The Road Taken: Career Journeys

Contributor Guide

The Road Taken: Career Journeys

Thank you for considering to be a contributor to this blog by sharing your story for The Road Taken: Career Journeys. This blog is dedicated to showcasing the varied paths people take through their academic and professional lives.

These prompts are here to guide and inspire your reflection—feel free to tell your story by writing freely in narrative form, or interview format, or any other form or style that interests you, answering as many or as few of the prompt questions that you want. You are free to use this platform to promote the work you do, to offer inspiration, to offer words of wisdom, and to advise people about pathways, programs, opportunities, etc… to help them consider your career as an option for them.

I also recommend reading the writers who already blogged for your own writing inspiration: https://theroadtakencareerjourneys.ca/blog-writers-table-of-contents/

Guiding Questions & Prompts

🚄 The Beginning

  • What did you imagine doing “when you grew up”?
  • What were your early interests, strengths, or influences?
  • What did you love and enjoy playing with when you were little, especially when you were on your own?
  • How might these early experiences have inspired or influenced the path you ended up taking?

📚 Education & Exploration

  • What was your academic journey like? Where did you go for schooling? Programs? Places? Internships?
  • What programs or places do you recommend should someone want to follow in your footsteps?
  • Did you follow a clear path, or did it evolve over time?
  • Were there any pivotal courses, teachers, or experiences that helped shape your direction?

✨ Turning Points

  • What key moments, decisions, or detours shaped your career journey?
  • Were there times when things didn’t go as planned? How did you respond?

📅 Current Chapter

  • What are you doing now, and what do you enjoy about it?
  • How does your current work reflect (or differ from) what you once envisioned?
  • Any recommendations or promotions of your work that your advise?

🔍 Lessons & Reflections

  • What have you learned along the way—about work, life, or yourself?
  • Are there any myths about careers or success you’d like to dispel?
  • Consider any volunteer work / causes / experiences/ values attached to your work or beyond your work that you want to comment on or advocate for and/or advertise.

🧡 Advice for Others

  • What would you say to someone just starting out, or to your younger self?
  • Any quotes, philosophies, or stories that helped you stay grounded or inspired?
  • Again, if someone wants to follow in your footsteps – what would you advise them to do?

🔮 Looking Ahead

  • What are your hopes, dreams, or goals for the future—personally or professionally?
  • Are there new directions you’re curious about exploring?
  • How do you see your career (or sense of purpose) evolving in the years to come?

Interested in writing your story?

Guidelines:

Submit your Career Story to me – Pamela Hunnisett – at hunniadvisor@gmail.com

Please include:

  • a title,
  • a very brief preface about who you are (possibly your connection to me),
  • a photo of you,
  • a symbolic photo (yours or free usage from the web) relative to your career for the feature image behind your title (i.e. the meandering mountain path for Nathan Budd’s, the vibing girl of on computer for Ore’s, the purple figs for Megan’s etc..),
  • any other photos you’d love me to add to your blog post
  • if desired, you can include any links too to promote yourself and your work or anything that you’d like. (i.e. your LinkedIn account, your own blog or podcasts, your business, you alma mater).

There is no minimum or maximum words – whatever it takes for your story!

 Your purpose and audience is to share your story and provide information for students /people who might be interested in your type of job and learning from your journey. It is also PD for me in my new role as an Academic Guidance Counsellor – what better way for me to learn about all that’s out there in terms of academic schools and programs, processes, opportunities, and careers, businesses, passions, purpose, etc….

If you know someone who has a great career story that should be shared – please share this blog and Contributor page with them, too!

Thank you again for contributing to The Road Taken. Your story could be the spark that helps someone else find their way.