What are yours?

^inspired by http://slaw.ca (generated using http://wordle.net)

^inspired by http://thecourt.ca (image generated using http://wordle.net)

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, here’s a simple way to find content you care about: ask 2 friends to share 2 links they feel are important, and pass them along.  This method was inspired by Six Pixels of Separation‘s Mitch Joel, who makes a weekly effort to post “6 Links Worth your Time” with help from 2 friends.

Here are mine this week (which happens to be National Volunteer Week):

James Lockyer – a professional bio on one of Canada’s great legal heroes, James Lockyer of Lockyer Campbell Posner, based in Toronto, Ontario Canada.  Why is he a hero?  Lockyer spearheaded the late 90′s wrongful convictions movement as a reaction to “get tough on crime” policies and irresponsible media coverage that locked innocent people behind bars.  People like Guy Paul Morin and David Milgaard are two of his most famous clients — both convicted of heinous crimes they didn’t commit.  Stories of wrongful convictions like this one are heartbreaking, and it’s because of champions like James Lockyear that the stories don’t have to end in tragedy.

Governor General David Johnston – a fairly comprehensive bio on Wikipedia of Canada’s newest GG, and former President of my alma mater, the University of Waterloo.  Johnston is a hero of mine because of his distinguished academic career,  his dedication to public service, and the way he remains approachable despite it all.  A true leader, he helped grow Waterloo into the city and academic hub it is today.  He had this message for Canadians on National Volunteer Week — a message he has practised in the past, and continues to uphold in one of our highest appointed public offices.  If only more Canadians could be more like the Right Honourable David J.

If you’re not inspired after reading about these two gentlemen’s distinguished careers, please share a link or two of people who DO inspire you — I look forward to learning about them.

New Header; Accepted to Queen’s

For about a year now the header for IvanMerrow.com was a picture of the beautiful Toronto skyline, where I was proud to reside as a co-op student over a few seasons.  Soon after my location changed back to Kitchener-Waterloo (KW), and then to Ottawa for co-op, and then back again to KW so I could finish my undergraduate degree.  All the while I kept the Toronto skyline on IvanMerrow.com, knowing I’d be back before long.  However, I’m proud to say that in August I’ll be moving to Kingston Ontario, where I’ve been admitted as a dual JD/MBA candidate at Queen’s starting September 2011.  My header has been updated to reflect the change.

Out with the Old, in with the New

Old sections I got rid of that were no longer applicable:

• “For Employers” section — originally this was an information page with some info to help employers learn more about hiring co-op students from uWaterloo, including an excellent promotional video from former UW President (now Governer General) David Johnston.  Now that I’m heading to law school, recruiters know everything they need to know about hiring summer students and articling students.  (If you’re still interested in hiring uWaterloo co-ops, check out this page for Prospective Employers)
• “For Students” section — this has been transformed into the Archive where some of my old articles from the Imprint and IvanMerrow.com are stored that largely pertain to student affairs.  It was lucky that I decided to republish my old articles on my own website, since the Imprint recently underwent a website migration that wiped out access to archive issues (although the new site does look beautiful).

New features I added to keep up with the times:

• Revamped my sidebar to include a broader list of legal experts and online resources (after being inspired by internet-savvy blawgers Law is Cool, