Week Twenty Five Announced - Film Festival Reporter: Roots Canada

This week will be somewhat different from most. Typically my jobs are Monday - Friday, though this week I am working with Roots Canada and helping out at the Toronto International Film Festival which starts on Thursday, Sept. 6th. And so I will be working from Thursday - Monday. Roots is a sponsor at this years film festival, responsible for providing clothing and there was also mention of handling the area for the celebrities who are attending the event. They will be using the footage that Ian shoots over the weekend for their website so perhaps we will get into some cool situations.

My tasks will include covering events, writing for the Roots blog, taking photos and video for Roots.com and providing general assists to the PR Director, Director Ecommerce, Digital Marketing & New Media, and Director of Communications.

Should make for an awesome week!

-Sean

Guest Post: The Importance Of Transitional Skills - Robert Manolson

We can all learn something from Sean's journey. I met Sean way back in week 6 which for some odd reason it seems like some distant, past experience. His belief that the path from A to B is not always a straight line prompted him to create One Week Job. He now uses this as his vehicle to further his own self exploration and self discovery related to career decisions not for the rest of his life but for the next phase of his life.

Talk about a multitude of changes!! Life is a state of continuous changes and no doubt One Week Job is all about changes, some within Sean's control and I'm sure, many not within his control. Through it all, I continue to be impressed with Sean's ability to not only stay positive but to keep it simple.

I often ask myself the following questions: Is there is one particular skill that Sean continues to apply over and over again? And what is the name of this skill that best exemplifies how he successfully manages his one week job experience? The answer that continues to remain constant in my thinking is something that I call Transitional Skills. Yes, we can all learn something from Sean's journey but specifically how we react to new situations, how we make the necessary adjustments to new situations, and best prepare for those unexpected changes....Transitional Skills.

I believe that the secret to life is living it one day at a time and never letting go of hope. I also believe that making the most of every day is very much dependant on my capacity to manage life's continuous changes while accessing the strength and courage of my own transitional skills.

How are you managing your life's journey from path A to B? Are you taking charge of change? Are you making the most of your every day by accessing the strength and courage of your own transitional skills? And if not, do you have a plan to do something about it? We look forward to your comments and perspectives. Share your story with us.

~Robert Manolson

Robert is a Certified Career Development Professional based in Edmonton, Alberta and has over 25 years experience as a skilled speaker and persuasive presenter. Creator & Master Facilitator of Powerful Play Experiences, he facilitates organizations and groups in workplace fun & wellness workshops with highly engaging, innovative “Powerful Play Experiences.”

Long Weekends, Links, And Stuff

We finished up at the Hespeler Animal Hospital yesterday and are heading off to Montreal tomorrow. Louise treated Ian and I to lunch yesterday which was really kind of her. It was great to have some time to sit down and chat away from the hospital setting. We spoke about her business, work-life balance, managing the level of professionalism with employees so not to risk the loss of authority or respect, having a positive attitude, and she told us about this cool cycling event she is participating in this September. It's to raise money for The Farley Foundation. Animal care can be quite expensive and The Farley Foundation helps seniors and disable persons on limited incomes pay for the necessary treatment of their pets. Louise is raising funds for the 100km bike ride, here is how to make a donation to help her out. Just say the donation is to support Dr. Louise Langlais, Hespeler Animal Hospital for the ride.

Next week is slightly different because my job starts on Thursday and goes to Monday. It is because I will be working with Roots Canada and helping out with their involvement in the Toronto International Film Festival. So, we are taking off to Montreal until next Wednesday, where hopefully we will be able to catch up on everything and get somewhat organized for what will be a busy next few weeks. If you are in town and want to meet up, give us a shout.

I wrote an article for TheTyee.ca that came out today, it has my 5 must read blog recommendations and I wrote a paragraph for each one in the article.

• One Red Paperclip
• Brave New Traveler
• Seth Godin
• Steve Pavlina
• Get Rich Slowly

We will be in Toronto from Wednesday night to the following Monday and we are not too sure where we will be staying as of yet. Any ideas, send them our way!

Cheers,

-Sean

Dr. Doolittle Could Learn A Thing Or Two

I am starting to feel more and more like Dr. Doolittle each day I work at the Animal Hospital. It is really cool working with the animals - each one has a different personality and you find yourself developing relationships with them before it's their time to go home. This week has been so interesting and I have been able to see and learn so much.

I have helped with holding down the animals while anesthetic is being administered, monitoring levels during surgery, taking temperatures (use your imagination), preparing some blood smears, polishing teeth, helping with an x-ray... pretty much everything.

