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SFU Health and Counselling Services
Registered Clinical Counsellor
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Feb 21, 2011
Woman in front a road sign
Blog
How to Not Regret Your Major
Dave's Diary Series

There I was, waiting for the next ridiculously overcrowded sardine can of a train on my way home after work last night, pleasantly minding my own business, leaning inconspicuously against the wall, when it caught my eye: a headline running across the big flat screen tv that Skytrain stations have these days: ‘Majority of People Regret Their Major in University,’ or something to that effect.

A guy doing a flying kick
Blog
The Myth of the Dream Job – Defending Rationalism
Dave's Diary Series

“Did you notice that happiness happens less the more often you stop to find where it’s been hiding?” Stop dreaming! And get the dream job of your dreams. But not in your dreams – in your real life! The dream job of your future can become a dream reality NOW! Get out of your dreams, get into your dream career! Live your dream!

No facebook banner
Blog
Are Facebook Quizzes Undermining Real Assessment Tools?
Dave's Diary Series

You’ve just decided to take a break from those pesky readings for your class tomorrow morning.  Being the internet-savvy, Gen-Y, uber-connected student you are, you decide to log in to Facebook to see what your friends have been up to. And you see it, in all it’s unholiness:

A student
Blog
3 Reasons for Students to be Optimistic
Dave's Diary Series

I’d be lying to you if I said that there wasn’t a lot of talk out there about some pretty negative stuff related to the job market for students these days.  And, there’s probably good reason to be concerned: BC’s unemployment rate is currently a shameful 7.5% (higher in the interior), which is notably higher than the average unemployment rate of 6.0% for BC over the previous 10 years.

Open knowledge
Blog
Academia vs. Students – Disconnected
Dave's Diary Series

Something is very wrong.Maybe it’s just the “what does it all mean?” question that I find myself asking from time to time, without being able to come up with a satisfactory answer. Maybe it’s the existentialist in me coming out since I started reading R.D. Laing’s The Politics of Experience and the Bird of Paradise.

Two line cooks preparing food
Blog
The Value of “Meaningless” Part-Time Work
Dave's Diary Series

Not a lot of people have the luxury of being able to go through post-secondary education without holding down a job. I was one of those poor souls, slaving away at seemingly menial, shamelessly servile jobs to pay the proverbial bills, sacrificing my weekends, evenings, and summers for The Man.

Table with things
Blog
Transferable Skills Pay the Bills
Dave's Diary Series

I wrote a little bit about my experiences working in restaurant kitchens part-time during my undergraduate degree. While I do enjoy reminiscing, I’m also aware that not all readers will benefit from such a personal discussion.Who wants to read about some guy washing dishes 8 or 9 years ago, anyway?

Handshaking
Blog
An Alternative to “Selling Yourself”
Dave's Diary Series

Have you ever been told that you have to “sell yourself” in order to succeed in finding a job?  Are you a reserved, overly modest introvert who shudders at the idea of “talking yourself up” to others?  If yes, then you’re in the same camp as me, and a whole lot of other generally nice, well-meaning people.

A woman reaching out and touching the shoulder of a man
Blog
Empathy for Personal Growth and Beyond
Dave's Diary Series

Students in counselling psychology become very familiar with the term “empathy."The message that empathy is the cornerstone to successful therapy is pounded into your brain until you stop asking how or why it’s important, and start accepting it as a fact.

Handshake neon lights
Blog
Use Empathy to Master Your Next Job Interview
Dave's Diary Series

Busy week! Sometimes it seems like there’s a never-ending stream of students to see, employers to contact, people to follow up with, meetings to attend, and… well, blog articles to write!

Picture of a young male child cowering in fear.
Blog
Fear Helps You Make Decisions
Dave's Diary Series

How do you make important decisions? I’ve been reminded in my visits with students of the difficulty that can be a part of making big decisions. I’ve also been reminded that when working with people struggling with a choice, it can be challenging to reign in the impulse to push for one direction or the other.

