“Amanda’s” parents want her to get a diploma in a subject she doesn’t enjoy because it will lead to a job.   

“Mohammed” is about to graduate and has no idea what he wants to do.  

“Sally” is trying to decide between Accounting and Finance. 

If this sounds like you, you are not alone. Our Career Counselling team has encountered all of these scenarios (and more) in their work at Sheridan. Figuring out one’s career path, discovering who you are, and exploring what’s possible in the world of work can be challenging and stressful.  In a recent study, 33 % of Canadian post-secondary students reported significant distress related to career concerns.
(Offet-Gratner & Huston, 2018) 

Making the effort with your career and life planning is time well spent. Direct evidence shows that career development supports personal wellness and good mental health and that being happy with one’s work life and career contributes directly to emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing 
(Chen, 2001; Redekopp& Huston, 2019)

If you are not able to articulate what you want or need career-wise while at Sheridan, we use a variety of professional resources to assist with career exploration and the decision-making process. 

These free resources include: 

•  Workshops and webinars such as “Discover You”;  

• Career assessments such as the Myers Briggs Type Indicator™ or the Strong Interest Inventory™;  

• Written exercises such as “Visioning a Preferred Future” or “Uncovering Guiding Values”  

To get started, you can refer to our numerous online resources located within our Career Planning modules below: 

If you’re at the point where you’re job searching or already employed, we’ve got some tips for you!  When it comes to job searching, whether you’re just starting out or have been searching for a while, the feeling of job searching can be daunting! Planning out your job search activities can support your wellness. On the opposite side, if you’re already working, remember that work-life balance is important to support your wellness too.  

To maintain your wellness while job searching or working, take a look at these 4 tips below: 

1. Plan out your job search goals:

Create a plan for yourself by developing a document to track your progress. Highlight things like the job you applied for, company name, job posting link, the date you applied, and next steps including whether you secured an interview or need to follow up.  

Ask yourself: how much time do you want to commit to job searching and how many jobs do you want to apply for each day? Set these goals for yourself. By tracking it all, it highlights the effort you’re putting in and can help you identify if you need to slow things down or speed things up!  

For different ways to track your job searching efforts, check out this helpful article:

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/organize-your-job-search-2060710 

2. Try different methods of job searching:

Did you know that a large percentage of jobs can be found in the hidden job market? “The hidden job market is a term used to describe jobs that aren't advertised or posted online.”
(The Balance Careers, 2020).  

Although you can apply for jobs online through job boards like Indeed, it’s helpful to tap into the hidden job market to see what you might come across! You can do this by networking online and connecting to professionals on sites like LinkedIn, attending virtual information or recruitment sessions, looking through companies’ social media platforms for people to connect with, and asking friends, family, or instructors for any job leads.  Check out our newest service partner Hire Up, and create a stand out video resume.

3. Learn more about the skills needed: 

A cause of work-related stress can be a feeling of not knowing if you have all the skills needed to perform the job successfully. Review your job description, your company’s goals, upcoming projects or initiatives, and even colleagues in the same role as you, and identify a list of skills that might be needed. From the list, ask yourself which skills you would like to improve on. Once you’ve identified these, visit sites like coursera.org to participate in free online training. Improving your skills can help reduce work-related stress and increase your wellness!  

Check out this article on developing your skill set to advance your career:

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-develop-your-skill-set 

4. Maintain work-life balance: 

Maintaining work-life balance can help reduce stress and support your wellness. This can include sticking to your work hours, not answering calls or emails after hours, and taking your scheduled breaks to stretch and recharge. It can be tempting to spend that extra hour to finish up that one last project… but sometimes, we need to step away from our work when the work day is done, and take time to ourselves!  

Separate your work life from your home life, and when you’re “off the clock”, prioritize things unrelated to work that are important to you!  

Ready for next steps?

If you still need career support, we’re here to help. Unsure of your career direction? Need help to prepare your resume or develop a job search strategy? 

Book a virtual appointment with Sheridan’s Career Counsellors or Employment Consultants by emailing careercentre@sheridancollege.ca or visiting careercentre.sheridancollege.ca 

This was written by Sheridan’s Career Counselling and Employment Consulting team in collaboration with your Sheridan Student Union and Sheridan Wellness and Counselling Services. 

how to find your next job!

Have you read our other blogs on how to support your wellness?

We've created a free bucket list for you to download! Check it out here where you'll find tips and activities that you can mark off as you work on the different categories of wellness. Here's what we've included in your bucket list: 

MORE WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR WELLNESS

References: 

1. Charles P. Chen. (2001) Career counselling as life career integration. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 53:4, 523-542, DOI: 10.1080/13636820100200175 

2. Offet-Gartner, K. & Huston, M. (2018). Career and Mental Health Interventions; Helping Students Navigate the Seas of Change. SEA CHANGE, 2018 Conference, Charlottetown, PEI. 

3. Redekopp, D. & Houston, M. (2020). Strengthening Mental Health Through Effective Career Development: A Practioner’s Guide. CERIC. ISBN: 978-1-988066-45-5. Downloadable copy at https://ceric.ca/publications/strengthening-mental-health-through-effective-career-development-a-practitioners-guide/  

4. Visioning a Preferred Future: Retrieved from  https://alis.alberta.ca/careerinsite/know-yourself/vision-exercise/ 

5. Doyle, Alison. (2020). The Balance Careers: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-the-hidden-job-market-2062004 

6. Indeed (2020). https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-develop-your-skill-set