The first morning we witnessed a surgery in which a large fatty lump was removed from the side of a dogs belly. Louise, the owner of the hospital and the Veterinarian who was doing the surgery, asked Ian and I if we had eaten that morning. Apparently if you have something in your stomach, you will be less likely to feel sick witnessing the surgery. I admit that I was a little bit queasy going into it not too sure what to expect, though I was fine and it was amazing to see the lump being removed.

The precision that it requires to be a surgeon is quite impressive and I wonder about the sense of responsibility they must feel going into each surgery. It's incredible how similar surgery is to that of humans. For the record, I am basing this judgment solely on what I have seen on TV, though I can imagine that it would be quite similar to this.

Everyone at the clinic has been really great to us. They have allowed me to learn about all the different aspects of the job, and really get in there and try everything out.

One thing I have learned is about the importance of taking care of your animals teeth, as a lot of other complications can surface as a result - there is your Vet tip of the day!

-Sean

One Week Job Show: Episode #4 - Radio DJ

This episode is a change of pace from the previous one, highlighting Sean's journey into the behind-the-scenes of a radio station. Along the way, he experiences promotions, how to record a commercial, show hosting, and develops his on-air voice. By the end of the week, Sean realizes the importance of having fun in the workplace.

Enjoy! And of course, feedback is appreciated.

6 Ways You Can Spread the Word About One Week Job

First off, Sean and I want to thank everyone for their continued interest and support of the One Week Job project. I've only been on the road with Sean for 4 weeks, and it's been an incredible experience. That said, we need your help! Yes, you, reading this on your computer screen right now.

We need you to help spread the word about the One Week Job project, allowing as many people as possible to join the journey and learn from Sean's weekly experiences.

In a perfect world, we would have thousands and thousands visitors to the website. In reality, this only happens when good people of the internet help the message go viral.

So if you'd like to help out, we've put together a brief list of ideas. If you've got some of your own, please share with the rest of us in the comments!

BONUS: Join the Facebook Fan Page

1. Blog About The Project

If you have your own blog, write a post about your own thoughts on the One Week Job project. Better yet, embed your favourite episodes right in your post and offer your own commentary on what your thought of it.

2. Email Your Friends

Be the first on your blog to discover something new! Write an email to your friends far and wide, telling them about the project, with a link back to the site. There's no recommendation as powerful as the word of your friend.

3. Email your local newspapers/radio stations

Visit the websites of your local media and ask why they haven't written up a story or spoken about the One Week Job project yet. If they have, suggest a follow up story and spread the word among the masses!

4. Talk about it around the watercooler

Need something to chat about at lunch? One Week Job is the perfect awkward silence filler. All you have to do is start with, "Did you hear about this guy who's traveling around working a job a week?"

5. Download the show to your iPod

Did you know you can download One Week Job in you favourite format, and take it with you on your iPod? Watch it in the car, on the bus, and let curious people you meet have a look at the show.

6. Ask your favourite websites to write about it

If you have a few news/entertainment sites you like to visit, why not ask them to write about One Week Job? (Especially if this website happens to be BoingBoing, Steve Pavlina, or Seth Godin).

Once again, thanks to everyone who's followed Sean's trip thus far. We hope to entertain, enlighten, and inspire for many weeks to come.

Week Twenty Four Announced - Veterinary Assistant

This week I will be working as a Veterinary Assistant at Hespeler Animal Hospital in Cambridge, Ontario. I will get to help hold animals for exams and treatment, assist with procedures such as dentistry, surgery and radiology (with a lot of supervision, of course!) and perhaps help out the receptionists as well.

I had no idea where I would be working up until Thursday of last week. I had various offers though nothing seemed to really stick with me until I received the offer from the Animal Hospital. It is going to be a very interesting week and I am really excited to learn more about how things work in an animal hospital as it is an environment I have never previously been exposed to.

-Sean

My Week As A Radio DJ on DAVE FM

It has been a fun week here at DAVE FM. Started off pretty quiet on Monday with a tour of the studio, some introductions and an interview with local media. I am also working at the Holiday Inn Kitchener this week, working for my keep, and so have been spending a couple hours each day helping out around the hotel. I spent some time in the laundry room, folding towels, ironing linen, in the kitchen peeling some potatoes, serving drinks to priority club members, and helping set up a banquet last night. Over at Dave FM I was on site for their Tee it up Tuesdays golf event broadcasting live from the golf course. I was dressed up in an alligator costume, taking pictures with golfers, handing out some Dave FM stickers, and helping co-host the afternoon drive show. It was my first time on air this week and I got to do the weather and traffic, though the alligator outfit might have been the highlight of the day.

