Kids, Creativity and Careers
When I lived in Vancouver I volunteered at the Writers’ Exchange. One time, I co-created some superawesome – and super educational – literacy programming for kids from East Vancouver during their Winter Holiday Break. The program content was career-related –…
Finding a Job is Just Like Dating
Around the world, career practitioners continually search for meaningful, engaging and inspiring metaphors that will, among other things, drive clients their way. Powerful metaphors also help people better understand their work search, too. (Friend and colleague) Kimberley Rawes and I…
Three Leadership Lessons from How Steve Nash Played Basketball
Steve Nash was inducted into the Hoops Hall of Fame last week. He is my favourite basketball player of all time and he’ll go down in history as a transcendent innovator of the sport in spite of never making it…
Five ways to bounce back from a failed job application
Most of us will probably apply for more positions than we get. You need to be prepared to deal with career disappointment from time to time. The farther along the application process you make it, the more it can sting…
10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Taking Paternity Leave
This is my second week back at work after about three months of parental – or paternity – leave. I’ll use the term “paternity leave” going forward because this is a story for dads, or soon-to-be-dads, who are thinking about…
Reflections from my Paternity Leave
This September I head back to work after a six month paternity leave. It’s been a great half a year full of plenty of morning snuggles, afternoon coffee meandering, rambunctious baby-time at the library, and more pool time than I…
Seven Tips for Thriving in the Gig Economy
The gig economy is where hundreds of millions of people around the world are making their living. Folks from Bangalore to Berlin to Burnaby are working as part-time consultants, contractors, designers, and temporary adders of value with countless other titles….
Three Reasons Why You Should Take Vacation Right Now
My wife just forwarded me an email from her organization’s Human Resources department that reads, “Don’t forget to take your vacation!” You’d think that things like this don’t require reminders, but Canadians aren’t great at having or taking vacation days….
Five professional lessons from Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction is an American neo-noir film chock full of crime, drugs, twisting, and jiving. It’s hip, happening and, while it dates back to 1994, there are plenty of professional lessons scattered between Vincent Vega’s (freaky) stabbing of Mia…
How to Walk Away from a Volunteer Role
Getting involved with amazing organizations is easy. Walking away from a volunteer commitment, particularly one in which you’ve played an important role, can be very difficult. Sometimes no matter how fulfilling and important the position is you’ll know it’s time…