Careers in Service to Our Country

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In honouring Canada’s veterans this Remembrance Day, we recognize people who did a valiant job in service to their country and the world.

As U.S. President John F. Kennedy so famously said in his inaugural address: “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

This month marks the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy’s death. He was assassinated on November 22, 1963, followed five years later with the assassinations of his brother Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Their legacy, like those of our veterans, lives on the good that each of us does. For many of us, that means doing good in our daily lives. It can also mean making a difference in our careers.

“Make a career of humanity,” said Martin Luther King, Jr. “You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”

King was talking about the struggle for human rights, but there are many careers that give the opportunity to make a difference.

If you dream of making the world a better place, you may already have considered careers that are widely recognized for making a difference, such as teaching, firefighting, and health care.

Each is a noble profession, and those who work in these careers deserve our recognition, respect, and gratitude.

Many job-seekers find the best place to look for careers that make a difference is the nonprofit sector. This sector consists of a variety of organizations in such diverse fields as arts & culture, education, environment, health, religion, sports & recreation, and social services.

According to the Institute for Nonprofit Studies at Mount Royal University, with more than two million Canadians working in the nonprofit sector, it is “arguably the most dynamic, challenging and rewarding facet of our nation’s economy — and one that is growing at an exceptional rate.”

You can also find jobs in the corporate world that make a difference including the position of ethics officer, which aims to help ensure that corporations are socially responsible. For information about this growing field, check out the free newsletter published by the Institute for Global Ethics at www.globalethics.org.

And there are jobs that make a difference in other sectors ranging from politics to publishing.

Recently I learned of two Calgarians who are making a difference through the latter.

Jennifer Pretious Koh is author of Zindi’s Journey: Finding Gem, a charming story that inspires parents, teachers, and children to discover and nurture creativity and “hidden gems of purpose and passion.”

Through a project known as “Reading Gems”, Jennifer is collaborating with grassroots organizations to sponsor books for schools in under-served communities in Africa.

To learn more, you are invited to attend a book launch and signing on November 24, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at Poggenpohl (1302 – 1st Street S.W.). Children are also welcome at this event, which Jennifer says will be a “delicious afternoon of storytelling and yummy super food for the soul.”

For RSVPs and inquiries, email jenn@myartofchange.com or phone 403-690-7545. Those who can’t attend the event can order the book or learn about sponsoring books for the Reading Gems project.

Another Calgarian making a difference with a book is Jo Dibblee, an inspirational woman who devotes her life to service, philanthropy and freeing the voices of women worldwide. I’ve previously written about Jo in her role of empowering Alberta’s female entrepreneurs as Managing Director of eWomenNetwork Alberta (www.ewomennetwork.com).

Now she has written a memoir titled Frock Off: Living Undisguised (www.frock-off.com). Jo describes it as “a true-to-life story about the liberation of self in the face of adversity, abject poverty, tragedy, neglect, rejection, assault, murder, and betrayal.”

The book takes readers to “a place of living on purpose, loving whole-heartedly, and taking off the masks (or ‘frocks’) that hold us back.”

Jo’s dream is “to help serve 13.1 million lives — women and children whose lives have been forever changed as a result of abuse, neglect and crimes against them.”

“I want to give them a voice, and to help them find the courage to stand up and Frock Off!” says Jo, who is also donating one third of the proceeds from the sale of her book to two worthy causes: Because I am a Girl and Little Warriors. For more information visit www.frock-off.com.

As Martin Luther King, Jr. said: “You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

All who serve deserve our thanks, and on this long weekend I hope everyone will remember to honour Canada’s veterans who have served us so bravely.

Tag Goulet is co-founder of FabJob.com, a publisher of books on how to get started in a dream career, and Academic Director of the International Association of Professions Career College. To contact Tag visit www.iapcollege.com.