Julia Bloomquist

What do you love most about your profession? Why did you choose this career?

My favourite part of my profession is getting to know people; their stories and goals, what brought them to the place where they are, and finding creative ways to best support them in getting to where they want to be. I also love the variety of my daily engagements, the opportunities to be creative with finding the most engaging ways to connect with folks virtually, the unlimited opportunities for learning, and the flexibility that comes with being self-employed. If a client can’t meet me during daytime hours, I have the flexibility to meet them by night. Why I chose this career? After I sold the restaurant that I owned and operated for 11 years, I had to do some soul-searching/ career meandering to figure out what was in store for me next. I realized that supporting my staff through their own career development journey, and often entrepreneurial path, was what I loved the most about running the restaurant. I loved creating a safe space for personal growth, exploration and skill development, and ultimately community development where each individual could feel valued and tap into their strengths. This realization opened up the door to me facilitating an employability program at The Murphy Centre Career Services. After that contract came to a close, I was eager to remain on this stimulating and meaningful trajectory so I launched my own consulting agency, centred on career development principles, using virtual platforms to connect with individuals and teams.

What does your typical workday involve? Can you work remotely? (indoors/outdoors, office/plant, travel time, teamwork/solo work)?

My typical work day: 7:30 am Walk along the beach (rain or shine) to reflect on my priorities of the day, let my pup have an off-lease run, and let the fresh air energize me and clear out any cobwebs of the mind. 8:00 am Sit down in my home office to make a to-do list for the day, and to scroll over my weekly and monthly to-do list to ensure that I’m on track! Then I fire up my computer, Google Calendar, Zoom, and take a half hour to read through all new emails, inquiries and new client bookings via Square, and update the to-do list accordingly. 9 am-3 pm Host/ facilitate virtual meetings via Zoom, either one-on-one with a client interested in career exploration (ie looking at all options, understanding the labour market, tapping into one’s strengths, interests, values, skills & priorities, developing a resume and/ or cover letter, or looking at how an individual could grow within their career/ sector) or business plan development session, or a group meeting of Career Development Practitioners through the Community Employment Collaboration, where our goal is to support folks working within the career and employment sector. 3:30-4:30 pm Admin hour- do up invoices, scan any receipts of purchases (of supplies or professional development) into Dext, enter into Intuit Accounting, and recap activities of the day. Often my evening reading and reflections are centred around career development, community engagement, labour market information, and business development.

What do you do for fun? What are some of your hobbies/activities?

Because my work involves sitting at my computer and connecting with folks virtually, I am intentional about getting outside into the fresh air, whenever I can. Walking with my pup and kiddos along the beach, kayaking, outdoor cook-ups, and growing veggies at our community garden are among my favourite activities.

What advice would you give students who might be considering a career like yours? What advice would you have given your younger self?

Seek out a mentor within the field, allow yourself to go down rabbit holes when reading about what interests you, ponder what types of problems you’d like to solve within your communities versus “what you want to be when you grow up” and remember that a meaningful career can involve a variety of different roles and will evolve over time.