kitchens and highway garbage clean up, consider volunteering somewhere you love. Volunteer at a place that’s a fit with your career ambitions. If you want to be a doc- tor, volunteer at a hospital. If you want to be an artist, volunteer at an art gallery. You may discover a new career path or change the road you’re headed along. Buy a new suit. Te clothes make the


man, and unfortunately in today’s society this expression rings too true. However, a new suit or smart blouse not only makes the world take a second look, but adds to your own self-assurance as you approach a prospective employer. Nothing gives confidence like clothes that fit well, and that confidence infects the people you encounter. Get on top of your finances. Lofty


Figure out what you want out of life so you can start setting goals that will take you there.


Jenny Ford S


pring is just around the corner. For many of us it’s a time to take a hard look at our career goals, and take a


few steps that can seriously get our lives moving in the right direction. SMART is here to help, with some useful career resolutions for 2011-12. Write your resumé. Resumés are like


socks. Many are worn, washed, then reused until they have holes. Tey may look dated, over-packed, or have their priorities out of whack. Have a friend or career advisor look over your resumé with fresh eyes. What’s their first impression? Have you really proved your skills? Chances are they may suggest some improvements, perhaps a new layout or a complete overhaul. Never reuse a cover letter. Everyone


dreads the cover letter. To some, it is the most awkward piece of writing they’ll ever attempt. Tat’s why most people at one point or another have created the master cover letter to reply to multiple job post- ings. Te truth is, employers can tell this is your one-size-fits-all cover letter. It looks


fake and it looks like you don’t care about the position. Make a pact with yourself not to reuse a cover letter this year. Tink about where you want to be in five


years. Tis is not about making a concrete life plan with timelines, dates, and names for your first-born child. Tis resolution is about dreaming; it’s about thinking what you really would like to do. Do you want to climb a mountain? Own a house? Have a hit single or your own business? Once you realize what you really want out of life, you can start setting goals to get there. Apply for a job somewhere other than


your hometown. Most of us talk about leaving “this crummy town” at some point, so why not try it out? Take a risk and apply for a job in another city, province or even country. Sure you may never get a call back, but the experience is exhilarating and could lead to some exciting opportunities. Volunteer. Tis advice probably plays in


your head like a broken record, but there’s a reason for that: this advice works. Now, before you conjure up images of soup


dreams and new suits are useless unless you have some money at your fingertips. Tere are plenty of easy ways to save and make a plan for covering tuition expenses or the move to a new city. Talk to your bank about loans and savings accounts so those aspirations can become a reality. Get people to talk about their career


experience. Tey’re tales of caution and tales of grandeur, but the people who’ve already walked your career path are the best ones to go to for advice on how to succeed. Sure, you’ll still have to make your own mistakes, but if you speak to someone whose career you admire, you’re sure to gain a new perspective on what that career entails, and get the names and email addresses of people you should meet. Visit a career advisor. Interviews,


resumés, universities and specialized schools: it all seems complicated and bleak. Visit someone who can help map where you want to go and perfect your skills on paper and in an interview. Many career advisors will set up mock interviews so you can master the real ones. (Perhaps you have a nervous tick you never noticed.) Other services include help with job searching and resumé advice. Travel. It can be a grey and isolated


world inside a cubicle. Traveling brings out interests in people they never knew they had. Tere are so many cheap travel destinations out there it’s easy to get away for a while. Tis could mean driving two hours to camp in a provincial park you’ve never visited. People have time to think when they travel and to put who they are and what they want to accomplish into perspective.


SMART careers | Early Spring 5 S


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