Week Five Announced - Columnist For 24hrs

Starting tomorrow I will be working as a columnist for the Vancouver 24hrs, a daily newspaper published in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. I will be writing about One Week Job type themes that I have previously touched upon. cialiscouponcard Such as: the idea of 'sheepwalking' through life, making a commitment for passion, trade-off between money and happiness, my generation, interviewing upcoming graduates as to why they think our generation is seemingly having difficulty deciding on a career path, how they see their future relationship between their careers and social lives... etc.

If you have any other ideas or comments on these topics, I would love to hear them. Leave a comment, email me or now you can give me a call!

Yesterday, I got my first cell phone ever! Feel free to call me anytime with your ideas, thoughts, suggestions, offers, or even just to say hello:) Here is my number: 416-735-9335

-Sean

Talkin' bout' my generation

I have been in contact recently with a great guy, Robert Manolson, a Career Development Professional based in Edmonton, Alberta. We had a great chat last night about how the priorities of my generation entering the work force are different to that of generations before. I am really excited about my generation entering the professional world as I feel we are realizing how important it is to be in a career that we love doing, one that challenges us, and we are demanding more out of a career than just a pay check. As we enter the work place with this increased awareness, we immediately start questioning everything, seeking a greater meaning in all that we do, something that makes sense. To be in a situation in which we feel like we are contributing to some greater good, some vision that we can buy into. How is what I am doing helping the world, helping those around me, helping my neighbourhood, how can I be more socially responsible, what can I do to make a difference?

Bringing this mind set into the work force early on in our careers will have huge implications on society and will greatly contribute to an increased overall level of happiness in the work place. In the process, this will inherently lead to increased productivity and positive personal development. Very cool!

I have also had a recent revelation that I will have to tell you about but I am having difficulty getting my thoughts in some coherent form so I will have to get back to you. If I get my phone number up on the site before I make the post, give me a call and I'll explain it to you!

So I am heading to Edmonton the week of April 2nd, and am looking for a ride! If you have any ideas, suggestions, or know anyone who is heading anywhere in that direction, please let me know!

Thanks,

-Sean

Longest day of volleyball ever...

Wow, that was a long day of volleyball! School doesn't even last eight hours, so trying to hold the interest of 50 kids aged 10-15 spending their spring break at a volleyball camp was defiinitely a bit of a challenge. We had some fun with it though, and I am sure they will be quite tired tomorrow... I know I will be! If you are in the Vancouver area check out Breakfast Television on CityTV tomorrow (Wednesday) as they are coming in to film a segment for their morning show. Then in the afternoon, a tv crew from ShawTV is coming in to see what I am up to this week. Should make for a good day and make the hours go by a little quicker.

Here is the interview about One Week Job that I did on my first day last week with Urban Rush:

Other Week Two video we filmed for the show

Until next time,

-Sean

Week Four Announced - Volleyball Coach

It's spring break this week with high schools throughout British Columbia and so Volleyball BC is putting on a "Blue Hawaii Spring Break Camp" where I will be one of the head coaches. I spent the day organizing the schedule for the camp and start tomorrow morning at 9am, followed by 8 hours of volleyball for three consecutive days! Wow, those kids are going to be tired. Citytv's Breakfast Television will be there on Wednesday morning to do a segment for their show, so that should be fun.

Just confirmed my job for Week Five today. I will be working as a columnist with a well known daily newspaper published in major cities across Canada. I will tell you more about which one later on in the week, but wanted to hear what 'One Week Job' aspects or themes you want to read about on your way to work next week. For example, interviewing people in unusual jobs, interviewing others in my generation how they see their future relationship between their soical lives and careers or what they expect from a career situation, money vs. happiness trade-off... etc. You can email me, or just leave your thoughts in the comment section.

Thanks!

-Sean

Reflections from Mount Seymour - Interview with Garry Rathbone

I had a great week up at Mount Seymour! Everyone I was working with love their jobs and were really easy to get a long with. This made for a fun atmosphere and I had some great talks with co-workers about careers, decisions and life in general. I hadn't really discovered snowshoeing before, and now that I have, it is definitely something I will be doing again and am even thinking about getting my own pair!

If you are looking for a fun way to get some exercise and get outdoors, I would be sure to get up to Mount Seymour for a snowshoe tour before the season is over. The guides are great, the scenary is awesome, and you will also get to try out that great hot chocolate I have been talking about! They have all sorts of programs, check them out here: Mt. Seymour Snoeshoe Programs

Here is a video of an interview that I did with Garry Rathbone, the IT guy turned Snowshoe Guide that I spoke about in an earlier post. It is pretty interesting and he has some great things to say:

As for next week, Week Four, I will be working with Volleyball BC and helping coach a kids volleyball camp for the week. I was hestitant to take the offer at first, as it is something that I have previous experience with and so is not too big of a leap for me, but it is something I enjoy doing and will have fun with!

I will most likely start heading East in the next couple of weeks, perhaps make a stop in Edmonton then I have a job offer in Quebec for mid-April so I will be heading out that way.

How you ask? Good question, anybody willing to sponsor the project out there check out the 'sponsors' page. I think I will be using a combination of ride-sharing, bus, and perhaps some good old fashioned hitch hiking. Who knows really, but I am sure it will be interesting!

Send your offers my way! Anybody out there have any connections with a Sled Dog company, or know any fisherman?

-Sean

Snowshoeing Fun With A Pack Of 6th Graders

It was an absolutely beautiful day up on the mountain yesterday; fresh snow and the sun was shining bright! I think what made it even better is that I am finally getting over a cold that has been with me for at least a week and my energy is finally coming back. I thoroughly enjoyed my day working up at Mount Seymour and just kept thinking as I was snowshoeing around, "Wow, this really is a great job!"

Here is a video of what I was up to:

In the morning I was helping with stuff in the shop: sorting out snowshoes, housekeeping, getting the hot chocolate ready (man that hot chocolate is good!), and in the afternoon I helped out with a program and went out snowshoeing with a group of grade 6/7's. It was actually a good thing that I went because one of the kids got hurt so I had to lead the group back down the hill, while the other guide administered first aid.

I was supposed to be heading towards Nelson, BC this weekend for Week Four, yet that has now been changed. I do have some other options, yet still have not decided. So please send any offers or ideas my way if you have them!

Thanks!

-Sean

Meet Garry: Software Developer Turned Snowshoe Guide

I was doing trail maintenance yesterday morning with Garry, a forty something year old who recently moved to Vancouver this year from England. Garry has worked many successful jobs in his time, has even owned his own company, to his last job where he was working as a software developer for an IT firm. Now what does Garry do you ask?

Well, he is working as a snowshoe guide for a local ski mountain (Mount Seymour) just outside of Vancouver, BC and he couldn't be happier!!

Funny enough, after finding out I was the One Week Job guy, Garry said he had seen an article about the project in his local paper and told me that it struck a chord with him when he read it. After speaking with him, I now realize why.

It is so great to meet somebody like Garry! I guess I like it so much too because it re-affirms my beliefs about how important it is to be doing something you love. To hear it first hand from somebody who has lived enjoyable work situations and not so great ones, just makes it all the more real. To make the move from secure positions in England to starting a new life with his wife here in Vancouver, Canada must have taken so much courage and he says that many back home including his father still think that he is crazy!

Crazy? I am not so sure, I just met the guy. One thing I can tell you though, is that he is happy!

[UPDATE: See an interview with Garry in the 'interviews' section]

-Sean

Hot chocolate and sunshine at the top of Vancouver

It was a beautiful sunny day up at Mount Seymour; a perfect day to spend outside snowshoeing! I must say though that I am pretty exhausted after spending the better part of the day walking up and down through the forest accompanied by high school students.

Tomorrow will not be as exciting as I will be inside the office doing some inventory stuff, yet I do get to serve hot chocolate when the kids come back in, so there is something to look forward to!

Had a great talk today with one of the snowshoe guides who used to be a software developer for an IT firm. I will tell you about it tomorrow, yet for now I got to head out to an interview with a Vancouver paper, then it's bedtime!

-Sean

Bidding farewell to the crew at Urban Rush

Today was my last day working with the Vancouver daily tv talk show 'Urban Rush.' If there is one thing that I will take away from my experience at Urban Rush, it will be the awesome work environment they have created. It is so evident how everyone working there love what they are doing and have fun doing it. Definitely something that adds to the creativity of the production and overall positive atmosophere in the workplace.