Of course you listen to Dave FM if you live in the Waterloo region, so stay tuned for an upcoming commercial over the next few weeks that I was able to do the voice over for. It was pretty cool to record the commercial in the studio and hear my voice transformed by the acoustics giving it a radio sounding effect.

Yesterday I co-hosted the morning show with Jeff Lumby and Gayle O'Brien. Great people and we had a lot of fun with it. Whenever I hear morning radio, it always seems like they are having such a good time in studio and really enjoy what they are doing. I got a first hand experience of it yesterday.

Today is my last day at Dave and then it's time to start a new job next Monday. I wasn't too sure where we were going up until Wednesday, and we were thinking of going anywhere from Stratford, to Montreal, to even Halifax.

I finish my last shift from 4pm - 5pm (EST) tonight and then we are heading to Toronto for the weekend. Although we have no idea where we will be staying or how we are getting there as of yet, should be good times. I think I will announce on air tonight if anyone can give us a ride East. If you want to tune in, you can listen live on the DAVE FM website.

-Sean

Episode Three: Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation

Ian and I left Vancouver just over three weeks ago now when we started filming of the One Week Job show. It is awesome having Ian on board. He is amazingly talented and brings so much to the project. He has done another great job in putting together the footage from last week at Princess Margaret and Episode #3 can now be viewed in the player on the homepage.

Today: One Red Paperclip Book Released In North America

I am sure you have all heard the story of how Kyle MacDonald traded one red paperclip for a house in only one year. He wrote a book about his experience, all of his trades and the adventure that he had a long the way. His book was released in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa last week and was released today throughout North America. Kyle is an awesome, amazingly creative, and just generally fun guy to be around. You never know what is going to happen or where you are going to end up when you are hanging out with him. I ran into Kyle about a month ago and he gave me a copy of his book. It's funny, inspiring, and I would definitely recommend picking it up. You can find it here.

Happy reading!

-Sean

Week Twenty Two Announced - Radio DJ

This week I will be working with DAVE FM, a radio station in Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario. I have to figure out this whole Kitchener/Waterloo thing they have going on here, which one is it or is it both? I think if I lived in Waterloo, I would want to say I come from Waterloo, not Kitchener/Waterloo, perhaps you get the best of both worlds. Not sure on that one yet. I will be a co-host for different shows throughout the week as well as attending some events, helping out with promotions, and of course there is always time for some office work.

This week is kind of different in that I am working two jobs at the same time. The people over at DAVE FM struck a deal with the people over at Holiday Inn Kitchener/Waterloo that if I worked a couple hours a day at the hotel we would be able to stay there for free. We thought that was pretty awesome of them and on top of that there was even a card in our room when we arrived welcoming us.

So that's where we are staying for the week, if you want to come and visit us, this is the map.

Not too sure what the plan is for next week, we are thinking of heading through Montreal on our way to Halifax, though plans are still in the air. If you have any job offers, ideas, contacts for Montreal, let us know.

-Sean

Princess Margaret Wrapup - with slideshow

I worked with some pretty incredible people this week and was able to learn a lot from them. One big thing that stood out for me was the idea of contributing to something greater than yourself; knowing that the better job you do, the more good you are creating - pretty cool stuff. I was able to attend a sponsorship presentation with a boardroom full of area managers at the head office of Swiss Chalet on Thursday. They will be the presenting sponsor next spring for The Ride To Conquer Cancer. It was an interesting experience and very similar to what I was told to expect when in business school - you walk into a room full of executives with your power point presentation and you have 15 minutes to sell them on your idea. When I was introduced a couple people in the room said out loud, "oh yeah, you're that One Week Job guy" which helped make me feel more comfortable.

The Foundation had a large mural painted on a wall near the hospital of a couple cyclists promoting <a target="new" href="http://www.conquercancer.ca"The Ride To Conquer Cancer event. It was painted through Toronto's graffiti transformation program which uses the artistic talent of local youth to help clean up graffiti covered city wall space. About the program - " Since 1996, 430 murals have been created in the city and over 1,200 youth have received paid work as well as training in the technical aspects of graffiti removal, outdoor art, and business skills."

