hope-Centred Approach to Career Development
When I read Todd Hirsch’s article in the Globe and Mail on the impact of careers on the economy I knew I had to talk to him. After speaking on the phone about his work tracking current developments in North America’s economy, and the link to careers and the economy, I invited him onto Career Buzz. So it was with much anticipation that I got to connect with Todd, Deirdre, Roberta, and our listeners, on Career Buzz this week.
Sparks from Feb. 22 when Career Buzz explored accessing employment through education.
Jo Petite, a social worker and faculty member in the Redirection through Education program at George Brown College, shared her perspective on equity and access in employment. “Education and employment are social determinants of health,” Jo said. ”We become healthier by having meaningful employment. We become more fulfilled in our lives and more self-actualized. Mental health is on a continuum, and all of us are going to become healthier, happy people if we have employment that means something to us, and I’ve experienced that myself.” Listen to the whole interview
CareerCycles Tip: Take a moment today to consider this… If, for the most part, you’re healthy, physically and mentally, how much does your education and employment contribute to your ongoing health? How healthy would you be if you didn’t have your education and employment? Read the first paragraph of the World Health Org’s definition of mental health.
Thinking about self-employment as a career possibility? Contact us about CareerCycles’ new Exploring Self-Employment Program. Get started with our weekly FREE TeleWorkshop Or, contact us to schedule your initial Exploratory Consultation and the fee is credited toward your career program of 5+ sessions. And, check out this FREE Seminar on Alternative Careers in Franchise Ownership on March 27, 6.30pm with our alliance partners at FranNet.
Thanks to all of you who asked about our recent ‘Enriching Lives & Careers Trip to Nicaragua.’ It was truly enriching for our group of eight, and the highlight was the moving ceremony when the construction site of the house we built in 2 1/2 days became the home of a young family. Stay tuned for the video in the next issue of SPARK.
Inspire your life, empower your career, enrich your week. Join us on WEDNESDAYs 11am-noon at 89.5 FM or www.ciut.fm Listen to our inspiring past shows
Make the connection. Contact 416 465 9222 or service@careercycles.com Remember, a referral is sending someone you care about to someone you respect. Please don’t keep us a secret.
What can you learn from the edge of town to enrich your career and life?
Interesting people, unusual sights, sounds and smells, and serendipitous experiences show up in the transitional area between city and countryside. See for yourself in this short video we made last week on the outskirts of a town in Nicaragua, when we were leading the CareerCycles ‘enriching lives and careers trip.’
Metaphorically, the edge of town is linked with career and life changes:
- City / TRANSITIONAL AREA / Countyside
- Comfort zone / LEARNING ZONE / Anxiety zone
- Ending, Losing, Letting go / NEUTRAL ZONE / New beginning
For those of us who live in cities, as we leave town, we often feel a sense of relaxation and relief from the busy-ness of our lives to the calming effect of the countryside.
In our careers and lives, we often rest in the comfort zone of what we know and who we know. For sure, pushing ourselves too far can land us in an anxiety zone. In between lies the learning zone, where we’re stretching ourselves and learning to redeploy, adapt, grow and in so doing, enrich ourselves. For example, speaking in public to a large audience can land us in the anxiety zone, but taking the initiative to lead a small group discussion or meeting can be a great learning experience.
Similarly, when making a change in our careers or lives we move from ending to new beginning through a neutral zone, according to William Bridges’ model. Whether we choose the career chapter ending or it has been imposed upon us, this experience can be emotionally painful. Before moving on to a new beginning, it’s important to realize we enter a neutral zone, which can be rich in clues for our next steps. In the neutral zone, like at the edge of town, clues appear. What can you learn from people you meet? What are the unusual sights and sounds – signs on office buildings, stories in the news – that might help you explore next steps?
Leave a comment! What do you like about the video? What are your transitional area, neutral zone or learning zone experiences?
-Mark Franklin www.careercycles.com
From Despair & Exclusion to Accessing Employment through Education
Feb 22, 2012
How can education move you from despair & exclusion to accessing employment & career happiness?
In this Feb. 22 edition of Career Buzz, we explore three stories of the zigzagging paths to employment and career happiness among people who’ve experienced mental health challenges, leading up to George Brown College’s Mental Health Conference, “From Exclusion to Inclusion: Accessing Employment Through Education,” on March 1.
Theresa Schrader is the Community Poverty Relief Associate at Ve’ahavta. She runs a program for individuals who have been homeless and marginalized, giving them an opportunity to seek education as a sustainable way out of poverty. Theresa uses years of lived experience with homelessness, addiction, and mental illness to help others make positive change in their lives.
David Reville, a psychiatric survivor and consultant on mental health policy, teaches at Ryerson University in the Disability Studies program. He’s been a community activist, a plumbing contractor, a Toronto City Councillor, a Member of Provincial Parliament, and Special Advisor to the Premier. David shares his own mental health story of an interrupted education and a long period of poverty and despair related to difficulties in getting and keeping jobs.
Jo Petite is a social worker and faculty member in the Redirection through Education program at George Brown College. She teaches and develops curriculum in the area of workplace/career support and development. Her focus is on equity and access in employment.
Sparks from Feb. 8, when Career Buzz went Cycling Toward Happiness Listen to the whole interview Jared Kolb talked about the strengths he draws on to be successful in his job as Director of Membership and Outreach with the Toronto Cyclists Union. He described his role as community building, and to be good at it he said, “I’m a good listener and good at interacting with people, and I use these strengths as a basis for growing the organization.” I liked the way Jared was able to align the intention of his job with his own strengths.
CareerCycles Tip: When talking about your job or career, borrow Jared’s way of talking to align your strengths with organizational goals. If someone at work or at a gathering asks what you do, you might say, “I’m good at _____ and ____, and I use these strengths as a basis for [insert intention here].