Having said that, some new developed skills I am sure will inherently accompany me in my journey can be seen in the video clip below.

Week Three starts next Monday and you will be able to find me on the North Shore of Vancouver, BC up at Mount Seymour where I will be working with childrens' snowshoeing tours for the week.

Working with kids is always fun and combine that with the beautiful landscape of Mount Seymour and it should make for a great week!

If you are in the area, come by and visit!

-Sean

Life behind the scenes of a tv talk show

I have had a great couple days working downtown with Urban Rush. Yesterday, one of the producers, Jay Brown, and myself had some good fun filming a segment for the show in which I was put to work doing various tasks throughout the studio; from organizing Fiona Forbes wardrobe, to windexing windows, to Jay stacking a ridiculous amount of tapes on me, to even walking a dog. If you missed it, that’s too bad because it was really quite funny! After which a newspaper came in to do an interview and photoshoot... all making me feel far too important.

Today was not so exciting as I spent the day organizing old recordings of the show in the archive room, yet, it is truly great working with a group of people who obviously love what they are doing and enjoy doing it. Definitely the type of work place environment that I would like to be in!

I found out today that the company I was supposed to be working with for next week re-scheduled for a later week, so I am now in need of a job for Week Three. If you have any offers or ideas, please send them my way!

(UPDATE: I have found a job for next week and will announce it tomorrow)

-Sean

Sean On Shaw

I had a great first day working with 'Urban Rush,' a daily talk show based in Vancouver, BC. The studio ShawTV has on the waterfront in downtown Vancouver is beautiful and everyone who works there is really cool. I was interviewed on the show today about 'One Week Job' and for the rest of the week they will be checking in with me doing various tasks around the studio... they might even give me a camera person so I can go and have some fun in the city!

If you are in the Vancouver area, you can catch the show on Channel 4 at 5pm, 7pm, 11pm, 1am, or the following day at 7am and 12pm.

I spent most of the day hanging out in the green room chatting with the other guests waiting for the interview and helped out with some random tasks. The band Finger Eleven was also on the show today, so that was pretty cool to hear them perform live in the studio.

(Immediately after I finished my interview, I was put to work!)

Should be a great week... especially since I don't start until 10:30am every day!

-Sean

Week Two Announced - Television Intern/Co-host

I spent the day at various University and College campuses in the Vancouver area distributing and posting up promotional material for Whistler Bungee. Not too exciting compared to yesterday, but it was a beautiful sunny day and nice to be outside. So here is what’s happening for Week Two…

Starting Monday March 5th, I will be working as an assistant, intern, co-host, street correspondent, pool boy... for a local television station in Vancouver, BC.

If you are from the Vancouver area, no doubt you have heard of Michael Eckford and Fiona Forbes, the hosts of ‘Urban Rush’ who are celebrating their 10th year this week as the shows host. If you haven’t, well then you should definitely get acquainted with this hilarious duo and can do so daily on Shaw TV Channel 4, Monday to Friday at 5pm, 7pm, 11pm, 1am, and if you happen to miss any of those times, 7am and noon the following day. I know, not all that convenient;)

On the Monday show of Urban Rush, I will be interviewed by Mike and Fiona about One Week Job, then for the rest of the week… well who knows what they will have me doing. Yet, I guarantee it will be a lot of fun and I am looking forward Koop Nu to working as their assistant!

Be sure to tune in!

Alrighty, gotta get to bed… this work thing is killing me!

-Sean

Taking the leap... literally!

Wow! What better way to kick off 'One Week Job' and all it represents, than to jump off a bridge! If it is something you have never done before, put it down on your 'to do' list. It truly is an incredible adrenaline rush! Although it is quite funny because you don't realize the fun you just had until you are back safe and sound on the bridge.

I had an awesome day working with Whistler Bungee up in Whistler, BC today. A tv crew from Vancouver came up to do a story about One Week Job and we had fun shooting some stuff with them, hopefully I will be able to get some of the footage up on the site by Sunday.

There was a group jumping that were visiting from Brazil, so it was great to make some new friends and it is always fun to join in with the excitement that comes a long with first time jumpers. I did some inventory, helped strap clients into harnesses, and ofcourse coercing them into signing their lives away was also involved.