On Friday afternoon, all of the kids who were involved in painting the mural were invited back for a photo shoot in front of the mural and then a pizza lunch at Princess Margaret afterwards to say thank you for their involvement. It was a lot of fun and I was able to spend time speaking to the kids about my experiences with One Week Job, tell them stories and what I have learned a long the way. They were very interested, asking lots of questions, and I really enjoyed sharing the experience. I think it serves as a positive experience for the kids and is something that I would like to spend some time doing after 52 weeks are finished.

Here is a video outlining the making of the mural:

We are now in Kitchener/Waterloo after having spent the last three weeks in Toronto. It seems as though there is always some sort of festival going on in Toronto, so we definitely were never bored. We had a great time over the past few weeks, and met some really awesome people. For example, you may remember that it was first week in Toronto that I was working with Steam Whistle Brewery, though it was just this morning that we finally packed up all of our stuff and moved out of the co-founders house. Thanks so much Greg and Sybil!

Tomorrow is another Monday and so time to start another job; this week I am actually working two which I will explain more about later.

-Sean

Having Problems With Video Player?

It's come to our attention that some people are having issues with the video player not working properly or not showing up at all. I figured out the likely problem: your flash player is not up to date. To fix it download the latest flash player here and follow the instructions. It takes a few seconds and you'll be good to go.

Once again, thanks for all your feedback and support!

One Week Job Show - Episode #2: New Tribe Tattoo

In Episode #2 Sean works a week at New Tribe Tattoo in downtown Toronto. He meets colourful characters and gets a glimpse into the world of tatooing and piercing.

Themes explored in this episode are the existence of discrimination in the workforce, and the difficulty of trying a one week job in an occupation that demands years of training and creative skill.

Lastly, Sean makes an appearance on the most unique interview to date - Naked News Daily.

Thanks to everyone for all your feedback on the first episode and for sharing it with your friends. Sean and I appreciate all the support! Remember, if you'd like to sponsor an upcoming episode, visit our show sponsorship section.

Commitment To A Common Vision

After spending only a couple days at Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and meeting all the amazing people that work there, I could definitely see myself working in the not for profit sector. I think it is so great knowing that what you do directly correlates to generating money and awareness for such a great cause. I spent yesterday afternoon downtown going into all sorts of store fronts to get some of the initial promotional material up for The Ride To Conquer Cancer event coming up next Spring. After learning more about the event over the past few days, it is really going to be something special. It is a 200km cycle over two days from downtown Toronto that is going to end up at Niagara Falls.

There is an over night stop in Hamilton, where there will be food, entertainment, massage, camping... it's going to be a lot fun - although it might require some training on my part because I am not sure if I have cycled 200km over the course of my entire life!

I have also had the opportunity to sit down with some great individuals who work at the foundation and hear about what they do, which you will be able to see clips of in next weeks episode.

It is great to work in an environment where everyone is so passionate about achieving the vision of the foundation. The vision is plain and simple: to conquer cancer. The majority of those that work with the foundation have been touched somehow or another in their personal lives by cancer which adds to the level of pride in what they do.

The infrastructure of the hospital itself is quite impressive. Ian hasn't been able to film as much as he would like I imagine, but hopefully we do get some shots in the episode to convey it.

As you may have noticed the second episode of One Week Job came out yesterday. We managed to find a new movie player for the show and so have been able to keep it at a higher quality which is good news because Ian puts a lot of hard work into all the editing. Before Ian came out on the road with me, I would always be telling him about all the work I had to do with the project, which he didn't quite comprehend. After two weeks, I think he is starting to finally realize what I was talking about.

Have a look at the Episode #2 and let us know what you think!

-Sean

Week Twenty One Announced - Cancer Fundraiser

This week I am working with Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation helping promote an event they have coming up next Spring called The Ride To Conquer Cancer. Princess Margaret Hospital is Canada's leading cancer research hospital and raises over $60 million annually to support breakthrough research and patient care and education programs. This week I will be able to learn all about the cancer centre, the foundation, and help with one of their major events scheduled for next spring. If you recall, Week 18 I was in Marathon, Ontario as a Race Director of a Triathlon - looks like next year I might just have to return to Ontario not only to compete in a Triathlon, but also to cycle 200km in The Ride To Conquer Cancer as well... I suppose I better start training.

It will be my first job in the not for profit sector and I am excited to be involved in an environment in which the work they do directly contributes to such a great cause. I imagine in an organization such as this, it must be easier to get everyone on board working towards the same vision and to feel as if what they do is worthwhile.

Episode #2 from my week at New Tribe Tattooing and Piercing comes out this Wednesday. If you know of anyone who would be interested in sponsoring an episode, please pass the site onto them.

