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Tag: future

  • The Worst Ten Words to Stress Over

    The Worst Ten Words to Stress Over

    “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

    To some people, that is the worst combination of ten words in the English language. The question never really stops being asked, not even in adulthood: it simply changes form. “Where do you see yourself in ten years?” is the adult version, and it will haunt you forever if you let it. The key phrase there is “let it,” because you do have a choice.

    Many kids believe that adults have it all figured out: doctors are doctors because they were basically born as such, and teachers knew that they’d be teachers as soon as they started school. But as we transcend adolescence, we realize that our adult selves are simply our adolescent selves with more responsibility. We are who we are and it’s important not to ignore that by arbitrarily picking a career because it simply sounds good. Rather, we should find out what we like to spend time doing, and work from there to find a way to make a living doing it.

    You don’t need to decide exactly what you want to do, or to be. It’s interesting that we so often use the verb “to be” when describing a particular career, because you aren’t your career; you’re a person. You have a whole host of likes and dislikes, and a personality that isn’t restricted to whatever job you decide to choose. Finding out what these likes and dislikes are will help you figure out what skills you should develop so that your occupational choices are left open.

    What do you enjoy spending time doing? Make a list. Many people do this backwards; they pick a job, and then try to develop the skills they need to do it. Instead, make another list of things you’re good at. Are you patient with kids? Good with animals? Do you write really well, or sing, or dance, or act? Maybe you’re a math or computer whiz, or you spend your free time conducting science experiments. Whatever it is, write it down. These lists will help you come up with another list of jobs you might like to do.

    Don’t forget that once you’ve found a job you like, and you’re doing it – you’re an “adult” – you aren’t locked in. You might work a whole host of jobs for different companies before you find one that you really love – or, you might find that you really love changing jobs every few years. Regardless, practice cultivating your skills and developing your strengths so that you’re prepared for the family of jobs that really is right for you.

  • Allow Yourself to Dream

    Allow Yourself to Dream

    Life can be hard. Sometimes things can go so wrong that it seems like they’ll never be right again. It is in those moments that we may lose hope, that we may cease looking at the glass as half full and silently wonder to ourselves how long it will take before it is completely empty. It is in those moments that many of us stop dreaming, we lose momentum and stop looking forward to the things that make life worth living. Losing sight of our hopes and dreams is akin to losing parts of ourselves.

    When we were kids we all wanted to grow up to be something that we thought was great. We dreamed big, did what we wanted and spoke loudly and no one could tell us that our crazy dreams and plans to execute them didn’t make any sense. You know why; because those dreams belonged to us, they defined us, molded us into the kids that we were, the teenagers we became and oftentimes into the young adults that we are now. Whatever dreams we chose to believe in, became our reality. It was the driving force of our existence and nothing could have made us happier, well, except for a lot of chocolate and candy. For most of us, as we became teenagers we lost that carefree dreaming; responsibilities become a thing of reality that imposed itself upon our world – school, siblings, parents, part-time jobs, relationships; for many of us things became overwhelming.

    When our lives starts to spin out of our control that is when our dreams take on a crucial role. The act of dreaming or, as I like to call it, “envisioning a positive change”, becomes a tool for metamorphosis. All great feats in live began with a dream. Professional coaches know a thing or two about the power of dreaming, in fact, many coaches tell their players to envision their win. A player who continuously dreams about success is more likely obtain it. This method of dreaming success into reality can apply to all aspects of our lives. Getting that grade, job, apartment, acceptance into that school are all possible when we allow ourselves to dream and put in the necessary work towards making that dream a reality.

    Aside from being able to accomplish our goals, the act of dreaming can have a positive and immediate effect on a person both physically and mentally. Good dreams can cause the body to relax, oftentimes increasing our ability to think more clearly. Our levels of stress can be reduced resulting in peace of mind. Short term patterns of dreams and success can lead to increased confidence and risk taking which propels long term patterns of dreams and success leading us to happier and oftentimes healthier lives.

