Business

Accepting Your Reality Is Important, Especially for Job Seekers

Published

3 years ago

March 16, 2022

Some “food for thought” when it comes to syncing your reality with your job search.

Years ago, a defining moment for me occurred at 2:30 AM on a Friday morning in Times Square. A few minutes earlier, it had stopped raining. My friend was trying to hail a taxi to get us back to Hackensack, New Jersey. I took out a cigarette and then realized I didn’t have a lighter. So, I asked a hunched-over man walking by for a light. He produced a Zippo. I commented on the beauty of the neon lights reflecting off the wet pavement. My new friend snapped shut his Zippo. As he walked away, he said, “For every lightbulb on Broadway, there are a thousand broken hearts.”

BOOM! a hit of reality—most people never realize their dream and move onto their plan B or C, assuming they had a plan B or C.

The fact is most of us will never live our dreams—not entirely. At some point, you’ll have to conclude “it is what it is” and either make the best of it or move on.

The popular advice is you should always follow your dreams and passions. In a world (I’m thinking globally.) where most people are just looking to survive to the next day, we’re privileged to think of “follow your dream” as “career advice.” The self-help industry pushes this advice, as do career coaches. Marketing capitalizes on people pursuing their dreams, which created the Western cultural belief that anyone can achieve anything they desire if they work hard enough.

“Follow your dream” advice is sticky because it implies that if you don’t follow your dream, you’re settling (God forbid) for less.

Never is the advice to make peace with your reality.

She’s not in love with you.
The world doesn’t need another juggling mime.
Everyone is vying for the one (keyword) corner office.
You don’t have what it takes to make it in Hollywood.
Only a handful of people make a living as a snowboarder.

In my experience, much of life is characterized by, “It is what it is!” and the greatest source of unhappiness is unrealistic expectations.

Putting your hopes on landing a job you have at best a slim chance of landing is a disservice to your job search and happiness. At 47, will you be able to pivot from being an accountant to becoming a sought-after fashion designer? Sometimes I’ll ask a candidate, “When you were in high school, what were you hoping to become?” Most of the time, I hear the cliché “a rockstar,” “a hockey player,” “a police officer.” I’m looking for insight into how the candidate saw themselves in their youth. Then I ask, “So what happened?” to see if they tend to blame others instead of themselves.

Once a candidate, who I’d say was in their late 30s, told me his dream was to make a living as a comedian. As much as possible, he’d do open mic nights, hoping to get discovered. I hired this person and went to several of his open mics. Some people are naturally funny; most people aren’t. While I give him kudos for his determination, he was most people.

Clint Eastwood, like “Dirty Harry” Callahan, in Magnum Force (1973), gave what I consider to be sage advice: “A man’s got to know his limitations.”

Sometimes you need to say to yourself, “I’m not cut out for being a (whatever).” I’ve said this to myself more than once. When it’s in your best interest, there’s no shame in quitting and trying something else.

Often job seekers reach for jobs they’re told by well-meaning family members and friends to go after. Or they have friends whose jobs they wish they had because these “friends” present themselves as being successful. They believe having the title of “Manager,” or “Junior VP,” or “Senior Operation Manager” will define them as being successful, or at least make them appear successful.

Straight talk: All jobs (“What is it you do?”) are a means to an end—an income. In today’s expanding/contracting economic climate, it’s foolish to have your identity dependent on your job, which you’ve seen can vanish in an instant.

Today, many people are miserable and job search frustrated. They’re pursuing “dream jobs,” they think will make them happy and show the world they’re successful. Even though it may seem counter-intuitive, waking up from the fantasy world of “the dream job” will benefit you and your job hunt in many ways.

______________________________________________________________

Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send Nick your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com.

Business

Roots sees room for expansion in activewear, reports $5.2M Q2 loss and sales drop

Published

3 days ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Roots Corp. may have built its brand on all things comfy and cosy, but its CEO says activewear is now “really becoming a core part” of the brand.

The category, which at Roots spans leggings, tracksuits, sports bras and bike shorts, has seen such sustained double-digit growth that Meghan Roach plans to make it a key part of the business’ future.

“It’s an area … you will see us continue to expand upon,” she told analysts on a Friday call.

The Toronto-based retailer’s push into activewear has taken shape over many years and included several turns as the official designer and supplier of Team Canada’s Olympic uniform.

But consumers have had plenty of choice when it comes to workout gear and other apparel suited to their sporting needs. On top of the slew of athletic brands like Nike and Adidas, shoppers have also gravitated toward Lululemon Athletica Inc., Alo and Vuori, ramping up competition in the activewear category.

Roach feels Roots’ toehold in the category stems from the fit, feel and following its merchandise has cultivated.

“Our product really resonates with (shoppers) because you can wear it through multiple different use cases and occasions,” she said.

“We’ve been seeing customers come back again and again for some of these core products in our activewear collection.”

Her remarks came the same day as Roots revealed it lost $5.2 million in its latest quarter compared with a loss of $5.3 million in the same quarter last year.

The company said the second-quarter loss amounted to 13 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Aug. 3, the same as a year earlier.

In presenting the results, Roach reminded analysts that the first half of the year is usually “seasonally small,” representing just 30 per cent of the company’s annual sales.

Sales for the second quarter totalled $47.7 million, down from $49.4 million in the same quarter last year.

The move lower came as direct-to-consumer sales amounted to $36.4 million, down from $37.1 million a year earlier, as comparable sales edged down 0.2 per cent.

The numbers reflect the fact that Roots continued to grapple with inventory challenges in the company’s Cooper fleece line that first cropped up in its previous quarter.

Roots recently began to use artificial intelligence to assist with daily inventory replenishments and said more tools helping with allocation will go live in the next quarter.

Beyond that time period, the company intends to keep exploring AI and renovate more of its stores.

It will also re-evaluate its design ranks.

Roots announced Friday that chief product officer Karuna Scheinfeld has stepped down.

Rather than fill the role, the company plans to hire senior level design talent with international experience in the outdoor and activewear sectors who will take on tasks previously done by the chief product officer.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:ROOT)

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Business

Talks on today over HandyDART strike affecting vulnerable people in Metro Vancouver

Published

4 days ago

September 12, 2024

Anne Joseph

VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, are set to resume today as a strike that has stopped most services drags into a second week.

No timeline has been set for the length of the negotiations, but Joe McCann, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they are willing to stay there as long as it takes, even if talks drag on all night.

About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people unable to navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last Tuesday, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.

Hundreds of drivers rallied outside TransLink’s head office earlier this week, calling for the transportation provider to intervene in the dispute with Transdev, which was contracted to oversee HandyDART service.

Transdev said earlier this week that it will provide a reply to the union’s latest proposal on Thursday.

A statement from the company said it “strongly believes” that their employees deserve fair wages, and that a fair contract “must balance the needs of their employees, clients and taxpayers.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

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Business

Transat AT reports $39.9M Q3 loss compared with $57.3M profit a year earlier

Published

4 days ago

September 12, 2024

Anne Joseph

MONTREAL – Travel company Transat AT Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter compared with a profit a year earlier as its revenue edged lower.

The parent company of Air Transat says it lost $39.9 million or $1.03 per diluted share in its quarter ended July 31.

The result compared with a profit of $57.3 million or $1.49 per diluted share a year earlier.

Revenue in what was the company’s third quarter totalled $736.2 million, down from $746.3 million in the same quarter last year.

On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $1.10 per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $1.10 per share a year earlier.

Transat chief executive Annick Guérard says demand for leisure travel remains healthy, as evidenced by higher traffic, but consumers are increasingly price conscious given the current economic uncertainty.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TRZ)

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