-Sean

A Week In Review: Finding My Place At New Tribe

I had a good week working with New Tribe Tattoo Parlour. It was an environment that I had never been exposed to and so was able to get an inside look into the industry and people. One thing became evident this week more so than others, that perhaps is one of the limitations of the project - I didn't feel like I could really contribute in an environment such as this which requires years of training, not to mention an artistic ability that I definitely do not possess. I found myself searching for ways that I could be useful, but there was only so much that I could do - apart from the sterilizing/packaging equipment, setting up/taking down stations, etc.

At the same time however, a big element of what I am doing and all that I am learning comes from the people I meet along the way and hearing their stories. In that regard, it was great to speak with everyone who works New Tribe and learn about how they got into the tatooo (and piercing) industry and their passion for what they do.

Ian got some great footage and the next episode is shaping up. It will be out this coming Wednesday.

I also got a call from FOX News in the States yesterday and it looks like I will be doing an interview with their morning show next Saturday which broadcasts nationwide in the US. It could be interesting to see what the job market is like down South.

For now, I'm off to the Greek Festival - if you are in Toronto and heading that way, give me a shout! 416-735-9335

-Sean

One Week Job Show - Episode #1: Steam Whistle Brewery

At long last - the pilot episode of the One Week Job Show is here! The episode is the result of many...many...many hours of work shooting Sean on the job, editing the footage, searching for the soundtrack, encoding, transcoding, uploading, you name it. The result is an approx 17 minute film.

In this episode, we're introduced to Steam Whistle Brewery in downtown Toronto, where Sean tries his hand at pretty much every job in the company. Also, we introduce a number of themes, such as how a great work environment is a valuable asset, and crucial to a successful organization.

Finally, Sean battles with the balance between working a one week job and handling the media interviews (radio, tv) that draw some criticism from others.

So watch the show, share it far and wide, and most of all - let us know what you think! All feedback is appreciated.

Piercing The World Of Tattoos: First Days At New Tribe

Last week was so busy that it felt as if the week had barely finished yet the following Monday morning had already arrived and it was time to start my next One Week Job at New Tribe Tattooing and Piercing. I think Ian and I are the only ones in there without tattoos completely covering our arms, though there is still a few more days left so you never know;)

I spent my first day on the job sterilizing and packaging equipment, setting up and taking down tattoo/piercing stations, taking out the garbage, and doing some coffee runs for some of the tattooists and piercers.

The first day I was working with Joey, an 18 year old who is apprenticing to become a piercer. He was talking about how he would like to get his arms covered in tattoos, though he must decide if this is what he really wants to do as a career because having a lot of visible tattoos tends to limit him to this industry.

Although tattoos and piercings are becoming more common, he mentioned how much discrimination there is in the workplace when looking for jobs. It reminded me how I have been asked if I think that some companies have not offered me a One Week Job due to my hair. I imagine the answer is yes, though, would I really want to work in an environment with individuals who would pass such judgment anyways? Nope.

My second day on the job I was able to hang out with one of the piercers, John. He has been a piercer for 11 years! I got to see him put in various rings throughout the day â€" tongue ring, nipple ring, nose ring - just a typical day at the office for him.

Yesterday, the shop was closed because they went to a waterpark, Wild Water Kingdom, for a staff outing. Ian and myself couldn’t go as I had an interview with CBC Newsworld in the morning and another in the afternoon with Naked News Daily. I had actually received an offer from Naked News Daily to be a News Anchor. The catch though, as you may have guessed, is that you must be naked. I thought I would save my family the embarassment and so elected for the interview option in my underwear â€" the “half naked news” I guess.

Our first episode has been released from my week at Steam Whistle Brewing. It would be a big help if you could pass on the link as we need sponsors for each of the weekly episodes in order to sustain the project. Thanks!

We will be in Toronto for another week after this one, then off to Kitchener/Waterloo where I will be a Radio DJ.

Cheers,

Sean

Week Twenty Announced - Tattoo Parlour Assistant

This week I will be working at New Tribe Tattooing and Piercing in downtown Toronto. I will be up to various things throughout the week - shadowing the piercers and current shop helpers, jewelery packaging, station tear down and setup, cleaning and sterilizing of tools...

I am not sure if you need a certification to do any tattooing, but a guy that I worked with last week is willing to be my guinea pig if possible - one very brave individual. Though I must say that I was pretty good at colouring inside the lines when I was young.

I will be there all week, so if you are in the area, drop by and say hello!

-Sean