Experience a 'day-in-the-life' at Challenge Factory: Test-drive a new career

Terry Poulton, Toronto Sun Nov 23, 2011.

Ever thought about giving up on your current career and heading in a completely different direction?

It’s a scary notion. But what if there was a way to test-drive that new career you’ve been musing about?

There is, says Lisa Taylor, president of a Toronto-based career counseling company she dubbed Challenge Factory when she founded it in 2009.

“Our practical ‘day in the life’ approach gives clients the opportunity to experience what it feels like to do something other than what they’re currently doing, and to find out immediately whether or not they like it,” Taylor explains.

“Actually experiencing first-hand something they’ve been thinking about gives people confidence and allows them to think more clearly about the new direction.”

That’s certainly how it’s working out for her, says Sara Charney.

During the years she was a stay-at-home mom, she says she did contract teaching of Italian language and literature and also “got involved quite heavily in volunteer work. Now that my children are older, I thought it was time for me to take the plunge and really figure out what I want to do next.”

After working through the “inspire” and “motivate” phases that are part of Challenge Factory’s techniques, Charney decided to accept Taylor’s recommendation to focus on volunteering by trying a test-drive day shadowing the director of volunteer resources at Credit Valley Hospital.

“It was very exciting for me,” Charney recalls. “That one-day experience, plus the prep work I did with Lisa beforehand and then the follow-through after,” convinced her to prepare for a professional career in volunteer management, which she’s currently doing at Humber College.

Lawyer Denise Clarke says her time with Challenge Factory began after she worked in Europe and the United States for four years, and returned to Canada ready for a career change.

“I met with Lisa and what I liked right away is that Challenge Factory doesn’t just say ‘Let’s review your CV and talk about your cover letter,’ but focuses on a practical, hands-on approach with experiential learning,” Clarke explains.

“I didn’t want to do the entire program, so Lisa was flexible in allowing me to sign up for a shorter package based on my requirements,” she says. “I began working with her in September.

Very soon, she took me to a networking event where I made some great connections.” Not long afterwards, Clarke says she began “negotiating for just the kind of position I now know I want in the non-profit sector.”

Taylor says the experiences of both these clients don’t validate just Challenge Factory’s approach, but also “what’s known about career change. The research says that adults learn best, and adapt to change best, by having actual experience.

“We’re the only company in Canada that has a test-drive component,” says Taylor. “But whether people try a ‘day in the life’ experience through us or through their own networks, it’s a valuable way to move forward.

“Careers aren’t the same as they used to be, so our approach to careers shouldn’t be the same as it used to be.”

If you happen to be musing about switching careers, Taylor says feel free to take the no-obligation "Career Satisfaction Quiz" on her website: www.challengefactory.ca.