A picture of a terrified girl
Blog
Fear Helps You Make Decisions
Dave's Diary Series

How do you make important decisions? I’ve been reminded in my visits with students of the difficulty that can be a part of making big decisions. I’ve also been reminded that when working with people struggling with a choice, it can be challenging to reign in the impulse to push for one direction or the other.

Man looking at a resume
Blog
Unique Resumes – How Far Is Too Far?
Dave's Diary Series

Students are consistently hesitanant to make their resume “stand out” visually.  It’s seen as a risk – that if one too many steps away from ‘normal’ is taken, the seriousness of the document will be somehow irrevocably compromised.

A man looking at a pile of resumes
Blog
Unique Resumes – How Far Is Too Far?
Dave's Diary Series

Students are consistently hesitant to make their resume “stand out” visually.  It’s seen as a risk – that if one too many steps away from ‘normal’ are taken, the seriousness of the document will be somehow irrevocably compromised.

Photo of Kate Beckinsale
Blog
Optimism’s Underworld – Unrealistic Expectations
Dave's Diary Series

I’m going to share a secret with you, internet: I’m a big Kate Beckinsale fan, and have been since the first Underworld movie came out in 2003.  So, when I found out that the 4th Underworld movie - New Dawn – was being filmed at SFU , and that Kate was in a starring role, I got pretty excited (as many of my coworkers can confirm). 

A man and a woman in a business suit are smiling while facing the front.
Blog
What’s an Entrepreneur?
Dave's Diary Series

In this blog article, David Lindskoog shares the messages about entrepreneurship that he got from a panel event, “Starting Your Own Business.” 

A crying baby
Blog
Don’t Throw A Fit!
Dave's Diary Series

How many times and how many ways have you heard the word “fit” thrown around? I don’t know if a three letter word has ever had such wide ranging implications.  Grammatically speaking, it’s an adjective, a verb, and a noun. Generally speaking, though, I’m pretty confident we can think of “fit” as referring to the compatibility of one thing with another.

Person on the phone while working on her laptop
Blog
Routines, Moodiness, and the Job Search
Dave's Diary Series

A routine is one of those things in life that can be either a huge relief or a giant burden.  I know that I tend to oscillate between those two feelings, generally dependant on whether or not I have an established routine in my life at the time.  I think that for the most part, we’re creatures of habit. 

staircase at maggie benson centre
Blog
Dear High School Class of 2011...
Dave's Diary Series

Hi.  It's me, Dave - I was one of the smiley, energetic people handing out popcorn last night when you came up to visit SFU for our open house, "Info Eve."  Congratulations, by the way!  It's a pretty cool experience to be offered acceptance to any university, let alone the top Canadian comprehensive school as ranked by Macleans.  So, you've got good reason to feel proud of yourselves.  I really could see that on a lot of your and your parents' faces last night.  Way to go!

NeoCitrum
Blog
Invisible Influences?
Dave's Diary Series

There were a lot of messages that I grew up with, whether it be from my parents, peers, or the all-encompassing influence of the media.  One of the ones that sticks with me most to this day, and I'm not sure where it comes from, has to do with self-sacrifice.

Open book
Blog
What's Your Story?
Dave's Diary Series

I and the whole staff at work attended a training last week on a "narrative" method of career counselling led by Mark Franklin, the practice leader of a company called Career Cycles.  It's inspired me to write a bit about narrative therapy in general, especially as it applies to career development. 