I had this interesting article brought to my attention today entitled, "Americans hate their jobs more than ever - Satisfaction level hits new low, especially among younger workers."

What's going on, I just don't get it! Sounds like more 'Sheepwalker' syndrome if you ask me.

Week One has been great so far and I will be announcing my job for Week Two tomorrow!

Until then,

-Sean

Sean Joins The Working World!

(well kinda) I helped out Whistler Bungee at a Travel and Adventure Trade Show in Vancouver, B.C over the weekend in exchange for one day this week. That day was today, so it gave me the opportunity to get caught up on emails and just try and get organized before things get going.

At the Trade Show, the day consisted of meeting and talking with many different people about Whistler Bungee, what they offer, where they are located, the adrenaline rush of bungee jumping in general, and the question of whether it is sky diving or bungee jumping that is more scarier. I have been told that bungee jumping is, though I have never sky dived before so I wouldn’t know for sure. Who knows, maybe it will be a One Week Job in the weeks to come and then I can give you a first hand experience!

Some were unaware that there was a bungee jumping company up in Whistler, BC, but there sure is, and if you are ever in the Whistler or Vancouver area and feel like jumping off a bridge, there is no better place to do it than in the beautiful landscape they are lucky to have up there. I'll show you some pics later on in the week!

I am the only person I know who has never owned a cell phone, and with the start of the project I am now finding myself in desperate need of one. That, and the fact that even my grandma has one, so I figured it was about time to pick one up.

If anyone has any cell phone ideas, plans, providers that they would recommend, please send me an email. Needless to say, I need a plan that has great long distance!

And if you haven't yet, be sure to make your promise today.

-Sean

Are You "Sheepwalking" Through Life?

Seth Godin defines 'sheepwalking' as "the outcome of hiring people who have been raised to be obedient and giving them a braindead job and enough fear to keep them in line." Hmm, not for me thanks! I am getting a great response to the project so far as I think it is really something that everyone can relate to. Whether you are in my generation - lost, confused with an uncertain future ahead or whether you have been in the working world for 20 years.

I think everyone, at some point in their lives, have been in a situation where they had to make a life altering decision regarding their career path. It is a big decision and I am not going to make the wrong one. I had an inspiring teacher that would always say, “Aim for the stars and at least you won’t end up with a handful of mud!”

I was on CBC Radio One: The Early Edition in Vancouver on Monday morning and it was interesting to see the different views of One Week Job through the generations. For an older generation, it seems to be difficult to comprehend the concept as it is just so far out from the norm they are used to or how they were brought up: Go to school, get a job, start a family, buy stuff, retire. The host of the show, Rick Cluff, could not get over how ‘wacky’ the idea is, and so was not able to grasp what I am trying to achieve.

I think far more wacky is the amount of people who get out of bed in the morning and absolutely dread going to work because they hate their jobs. I find it incredibly sad that so many are wasting their lives away doing something they don't enjoy doing.

I am committed that I will not be one of them and am looking to inspire my generation to make the same commitment before they fall victim to a situation in which yearning for weekends and the illustrious two week vacations a year define our lives. I agree that on the surface it might appear to be a ‘wacky’ idea, yet dig a little deeper and I think we will all agree that it is not so wacky after all.

Are you in a job that you hate doing or that you absolutely love? Leave a comment, and tell us your thoughts and any advice that you have!

- Sean

PS â€" I have decided where I will be working for Week Two and will announce it sometime next week. As a hint, you will be able to see me on television every day;) Week Two is the week of March 5th.

Exciting Day

6:00am: Telephone rings waking me up. 6:03am: I am on the radio live to a station in Syracuse, New York. What station you ask? Good question, I have no idea. I am still trying to figure out if the interview actually happened or if it was just a continuation of my dream. 6:15am: Back to bed. 6:30am: Telephone rings again, radio station from Santa Barbara, California, 7:00am: Yet another from New York. How did all these people get my number?!?

Well, it was an exciting day and lot's of fun, definitely in part due to the great article that Fiona Anderson of The Vancouver Sun wrote today. If you didn't catch it, you can read it here.

Some interesting offers coming in with Week One starting next Monday.

Stay tuned!

