Career Options

Create your dream job

If you were looking for a job in Canada in 2008, you were in the right place at the right time.

Tag and Catherine Goulet


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Tag and Catherine Goulet
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In 2008, the national employment rate has increased to a record high according to the latest release from Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey.

But while employment is growing faster in this country than in the United States, with 19,000 more Canadians employed last month than the month before, that doesn’t mean that every Canadian has his or her dream job.


Different job seekers have different definitions of what makes a position a “dream job,” so we are referring to any job that provides what you need and want. For some workers that simply means decent pay and job security. For others, it may mean flexible hours, variety, excitement, teamwork, recognition, being in control, making a difference, being creative, or whatever you need to feel fulfilled in your work.

If you don’t have the right combination of skills and experience, your dream job can be difficult to land in any economy. But “difficult” doesn’t mean “impossible.” If you can show an employer how you can help them solve a problem or increase revenues, you may be able to create the job you want.

To create a job, look for companies that could benefit from having you as an employee. Your chances are likely to be best with small growing companies which need help but are unlikely to be inundated with unsolicited job applications. (Large or well-known companies may receive thousands of resumes every year.)

Read the business pages of the Sun to keep up with news about companies that are active and growing. Visit companies’ websites to learn what they do, what their goals are, and what they are looking for in employees. Based on that information, try to identify what the company’s needs are so you can explain how you can fill that need.

Once you know what you have to offer a company, you will need to deal directly with someone who has the authority to hire new people. This does not mean contacting the human resources department of a large company, unless that is the department you want to work with. The human resources department fills positions that already exist. If you want to create a new position, you will need to speak with the appropriate department manager or, in the case of a smaller company, the owner of the company.

You will need to meet with this person and learn what their needs are in order to figure out how you can create value for them. It’s best if you can establish a relationship with someone through networking. However, you may even be able to create a job through cold calling. Where possible, refer to yourself as a “professional” by giving yourself a job title that represents the type of work you want to do for the company. Here’s an example of the type of message you might leave on someone’s voicemail.

Hello , this is Jo Jobhunter. I am a and would like to meet with you to discuss how I could help cut customer service costs. Please call me at so we can schedule a time to meet.

If the company is looking to cut costs, as many companies are, this call is more likely to get returned than a call simply asking if there are any job openings. You may need to be persistent and make a lot of calls, but if what you are offering is something that will bring a company more value than it costs, you can create a job.

One way to prove your value to an employer is with a “working interview.” You can have a working interview by volunteering to spend a day or more doing the job you would be hired for. Here’s how one applicant pitched us in an email application for a marketing position:

“If you are uncertain of my qualifications or fit within FabJob I am willing to provide a week of my time for a working interview during which I would carry out the day to day functions of the position on a volunteer basis.”

In this case, we did not ask the applicant to volunteer her services, but the initiative she took in making the offer helped her land the job.

So show employers that you have what they are looking for in any economy, and you may soon have your own dream job.

Tag and Catherine Goulet are founders of FabJob.com, a publisher of career guides offering step-by-step advice for breaking into a variety of dream careers. Visit www.FabJob.com to subscribe to their free career newsletter.



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