3 people peering out a window
Blog
Career Advice From My Dad - Don't Be a Lawyer
Dave's Diary Series

While my dad and I get along really well, we don't talk a whole lot - besides the fact that we live in different cities, I'm pretty sure we share a dislike of small talk.  I think we share a lot in common actually, and understand each other quite well.  So, despite our infrequent chit chats, my dad's been a big influence on a lot of things in my life, not the least of which being my career development.

drawing of comfort zone
Blog
Stay In Your Comfort Zone!
Dave's Diary Series

We’ve all heard the phrase “comfort zone.”  We’ve probably all been told at one point or another to get outside of it, too. But what exactly does that mean?  We can make all sorts of fancy diagrams and models to illustrate the concept, but does that really do justice to lived experience?

picture of a sword
Blog
Building Awareness of Self-Awareness
Dave's Diary Series

It was a pretty straightforward account of how knowing what are strengths are can help us to build on and expand those strengths into new areas.  The problem, of course, is that this viewpoint presupposes that you actually do know what your strengths are.

People fighting
Blog
Conflict – The Nature of The Beast
Dave's Diary Series

Conflict. Why oh why do you plague us so? You are an inevitability – it’s just a matter of time before someone or something disagrees with someone else, and they’re suddenly in a position of deciding between actions towards resolution, mediation, antagonization, or blissful ignorance.

A monk copies a text from a large book on his writing table.
Blog
3 Tips For Your Blog
Dave's Diary Series

As this blog’s editor, one of the many joys I get to experience is the annual inundation training of those of our wonderful volunteers who aspire to contribute to the blog. I get to discuss things like “what makes a good blog article” and a few of the basics of good, simple online writing.

An angry woman screaming
Blog
Getting A Handle On Conflict
Dave's Diary Series

There’s no denying it – people see and understand the world differently, and it’s only a matter of time before perspectives clash, right and wrong get mixed up, and feelings get hurt. But it’s pretty clear that different people handle conflict uniquely.

Prof with students
Blog
Me Student! You Professor!
Dave's Diary Series

I don’t much like talking to strangers. I have great conversations in my head with myself, but when it comes to vocalizing my brilliant, eloquent thoughts to other people, I often end up garbling the words into something near unintelligible.

Graduates standing in line
Blog
The Graduate – Ode to A New Semester
Dave's Diary Series

The students gather to and fro
A vibrant quivering mass
Their thoughts are laden, heavy things
Of textbooks, schedules, and a new U-Pass

A man working on his laptop
Blog
On Moustaches & Professionalism
Dave's Diary Series

Heard of Movember? It’s a fundraising movement for prostate cancer research in which men (mo bros) and women (mo sistas) alike dedicate the month of November to growing a moustache. In other words, it’s pretty much the best thing ever.

slanted tree
Blog
How to Bask in the Sunlight of Your Career
Dave's Diary Series

"So, if I don’t have a plan, do I just sit around and wait for stuff to happen?” You might ask. “How am I supposed to know what to do if I don’t know where I’m going?” Is another one I sense a lot of in my work with students.

Group of people gathering around a table, looking at a document together.
Blog
Details Matter – In Defence of Grammar Police
Dave's Diary Series

Grammar police can be annoying. Infuriating, even. Yet, I can’t help but feel a small triumph whenever someone exposes themselves as actually caring about proper spelling and grammar.

A photo of money on fire
Blog
Money Makes You Less Motivated
Dave's Diary Series

Money is a terrible motivator. If I were to say to you, “Reader, I’d like you to come up with a creative way of solving this problem we have,” or “I’d like you to complete this complex task requiring somewhat sophisticated cognitive abilities,” you’d actually perform worse if I offered you a nice chunk of change as a reward.

A photo of Sigmund Freud
Blog
My Fascination With Sigmund Freud
Dave's Diary Series

Of all the posts I’ve written, the one that seems to consistently get the most page views is this one on strengths and weaknesses, Freud, and Alfred Adler. I guess there’s a lot of psychology students out there scouring the web in search of information on how these two prominent historical figures viewed the issue.