    So the next life throws you a curve ball and you feel like your dreams are a waste of time, remember that all great feats began with one.

  • What Is High School Really Like?

    What Is High School Really Like?

    For anyone starting high school, it can be an intimidating time. You’re suddenly in an environment where you’re not always surrounded by familiar faces and you have a lot more freedom. But not to worry – high school is one the best and most memorable times of your life.

    High school is the perfect opportunity to explore, meet new friends, figure out your interests and to figure out what you want to do as a career.

    Meeting New Friends
    If you’re starting high school with friends you already know from elementary school, try not to limit yourself to that clique. We all see the typical cliques in teen movies. The jocks, the cheerleaders, the nerds…but reality is not really like that. You can be a “jock” who is into academics or be an academic who is into sports. So be open to meeting new people. How do you go about doing this? You can meet new people in your classes. You will eventually have to work in preassigned groups on projects in classes, so this is the perfect time to get out of your comfort zone and get to know new people as you may be spending a lot of time together outside of class time. Take advantage of that time together; you may find you have a lot in common with them. You can also meet new people by joining clubs, extracurricular activities, joining sports teams and attending social events like dances and pep rallies.

    What are Your Interests?
    Maybe you weren’t as athletic in your elementary school but now you want to try out for the soccer or basketball team. It’s a great way to stay active and of course to meet new people that have similar interests as you. Maybe you’ve always been interested in music or pursuing acting. Join the school choir or drama club. Maybe you want to run for the school election or join a committee – it’s a great way to hone your leadership skills! Also, the best part about high school is that you can pick a lot of your own courses that you can choose based on your interests like Art, Drama, Music, Creative Writing and Media Studies, just to name a few.

    Choosing Your Career
    High school is the time to figure out what you want to take in your post-secondary education and to figure out what career path to take. Through your courses, you will figure out what your strengths are and what you’re most interested in. You have a lot of resources available to you to help figure out what you want to do. Teachers and guidance counselors can help guide you to the right path and assist you in the necessary steps to get there. Volunteer hours are now mandatory requirement for high school, so this is the perfect time to work in a field of your interest and to gain first-hand experience in your chosen industry. This experience also looks great on a resume if you’re looking to apply to a job. Maybe you want to become a teacher so you can volunteer at a school. You will gain valuable skills that you can use in the future.

    Your Social Life
    School is not all about work. You need to have some fun, and it’s all about balance. Take advantage of the social aspect of high school. Go to school trips, dances, and parties. You will most likely make friendships that will last a lifetime so take advantage of these opportunities. High school will go by in a flash, but these years will be the ones that you will always remember.

  • Working In the Trades

    Working In the Trades

    When considering working in the trades, there are a few important questions to ask.

    Firstly, you should find out how much the job pays. Thinking this may make it may feel that you are only looking to make money, but the reality is that, at some point in your life, your parents will not be there to pay the bills for you and you will have to step up to the plate and pay for your lifestyle. Whether you are a “stick-to-basics” kind of person or a “lavish lifestyle” kind of person, you will need to pay for your life and so you will need to make enough money to feel comfortable.

    There is a realistic way to evaluate how much money will really be enough for you. I suggest creating a budget for yourself to identify exactly how much money you spend on the various aspects of your life. You could try tabulating a spreadsheet and counting up all the different aspects of your life that cost money, including the major categories like rent, food, clothing, hygiene products (like shampoo, toothpaste, etc.), entertainment (movies, cable TV connection), school tuition and so on. Once you’ve identified how much money you expend each month, you can multiply that by twelve to find out how much you need per year.  This should give you a good idea of how much you NEED to make per year, and from there you can evaluate what you WANT to make per year. Factor in long-term goals, like buying a car or a house.

