Do you feel like you have to make the hard bargain between doing work that pays the bills, and pursuing something that you would really like to do? Do you feel like you are in career handcuffs (even if they are golden)? How do you find something you can truly call your own? This week's podcast is with Jesse Brown, host of TVO's Search Engine and co-founder of Bitstrips a comic creation website. Bitstrips was recently chosen by The Ontario Ministry of Education to help over 2 million children improve their reading and writing skills through the creation of personal comics strips with their interactive website. Jesse has spent the last number of years trying out different roles with a variety of media organizations such as TVO and the CBC. Like many professionals his career has been very nonlinear. I thought that Jesse's career advice was very practical "find a little time to do the thing you love best, see how it goes. If it starts to work that is a good sign you are on the right path" Don't quit your day-job with the internet and flexible work situations, it has never been easier to moonlight from your home office and favorite coffee shop. This week think small, as in small steps towards what you really want to do. Sit back, relax and learn! 25mins
Your career is the greatest investment you can make in yourself. When you are happy in your job, you see positive results in everything around you, from finances to relationships to personal health. So why stay stuck in the current situation if it doesn't completely suit who you are inside? Get started
CareerJoy is taking a different approach than traditional mainstream career counseling... (the) in-depth analysis and honest assessment greatly helped in restoring my self-confidence, unraveling my assumptions and identifying my competitive advantage and value proposition in the job market.
Easy to use to identify your key strengths and find the right career for you!
Jesse Brown interview
I enjoyed this interview quite a bit. However, I think Mr. Brown's approach of doing a project here and there worked at least partly because 'hopscotch' is a typical characteristic of the journalism/media field. In other fields this may not work so well.
I am in the software field and recently left a job to give the world of freelancing a whirl. Conventional wisdom would say (like Mr. Brown) don't do this. Dabble on the side first. However, this assumes that you are working a nice 9 to 5 job where you actually have private time to invest in developing other areas of interest.
The software field is characterized by working long (often unpaid) extra hours. This was true for me. I worked evenings. I worked weekends. I could barely keep up with the maintenance of my house. Years sped by...
If you wait until you have time to dabble, the time may never come. Another thought: an acquaintenance of mine tried to get a business off the ground by working on it on the side. It failed and he attributed the failure to the fact that his attention was divided and he didn't fully commit to the enterprise.
Your Work
Dear Mr. Alan
I am Waiting every week from week to week just for Listening for all good idea you made
Great thanks, i hope every things good for you
Forward forever
Kindly regards
Hany
Always enjoy your
Always enjoy your conversations in podcasts, but the host. Alan, sometimes sounds too quiet, while the guest is too loud...Maybe sound engineering could fix that?
Thanks!
Thanks
Maja, we are working on our "sound" you should see some improvements over the next few weeks.
Thanks for your thoughts..