A photo of a pair of hairdressing scissors
Blog
Career Stylists & The Power of Metaphors
Dave's Diary Series

It's thought provoking to ask, if you haven't already, "how would I describe what I do if someone asked me to be as succinct as possible?" It wouldn't be succinct at all to describe all the things you do on a daily basis, your responsibilities, your accomplishments, your significance. Nor would it be descriptive enough to only talk about a small subset of those things. So, how can we possibly do this question justice?

Lazy cat
Blog
Procrastination Problems? Maybe Not...
Dave's Diary Series

If you're human, you'll admit to having procrastinated about something. If you're an honest human, you'll admit to having procrastinated about a lot of things. I'll even go out on a limb and say that you've often put some salt in that wound and felt guilty about your procrastination. So what are you going to do about it?

Eddard Stark
Blog
Stubborn or Persistent? A Stark Difference
Dave's Diary Series

Like most things, persistence is something of a double-edged sword: it can be either a huge strength when applied in a constructive direction, or an outright flaw when clung to too tightly in situations that call for more flexibility. Like Ned Stark's honour, it can earn you respect and carry you to high places, but it can just as quickly get you into serious trouble.

Sticky note with the word happy
Blog
The Happiness of Subtraction
Dave's Diary Series

Money, material possessions, a great job, time, even love... I would argue that adding any of these to your life is not the key to happiness.  No, adding anything is not the way to go. Instead, let's think about subtraction.

photo of a thunderstorm
Blog
The True Cost of Overtime - Fires & Addicts
Dave's Diary Series

When it comes to careers, we act like addicts - in spite of clear evidence that working too many hours is damaging us, we continue to do it because of perceived short term reward. It's time for a change.

a girl wearing a shirt that says 'It's right to be wrong"
Blog
When You're Wrong, You're Right
Dave's Diary Series

It's not what you say that matters, but how you say it. You could be making something up on the spot, and be totally wrong on whatever it is you're talking about, but if you appear confident in what you're saying, you're more likely to be seen as right.

What exactly is confidence, and how do we get more of it?

an image of a lock locked on a fence against beautiful sunset
Blog
The F Word: The Key To Confidence
Dave's Diary Series

I was not a confident person in high school. Sure, I did fine in my classes, but most of the time that didn't seem very important. Like most people, I was more worried about how other people perceived me, particularly those mysterious and intimidating members of the opposite gender. Today, I'm a more confident person. When and how did that transformation happen?

A mind map with the title "Original My Design"
Blog
Originality, By Design
Dave's Diary Series

Standing out - in a good way - is one of the best things you can do in your work search. Given the volume in most job applications these days, giving an employer the impression that you've got something other applicants don't is almost always a good thing. But what DO you have that no one else does?

A photo of 3 raccoons on a tree
Blog
Raccoons: The Perfect Career Role Models
Dave's Diary Series

Raccoons are wonderful creatures - and as worthy of praise for their career-navigation skills as any other creature I can currently think of. So, let us appreciate the greatness that is the raccoon, and think of them the next time we're pondering our next career move.

A message on a chalkboard saying "moving out of the parents home!"
Blog
Work Is...
Dave's Diary Series

SFU Surrey hosted a very successful open house, in recognition of its 10th anniversary as an SFU campus. It was fun evening - lots of prospective students, parents, various members of the community - joined in the celebrations. We had the chance to get some people's thoughts on "work." What did they say?

A picture of actor Justin Rain standing in front of a grey wall
Blog
We’re All Actors: CSI Interviews First Nations Actor Justin Rain
Dave's Diary Series

“Whenever there is an opportunity to share my experience with people, it usually doesn’t take much for me to jump on board,” states Justin Rain when I ask him about his experiences at a recent event co-hosted by Career Services and the Indigenous Student Centre, “Indigenous Peoples’ Career Stories.”

People together
Blog
Networking and the Extravert Bias
Dave's Diary Series

Being a pretty typical introvert, one of the things that I need to put more effort into than a lot of more outgoing people is building and maintaining new relationships.  Friends, coworkers, other professional contacts, you name it - any new relationship.