Cycling Toward Career Happiness
Feb 8, 2012
How can a demonstrated interest lead to career happiness?
In this Feb. 8 edition of Career Buzz, we explore one demonstrated interest, in cycling, and how it has led to satisfying careers in the lives of our five guests…
Cycling has always been a part of Kristin Schwartz’s life. Her career story led to her current Cycling Outreach Coordinator position at CultureLink matching newcomers with Toronto cyclists, after years working jobs in media and communications. Hear Kristin’s cycle through paid and volunteer work toward a job she loves.
Darren Duke says he has the best job he’s ever had, as The Learning Enrichment Foundation’s Manager of Bixi Repair. Hear Darren’s spin through employment gigs in retail, family business, distribution, maintaining spin class bikes, and teaching.
As the Bike Educator with Evergreen, Shah Mohamed teaches safety cycling to kids. Tune in for Shah’s career path through a degree in neuroscience to volunteering in the bike community to teaching and health promotion.
Vivien Leong is the Welcome Cyclists Network Manager at Transportation Options, a non-profit dedicated to fostering sustainable travel and tourism. Join us to take a spin through Vivien’s career including stints in publishing, film festivals, editing, research, followed by graduate studies on bicycling as a sustainable transportation mode.
As Toronto Cyclists Union’s Director of Membership and Outreach, Jared Kolb leads membership growth, manages Bike Valet and Tune-Up Tuesdays, and coordinated the Bicycle Service Station. Gear up for Jared’s career story from co-chair of the Halifax Cycling Coalition to the College of Sustainability at Dalhousie University and his own cross-Canada cycling expedition.
SPARKS from Jan. 18 Career Buzz with award-winning advertising and marketing expert, Terry O’Reilly, author of “The Age of Persuasion: How Marketing Ate Our Culture,” and host of “Under the Influence” on national CBC radio. Listen to the whole interview!
A key turning point happened when Terry O’Reilly had five years under his belt but was still considered green. “One day I put my hand up in [an important client] meeting and said, ‘I feel differently, and let me take you through my thinking.’ The creative director looked at me… and… said… ‘I agree.’ And the whole room switched around to my point of view. In that moment, my career changed. I was given incredible opportunities by the creative director. It was the first time I had the courage to listen to my inner voice.”
CareerCycles Tip: Notice that Terry didn’t just disagree, he was able to take people through his thinking. So, next time that moment arrives for you, at work or anywhere else, and you want to speak up and be heard, think about Terry’s story.
Terry O’Reilly is also a Hiring Manager as Co-Founder of Pirate Radio & Television, a creative audio production company. Pirate has a staff of 50, with 8 recording studios in Toronto and New York City. When I asked him what attracts his attention when it comes to hiring, he said, “I love a beautifully written letter that really states someone’s point of view in a fresh and compelling way. I want to hear, ‘Dear Terry, I want to tell you a story…’ and then take me somewhere. At the end of that letter my reaction is, ‘Get this kid in tomorrow.’ And that’s happened.” For the record, Terry reads the cover letter before looking at a resume.
CareerCycles Tip: Invest the time to write a “beautiful letter” next time you reach out to a prospective employer. Terry also likes a handwritten letter, delivered by snail mail. He “would rip it open immediately, you never get that anymore.”
Inspire your life, empower your career, enrich your week!
Join us WEDNESDAYS 11am-noon at 89.5 FM or www.ciut.fm Listen to our inspiring past shows!
Under the Influence of Terry O’Reilly
Jan 18, 2012
Terry O’Reilly says ‘embrace the obstacle!’
What can you do better to communicate your own story and harness “The Power Of Storytelling”?
What can the career field learn to shape up its image and market itself better?
Why do clients and customers have to feel, not just understand?
And as always on Career Buzz, you get the story behind the story and hear the key turning points in Terry’s own career.
Terry O’Reilly co-founded Pirate Radio & Television, a creative audio production company, in 1990. Pirate has a staff of 50, with 8 recording studios in Toronto and New York City. Terry has won a few hundred national and international awards for writing and directing. He hosts sold-out creative radio seminars, and was named Canadian judge for the inaugural year of Radio at the Cannes Advertising Festival in France.
Inspire your life, empower your career, enrich your week. Join us WEDNESDAY’s 11am-noon at 89.5FM or www.ciut.fm.
Listen to our inspiring past shows.
CareerCycles tip from the Jan 11 show… Look at professional services to help you develop your career for the future as an “investment,” rather than a “cost.” Hear Canadian Career Development Foundation co-executive directors, Lynne Bezanson and Sareena Hopkins talk about the need for clearer and more effective language when talking about careers and career development. This was a key topic of CCDF’s participation at a recent International Symposium on Career Development and Public Policy in Budapest. Hear the whole interview.
Looking for an active and meaningful way to spend a week in the sun? CareerCycles and Companeros present…Enriching lives and careers trip to Nicaragua, Feb. 23 – March 2. Build a transitional house alongside the family that will live there and local skilled tradespeople hired with your program fees.
Strengthen your career in 2012 and beyond with a revolutionary tool for career management, the Career Statement. Read more… Get started with our weekly free teleworkshop Or, contact us to schedule your initial exploratory consultation and the fee is credited toward your career program. Make the connection. Contact 416-465-9222 or service@careercycles.com.
Attending Cannexus national career conference in Ottawa? CareerCycles presents, “Methods in our madness! Benefits of a clear method-of-practice” Tues., Jan. 24, 1pm. Visit us in the exhibitor hall!
Remember, a referral is sending someone you care about to someone you respect. Please don’t keep us a secret.
