Young people in society
Provided by the Professional Order of Social Workers of Québec (Ordre professionnel des travailleurs sociaux du Québec), these articles are intended to help you deal with everyday life. They could also help you help a friend!
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Reorientation and self-improvement
by Claire Leduc, Social Worker, Family and Marriage Counsellor
Young people often begin their adult lives suddenly, and to survive and make a living, they choose the easiest course of study. A few years later, they have a better sense of themselves and realize that they are bored and their life isn't quite what they expected it to be.
For example, after high school, Marie-Ève studied office automation. Five years later, she feels that she is better suited to cosmetology. What can she do?
Marie-Ève lives with her spouse and has two young kids. Balancing her family life and her job is a challenge which only amplifies her identity crisis. She wonders how to find happiness and still earn a living. Sometimes, she even gets depressed and her doctor prescribes anti-depressants.
Once you are an adult, why not take steps to make sure you will be happy?
Self-knowledge is the key to making good personal choices. The fear of not achieving their dreams keeps some people from trying new things. However, to find your path in life, you may have to broaden your horizons. Bruce was an accomplished professional but didn't enjoy sitting in front of a computer all day. One day, he decided to take some class "A" driving courses on weekends. Today, he drives a bus and feels fulfilled. He has been happily serving the public for the past 15 years.
Veronica is a daycare worker but has always dreamed of becoming a family counselor and heading a professional service. She is enrolled in a university correspondence course and attends advanced classes at the university near her home.
Controlling your destiny and being proactive about your future can be stressful, but it can also be very rewarding. Some people regret the choices they made as a teenager but once they find their calling, they regain confidence and hope for the future. These days, people live longer and often spend 40 hours a week working. That's why it's best to take steps to find fulfillment in your career.
In Quebec, people who want to improve their career situations can find help at a Carrefour Jeunesse-emploi centre. Most of these centres offer the following free services: a bulletin board with posted job offers, resume-writing workshops, training for efficient job searches, interview simulations, photocopy and fax services, mentoring, career choice and reorientation counselling, and more.
To find out more, write us
These services, sometimes combined with psychological counselling to learn to know yourself better and resolve any emotional issues, can help you reorient your career. The period between 18 and 25 years is a crucial time during which your personality is forged. In your early twenties, life, like a shifting kaleidoscope, poses new challenges.
Often, technical training is now offered in the workplace, allowing employees to improve their skills and adapt to new technologies from other countries or competing businesses. Keeping an open mind and being willing to participate can open the door to attractive promotions.
The period between 18 and 25 years is the right time to build the foundations for a happy life. You can improve your circumstances by developing attitudes that affirm your ambitions. Here are a few tips:
- Present yourself well and highlight your talents.
- Build a network of people that you admire.
- Take time to solve unsatisfied customers' problems.
- Learn to promote the services and products you sell.
- Build a network to publicize them.
- Learn to control your stress during difficult times in your life.
- Concentrate on the task at hand.
- Retrain yourself if needed.
Adapted from: Melvin Levine, M.D., Ready or not, here life comes, Simon and Shuster, New York 2005 p.165.
We face continual challenges in the 21st century. Tasks are complex and require constant adaptation. I believe we need to look at this as an opportunity to improve ourselves. Finally, the best burnout prevention strategy is to enjoy your job and working environment, because when you love what you do for a living, your energy will renew itself!
Claire Leduc
Social Worker
Family and Marriage Counsellor
October 20, 2007