Students participating in a string exercise
Blog
Networking and the Extrovert Bias
Dave's Diary Series

Being a pretty typical introvert, one of the things that I need to put more effort into than a lot of more outgoing people is building and maintaining new relationships.  Friends, coworkers, other professional contacts, you name it - any new relationship.

 

A man dressed as Batman
Blog
How To Be More Like Batman
Dave's Diary Series

As much as you may hear otherwise, you're not special. If you're like 99% of people, you don't have any superpowers. You're not going to change the world in any significant way. Sure, you've got strengths, and you'll probably help lots of people, but you're not going to single-handedly save the world.

You're not Superman. You're not Spiderman. But here are five ways you channel Batman in your own career development.

Two students sleeping in class.
Blog
A BA That's Definitely Not Worth It
Dave's Diary Series

The Bold Academy is a 4-week 'potential-building' experience marketed at college students and recent grads. The strategic use of the letters BA suggest that the program is primarily directed at arts students, conveniently playing off the stereotype of the aimless arts student. It's an interesting idea, but is it worth the steep price tag?

students at an SFU assembly
Blog
Top Ten: Tips For a Successful Transition
Dave's Diary Series

If you've recently graduated, or are about to, the prospect of transitioning from the comfort and predictability of a student lifestyle to the dynamic unpredictability of the world of work can seem daunting.

Help wanted sign
Blog
The Problem With Helping People | Part One
Dave's Diary Series

"I want to help people." I quietly chuckle to myself a little bit every time somebody says it. If only they knew how many times a week I heard those exact words. So, I usually ask them to explain what they mean by 'helping people.'

baby penguin
Blog
The Problem With Helping People | Part Two
Dave's Diary Series

it seems like everybody wants to help people. Read how career advisor Dave Lindskoog walks through this ubiquitous yet decidedly unhelpful desire with an imaginary student. Make sure to read part 1!

Darth Vader
Blog
Career Blog Roundup - Awesome Metaphor Edition
Dave's Diary Series

I've been reading a few really great articles lately, and instead of trying and failing to come up with something original, I thought I would share some of those articles, along with some of my thoughts about them. Here's five articles I like, complete with commentary, all of which use awesome metaphors to get their career advice across.

twins smiling; one presenting as an introvert, the other as an extrovert
Blog
You're Not An Introvert (And You're Not An Extrovert Either)
Dave's Diary Series

When it comes to personality, typology seems an intuitive fit. We like to think of ourselves as defined by neat and tidy categories, like introversion and extroversion. But, while there's definite value in having insight about your own and others' personality, our obsession with putting people into boxes can lead to unhelpful assumptions. Read Dave's blog exploring Ambiversion; the middle ground between Introverts and Extroverts.

a bunch of cars stuck in traffic
Blog
Feeling Stuck? Put A Halt On It!
Dave's Diary Series

You know the feeling of being stuck. Whether in your personal, interpersonal, professional, or any other life, the sense of having fallen out of the groove is always similarly and markedly unpleasant. You're spinning your tires, expending lots of effort with seemingly no forward motion to thank for it. So how do you get out of this funk? Here's a simple strategy for getting "unstuck"

A partly cloudy sky sprawls above a grassy prairie field.
Blog
Discipline Beats Time Management
Dave's Diary Series

Could learning discipline be the key to effective time-management? Here's what Dave has to say.

prairie skies
Blog
Discipline Beats Time Management
Dave's Diary Series

I’m from the prairies. I’ve always loved a big, open skyline and an endless horizon. Having moved to the west coast, one of the things I notice frequently is that the coastal mountains do a very effective job of blocking out the horizon and making the sky seem much smaller

Dave and his father sit on lounge chairs at the beach. A straw umbrella shades them from the sun.
Blog
Advice From My Dad: Make Yourself Irreplaceable
Dave's Diary Series

In this entry of Dave's Diary, Dave shares another tidbit from his dad. Read all about how Dave learned to bring value to the workplace in an innovative way.

David and his dad on the beach
Blog
Advice From My Dad - Make Yourself Irreplaceable | Part Two
Dave's Diary Series

"Make yourself irreplaceable," he would say, regaling stories of his own young employment at a car dealership. "Take the shifts that nobody else wants, work extra hours whenever possible, be the guy that your boss knows they can always count on." Was this really what my dad wanted me to do with my life?

two women talking and smiling
Blog
How Do Career Professionals Help?
Dave's Diary Series

Dave knows full well the value of talking to a career professional (if he didn't he'd be in trouble). It's knowledge that he takes for granted, and every now and then he's made aware of the fact that the knowledge he knows, isn't common knowledge - in fact, most people probably have no idea what they can get from working with a career professional! Read Dave's advice on talking with a career professional, and how it will boast your professional developpment. 

Albert Einstein
Blog
Imagination as a Career Skill
Dave's Diary Series

Have you ever thought about how amazing it is that we have the capacity to ​imagine​? What is it that gives me this ability to picture what my future might be like, or for artists to create and portray entire fantastical mental worlds, or for children to spend countless joyful hours pretending to be something or someone else? And what benefit can imagination have on our careers?

Arya from Game of Thrones
Blog
Game of Thrones Goes To University
Dave's Diary Series

What would the characters in A Game of Thrones major in, if they went to a modern day university? I focused on the characters that I found most interesting or noteworthy in my reading of the series - you might have some of your own favourites that I don't get to - I invite you to join in with your own opinions!

dave sitting at the head of a table with an arrow pointing at his head, with the words "expert"
Blog
Not An Expert, Don't Want To Be
Dave's Diary Series

Have a cold? Take this medicine. Feeling sad? Take these pills. Not sure what to do with your life? Find someone to give you the answer. Anything will do, as long as it doesn't involve a significant personal investment of our own time, effort, or mental energy - after all, we've got better things to do.

a field of wheat
Blog
Cultivating Imagination & The Distraction of Logic
Dave's Diary Series

Just think how easy it is for young children to answer the question, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" Most kids won't hesitate to answer, even if their responses seem unrealistic, even impossible to our imaginatively-impaired minds. Not surprisingly, the answer to that question becomes much more evasive as the natural ease and strength of our imagination fades. Is there a way to get it back?

girl talking and looking forward
Blog
How To Talk About Yourself Without Being An Arrogant Jerk
Dave's Diary Series

Did Greenday get it right?  Are nice people no more than spineless wimps, waiting to be crushed by the world's more fortitudinous vertebrates? Cathy Keates offers an alternative point of view.

a man standing up giving a speech and asking questions
Blog
The Best Question You Can Ask
Dave's Diary Series

"How did you get to be where you are?" It's such a delectable question. Dave thinks that's because it's an invitation to tell a story, and we inherently love stories. It's also a tiny risk, as the person so questioned might decline the invitation. Here is Dave's story navigating, understanding and exploring this question. 

A photo of Canadian 2-cent coin
Blog
Paying For University: How Far Will You Go?
Dave's Diary Series

As long as the fundamental issue of unequal access to university exists, there will continue to be students who elect to go to less than glamorous lengths to pay for school. Recently, the adult entertainment industry commented that they might look to the universities as a means to recruit exotic dancers. Where is the problem coming from, and where do we draw the line at what we would do to pay for school?

A photo of a studio
Blog
Quarter-Life Crisis: It's Real
Dave's Diary Series

It's no secret that young people entering the workforce today are facing very different challenges than generations past. "Quarter-life crisis" emerged to describe the experiences many young people were going through as they struggled to establish themselves in adulthood. But what does this phrase really mean?

person using apple pen to write on ipad
Blog
Three Mistakes and Three Tips: Cover Letters
Dave's Diary Series

It's been an hour, and there's nothing but a blank screen staring back at you. The job posting closes in another couple hours, and you need to submit a cover letter to go with your resume. But where oh where do you start? Here's 3 things to avoid, and 3 tips for writing your next cover letter!

Letter with a pen
Blog
3 Mistakes & 3 Tips - Cover Letters
Dave's Diary Series

It's been an hour, and there's nothing but a blank screen staring back at you. The job posting closes in another couple hours, and you need to submit a cover letter to go with your resume. But where oh where do you start? Here's 3 things to avoid, and 3 tips for writing your next cover letter!

empty notebook
Blog
Writer's Block: A Bitter Blankness.
Dave's Diary Series

Blank. That's pretty much all I've experienced whenever I've sat down in front of a computer screen with the intention of writing a blog post. What is this experience?  What happened to the sense of flow I had gotten so used to every Friday morning - that carefree time warp of productivity I seem to have taken for granted?

A graphic of a future city
Blog
The Resume of the Future
Dave's Diary Series

What will the resume of the future look like?  Considering how many other things have changed in the world of career development, it's kind of surprising to me that many of the conventions that apply to resumes and cover letters seem to be alive and well.

coins spilled out of jar
Blog
Black Friday & Value(s)
Dave's Diary Series

Today is Black Friday - the frenzied "first day" of holiday shopping following Thanksgiving day in the States. So naturally, value is on a lot of people's minds, as stores are now known to drop prices so low that shoppers have literally killed each other in an effort to save money. But it's another kind of value that motivated this article.

a keyboard and hand on mouse
Blog
Teaching Resume FAQs
Dave's Diary Series

Looking for teaching work? Getting to the end of your PDP/PQP/PLP program? Check out this list of frequently asked questions about teaching resumes!

IKEA logo
Blog
Goals: Not Ikea Instruction Manuals
Dave's Diary Series

Given my past rantings on such things as happenstance, chaos theory, and the general unpredictability of life and the world, I would forgive you if you thought that I would be opposed to any sort of goal-setting or similar such planful activities. I actually believe goals can be quite helpful - but only if we stop thinking of them as Ikea instruction manuals.

Hockey players
Blog
Nail Yakupov: Emotions At Work Are Okay
Dave's Diary Series

Last night, the hockey world bore witness to a memorable goal celebration by Oilers' rookie, Nail Yakupov. Though it was a memorable moment, controversy and disagreement over whether the celebration was "unprofessional" soon followed, which got me thinking: are emotions acceptable at work?

Power and reset buttons
Blog
Feeling Stuck? Press Reset
Dave's Diary Series

You're stuck. Maybe it's a dead-end job, or the sense that you're studying the wrong thing, or with the wrong person, or just in a place you didn't want to end up, but don't know how to leave. If only it were as simple as pressing a button and starting over. We can't do that, but here's the next best thing.

Person on transit looking out the window
Blog
How To Say Goodbye At Work
Dave's Diary Series

Saying goodbye is hard under any circumstance, and people tend to avoid doing it as a result. Workplace relationships end all the time, so what's the best way to end them gracefully? I share my thoughts here.

Books
Blog
Passion: The Enduring Debate
Dave's Diary Series

Of the many debates in the career development world, the one over "passion" might be the most volatile. How much of a role should passion play in career choice? Looking at what we mean by "passion" might lead to some new answers.

Picture of Whiskey
Blog
Passion With A "Small p": The Whisky Story
Dave's Diary Series

What can we take from the "smaller" things that we love? Often, they bring our lives tremendous amounts of meaning. It's important to acknowledge that work isn't the only area of life that we can derive meaning or fulfill our values.

A row of phones
Blog
Calling It What It Is
Dave's Diary Series

When it comes to careers, a lot of people think of themselves as having a "calling" towards something. What does this mean, and is it even helpful? Some recent research gives us some clues.

Yin and Yang Symbol
Blog
Go Ahead, Contradict Yourself
Dave's Diary Series

Life is full of contradictions, especially when emotions are taken into account - and careers for that matter. This isn't always easy to acknowledge, and it can be incredibly difficult to act on, but it's also an inescapable fact of life, and as such, of career development. So go ahead, contradict yourself.

Pile of coins
Blog
Employment Scams 101
Dave's Diary Series

Employment scams are becoming more and more common, and scammers are continually coming up with new strategies to efficiently separate innocent and often desperate job seekers from their money. So what can you do to prevent/report being scammed?

Red pencil crayon drawing a line
Blog
Unpaid Internships: Drawing A Moral Line
Dave's Diary Series

David follows up on his earlier post on unpaid internships, and asks: How do we determine whether an unpaid internship is moral?

Person with their eyes closed
Blog
Intentionality: It's Not A Secret
Dave's Diary Series

What do we mean by the word "intentionality"? David examines some helpful - and unhelpful - ways the word has become popular, and how the right intentions can be useful in your career and life.

A graph illustrating a demand curve and a supply curve.
Blog
Does "Not In Demand" = Immoral?
Dave's Diary Series

I recently came across an interesting argument. It went something like this: It's immoral to study something that is not in demand according to labour market needs and projections. Here's why I don't think that's true.

Mirrored image of a person in a helmet and black jacket
Blog
Doing It Right: Know Your Employment Rights
Dave's Diary Series

What do employment rights issues look like? Issues of discrimination, harassment, and unpaid wages are a few well-known examples, but you might be surprised to learn how subtle and seemingly commonplace many employment rights infractions are. Here are some situations you might want to be prepared for.

Picture of a heart
Blog
Loving Your Job vs. Loving Youself
Dave's Diary Series

Should our most important values be fulfilled by the job we do? Anything less tends to be viewed as "just a job." The result is predictable: a bunch of unsatisfied people who think they should be in more fulfilling jobs. Dave argues it's better to love yourself than your job.

Cat with its eyes closed
Blog
Why Does Rejection Hurt So Much?
Dave's Diary Series

No matter how well you've prepared for it, rejection hurts on a gut-wrenching , tear-jerking scale. Why does it hurt so much? Perhaps more importantly, how can we deal with it? Dave proposes two conceptualizations of rejection, and some tips for dealing with it to go with each.

Picture of hands on guitar strings
Blog
At The Bottom End: On Sucking At Your Job
Dave's Diary Series

Sticking with something to the point where you develop enough skill to love it isn't easy, especially when considering career choices. So, if you don't feel 100% impassioned by your work right away, that's okay! Here's why.

Stressed out woman pinching the bridge of her nose while two coworkers look at her
Blog
#LetsTalk: Psychologically Healthy Workplaces
Dave's Diary Series

Mental health awareness includes the recognition that all people deserve to work in psychologically healthy environments. So what makes a workplace psychologically healthy? Read on to find out.

 

David waving goodbye
Blog
Saying Goodbye At Work: This Time It's Personal
Dave's Diary Series

Leaving a position, an organization, and a field - especially one as positive as I've been in these last 4 or 5 years - always inspires mixed emotions. Excited, terrified, iinspired, sad, nostalgic - all are a part of saying goodbye. Here's why.

A guy sitting by the edge of the water
Blog
A Retrospective
Dave's Diary Series

I thought it might be fun to revisit some of my favourite articles from the past four-ish years, with a brief excerpt from each. I hope you get as much out of remembering them as I have!

a long dark hallway
Blog
The Waiting Room
Dave's Diary Series

"'I'm here for an interview with, ah... Mr. Jenson." He felt more than saw her purposeful scan of his appearance. In his mind, the just-noticeable wrinkles in his only white collared shirt became words scrawled in thick, black permanent marker. I'm not good enough. A days' stubble. Hastily tied necktie. What am I even doing here?