-Sean

Week One Announced - Bungee Assistant

And Whistler Bungee it is! Whistler's Ultimate Adrenaline Rush will be my first job starting next Monday February 26th. I received various offers from around the country and have decided to kick off the One Week Job project by accepting the offer to work with Whistler Bungee for Week One.

Whistler Bungee is a bungee jumping company located 15 minutes South of Whistler Village and is set in the beautiful wilderness of the Whistler Resort Valley nestled between old growth generic viagra online forests and rugged basalt column cliffs. Sounds like fun! The bridge they have up there is 160ft high and spans 300ft over the glacial fed Cheakamus river. They are open all year round and you can visit them at WhistlerBungee.com.

Looks like I will be doing various things for Whistler Bungee throughout the week, helping with a trade show, distributing some marketing material throughout Vancouver, some good old fashioned book keeping and perhaps a day or two up in Whistler at the bridge.

I am really excited to start the project next week and am looking forward to all of the various jobs I will be doing throughout the country!

I have not yet decided where I will be working for Week Two (week of March 5th), so if you have any offers, be sure to check out the offers section and send them my way!

Until next time,

-Sean

Make a promise today

Yesterday morning, my interview on Breakfast Television in Vancouver went pretty well. It was an earlier start than I am used to and I definitely can’t remember the last time I was out of bed when it was still dark outside. But I think I was able to get my message across.

I am coming to the realization that this project is not about what specific jobs I will end up doing, or where they will lead me. But rather it has to do with what I feel the whole project represents -- just finding the courage to take the leap in itself, putting myself out there, and saying “Alright world, let’s do this.” In the process I hope I am able to inspire all those in my situation to do the same.

At this point I have no idea what the ideal situation for me would look like, yet I do know what it will feel like when I get there. A feeling where my career and personal life merge. I want to get out of bed each day and say, “woohoo, time to go to work!”

I think in some ways we all know what that ideal situation would feel like. It is just a matter of whether we choose to act and decide to seek it in spite of the self doubt and uncertainty.

I think a good start is promising ourselves not to settle for a situation that doesn’t truly make us happy and to go after our passions. I am glad that I have made this promise to myself at 25, rather than when I am nearing retirement at 60.

If we don’t make this promise today, then when will we?

How am I going to get there? I don't know and I am not sure it really matters. I think it is far more important that we start by making this promise, taking the leap wherever it leads, and finding the courage to walk in the face of fear with the confidence that it will be okay.

I think if we can do this today, we will then be able to make those decisions that will align our lives in a manner that will eventually make this feeling a reality.

They say that taking the initial leap is the hardest part, and that once we start, things will get easier and appear more clearly. I guess you could say I am banking on that!

Anybody got any offers for me? Send them my way! oneweekjob@gmail.com

-Sean

Offers coming in

So, I have had a great response to the project so far and have already received some interesting offers from all over the country. From working at a bungee jumping company in Whistler, to helping organize a 100km dinner in Ontario, to working at a framing place in Quebec, to even a stint gardening at a household in London, Ontario. Things are definitely starting to come together, and I am looking forward to starting my first job February 26th!

I have added a "Get e-updates" on the left hand column, that will send you an email everytime I make a post to the site allowing you to stay up to date with where I am and whatever job it is that I am doing.

I have also added a support section, in which companies can sponsor One Week Job and have a banner ad posted in that section, or those who would like can simply make a donation to help support me in my travels.

Be sure to check back to the 'offers' section as I will be posting various offers that I receive and will be announcing my first job later this week!

-Sean

PS - For those of you in the Vancouver area, I will be appearing on Breakfast Televsion Citytv Monday morning at around 7:30am for an interview about One Week Job.

And so it begins...

OneWeekJob.com is now officially launched! Wow, okay so I sent out the News Release last night to various news, print, television, radio and online publications across the country and have already had a great response!

Thanks so much to everyone for your personal messages of support! It's really great to hear all of your positive feedback and helping to promote One Week Job.

I have no idea where the project will lead or what jobs I will end up doing, and the uncertainty is kinda scary but definately what makes it so exciting and all the more worthwhile at the same time!

Until next time,

-Sean

PS - You can catch me on Breakfast Television on Citytv in Vancouver next Monday morning, February 12th!