    Secondly, you will want to evaluate what type of work interests you. Do you like physical work like what is demanded in plumbing and carpentry, or do you prefer to work in an area more focused on being indoors (like a job peripherally related to the trades, such as being a sales manager or receptionist)?  Knowing what the requirements are for the career you are looking at doing for the rest of your life is essential, because you will spend so much of your time doing this work; It is important to love it.

    Thirdly, it is important to consider what resources are available to you to help you get yourself the job you want. Sometimes a job may seem great in your mind, but the potential for landing a job in that field can be difficult. A current example of this conundrum is teaching, where there are very few teaching positions available that are full time and permanent. Looking into volunteer, internship and permanent positions available in your is great way to do some research and prepare yourself for working in your chosen field.

    Thinking about the above three factors should help you to identify what career in the trades is best suited for you. Good luck!

  • Are You Supposed to Pick Just One Career When You Grow Up?

    Are You Supposed to Pick Just One Career When You Grow Up?

    As you enter the world of responsibility, you will be facing many challenges and questions that will have you wondering what exactly it is that you are supposed to do when you grow up. This can leave some wondering whether they need to have a perfect career path already planned out or if they can experiment a little bit and see what feels like a fit. There are many different paths to success and sometimes it takes people a little longer to find what is right for them. This is natural and normal and is a result of the questions and challenges that individuals face along their life’s path.

    When looking at what type of career path you want to pursue, having an idea of what subjects you are good at and can get good marks in is important. This will help you to determine what your natural skills are and will lead you on the path to having a job that you love. Maybe you do really well in your science classes and will follow the path towards a career that involves science in some way. If you excel in sports, you might dream of becoming a professional athlete or even teaching sports and fitness to others. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to choose a career right now – just follow your heart and it will take you where you need to be.

    Know that you are not alone, and seek to get the answers you want about different jobs you see people doing. But above all, have fun and you will find that your career path will open up before you!

  • Five Biggest Trends in the Job Market

    Five Biggest Trends in the Job Market

    Aging Baby Boomers
    The largest demographic group in Canada is heading for retirement. Of course, this will mean something very different for many Baby Boomers than for older generations. Boomers have maintained their health and stayed in the job market longer than any other generation of citizens in our country’s history.

    As they grow older, Baby Boomers will require more frequent, specialized medical care. They will also want to maintain connections with careers and family for as long as possible. Therefore, expect to see continued growth in fields that cater to their wishes. Growing teams of social workers and nurses will help care for the needs of these Boomers.

    Better Medicine
    The high output of the pharmaceutical industry, combined with constant innovation in the rest of the medical field, helps us live longer, more productive lives. New treatments for previously fatal diseases require new approaches for rehabilitation. Likewise, many adults expect to work far beyond the traditional retirement age. Therefore, patients demand a new generation of physical therapists and other specialists to help prolong their quality of life.
    Child Care
    As today’s parents demand higher quality from their child care providers, the marketplace has responded with a variety of programs to help meet parents’ needs. The explosive growth of pre-kindergarten educational programs call for highly trained educators who command more competitive salaries than their predecessors. Therefore, especially in major cities, the cost of caring for young children has skyrocketed. As a result, early childhood education has become a more lucrative and more stable profession than ever before. Though it has traditionally been a low-paying job, child care specialists today can expect to earn far more money today than peers who entered the field even a few years ago.
    Rapid Technology Growth
    Despite fears that many companies look overseas for development of new technology, the rapid advancement of ideas and the need for constant upgrades assures technology professionals of consistent job security over the next ten years. Businesses of all kinds have found themselves locked into the equivalent of an arms race with their competitors. Companies must provide their teams with the best equipment and resources, or face defeat.

    Likewise, continual innovation assures technology workers that new machines, cables, and other equipment will have to be installed every few years. Even Internet infrastructure, which was designed to provide nearly limitless connections, is being overhauled to accommodate a previously unimaginable number of new devices. Therefore, IT professionals who specialize in networking installation, and support will remain in demand as more businesses rely on new technology to help them compete.

    Distributed Work
    The giant factories and smokestacks of a hundred years ago are fading into the pages of history books. Many of today’s workers report for duty at smaller offices or manufacturing plants, connected by information networks and sophisticated shipping infrastructure.

    A growing number of employees, especially specialized consultants and leaders, divide their time among multiple locations at companies or client organizations. This trend has led to the use of “hot desking,” where workers report to a different workstation at the start of each shift, instead of keeping their own desk or cubicle. Many workers telecommute, allowing them to reinvest time spent commuting into more productive work or family time.

    As a side effect, more workers are relocating to larger homes, farther away from city centers. Whether they want to enjoy more peaceful surroundings or they simply want to reconnect with family or friends, these shifting workers create demand for home construction, renovation, and infrastructure development.

  • Discover What You Love To Do

    Discover What You Love To Do

    Do what you love. You’ve probably already heard this advice plenty of times before. But what if you don’t know what you love doing? What if the question, “what do you love to do?” results in a blank stare on your face? Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. There are a lot of people (young and old) who don’t know what they love to do. The irony is that the answer is already within you. You just have to pay attention to the clues to find out what it is.

    Here is a little exercise which might help you gain some clarity on what you love doing or what your interests are. First, find a quiet spot away from all distractions. Turn off the TV, your phone and any other thing that could distract you when completing this exercise.

    Next, take out a blank sheet of paper and write the title Interests. Write down anything and everything you are interested in. For instance, if you are interested in bugs, write bugs. If you are interested in fashion, write fashion. If you are interested in plants, write plants. If you are stumped for things to write, try to think of activities you currently do which you completely get lost in — where time just seems to fly by! (The clock seems to be extra slow when doing activities you don’t enjoy!) For example, if you get completely absorbed fixing a car, then writing fixing cars as one of your interests. Or if you get completely engrossed baking a cake, then put down baking as one of you interests.

    Once you feel you have made a thorough list of your interests, look over the list you just wrote. Do you notice any similarities between the different items on your list? Does one interest seem to pop up several times on your list? If it helps, highlight similar interests in the same colour.

    Now, if you had to pick three interests from your list, which three would you choose? Be honest with yourself. Consider which things you truly enjoy. Could you see yourself doing one or more of these things for many years to come? Does this thought excite you or fill you with dread? If it fills you with excitement, then you know you are on the right track.

    Remember, do what you love. Those four words are the most important words to keep in mind when choosing a career path. If you choose a career path or job that involves something you love doing, you will be much happier and fulfilled than if you choose one in which you don’t. So discover what you love to do, and pursue a career path which reflects that. Good luck!

  • Taking A Year Off

    Taking A Year Off

    If You’re Not Ready, It’s OK

    Post-secondary education costs a lot of money and most students leave with a hefty debt to pay off as they start their professional careers. This debt is harder to deal with if a student chooses to leave their program or is forced to drop out.

    While continuing your education is a great way to guarantee future career success and open the door to higher paying jobs, not everyone is prepared to go immediately following high school.

    Many students experience nervousness as they try to plan for their future and choose an educational institution and program suited to their wants and future goals, but some students have greater concern and need more time to discover themselves and decide what they want from life before they enrol. 



    There is no harm in taking time off to ensure you take the program best suited to your wants and needs. Perhaps after taking a year off to work and reflect, you’ll take the program you thought you’d take in high school – but it’s still better to take the time and ensure you’re prepared to invest the effort needed for success.

    Some students take a year off and work to earn money to pay for their education. Others travel and develop worldly experience, while others upgrade a course or two. There are plenty of options available. Going to school for thirteen to fourteen years straight does not always allow time to reflect on future goals and fully explore the options available. Taking some needed time off, even short-term, can help afford those thoughts.

    Remember that taking a year off does not mean leaving forever. There are always opportunities to return to school. If you’re looking for time off but a year seems like too long, look into January or May-start programs to return to school in less time.