“…I don’t know what I want to do for a career, but I made a promise to myself that whatever it is, it’s going to be something I’m passionate about, so I came up with this idea to try out different jobs, to see what I like and don’t like, and learn from others about how they decided on a career.”
The first of Sean Aiken's words reflect a feeling that many graduates and young people starting out experience. There are so many things to try, so many places to go...Which is one is right for me!?!? I know not so many years ago I was that grad, degree in hand (actually that rolled up piece of paper was asking for donations—the degree came in the mail) and unsure what the next steps were.
Let me introduce you further to Sean Aiken. You may have already met him, in fact. Sean graduated valedictorian from Capilano College (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) in 2005. Business degree and honors in hand, Sean loathed the thought of being tied to a dead-end job and the five-o'clock countdown each work day. So he did something about it. Sean launched the One-Week Job Project in February of 2007. It’s just as it sounds: he tried out a new job each week for an entire year. Little did he know his experiment would end up taking him all over Canada and the United States in pursuit of what can only be described as “finding his passion.” (An unrelated note, I hate the word passion...just so you know.)
Sean’s story makes for a great case study in social-media buzz building that goes viral. With the help of friend Ian MacKenzie, Sean built a website (http://www.oneweekjob.com/) explaining the One-Week Job Project and then he spammed his address book contacts about the project.
From just a few initial offers, the employment opportunities began pouring in. Website traffic was up. NiceJob.ca—Google.com simplicity meets CareerBuilder.com searchability—took notice and offered a sponsorship in exchange for a banner ad and some publicity. And along came mass media exposure: CNN. Fox News. Rachel Ray.
At the end of the project, Sean records that just over 200 offers had been made. Even though he ultimately accepted only 52, what a resume this guy has now! (Of course his long-term experience in any one field may be a little short.) Sean’s career experiences spanned all over from professional, to blue-collar, to rough-and-tumble. A few examples: firefighter, stock trader, innkeeper, cowboy, advertising executive, research assistant, dairy farmer, and numerous positions in food and beverage.
While rarely one to say no to a free lunch, hotel room, or plane ticket, Sean did his project as inexpensively as possible. He directed employers to donate any wages to a favored charity. Sean ultimately raised over $20,000—in today's economy a respectable living for a B.S. holder.
Each weeklong career in the book is outlined with the average salary and various other blurbs of related information. Most jobs entail an entire chapter of Sean sharing his insights, experiences, and nuggets of wisdom garnered from his career mentors. Sean captures his experiences in a style that is witty, upfront, engaging, and inspiring.
So what was the outcome? (I suppose this calls for a spoiler warning.) Did Sean ultimately find his passion? I think he shares it best:
“The truth is, I could be happy doing many things. I’d love to be a teacher. I’d love to work at a nonprofit. I’d love to be a professional speaker. I’d love to start a small business of some kind. I’d love to work for a marketing firm…But I’ve realized that a career is merely a vehicle to fulfill our passion.
I discovered that my passion is to explore.”
Where is Sean now? He’s doing a little bit of all those things described above. The One-Week Job program is now there for other wandering souls to try out a variety of careers and locales. The project obtains various sponsorships to assist students with the cost, while Sean blogs regularly on the site about his day-to-day activities and also makes himself available for public speaking arrangements.
The One-Week Job Project is a contemporary case study in buzz building, branding, and what can happen when an idea goes viral. I wonder if Sean knew the future he was creating for himself when he and his buddy Ian MacKenize launched oneweekjob.com. That said, One-Week Job is a very entertaining and informative book. It embodies a lot of tender insights and wisdom while also throwing in some romance and personal conflicts, just to keep the story interesting. It’s a great choice for any young person seeking out their life’s passion. For that matter, it’s an inspiring read for anyone “young at heart” who may not have yet found their calling.
GET IT
The One-Week Job Project is available as an eBook through Buffalo Erie County Library or can be purchased from oneweekjob.com or any other major bookseller.
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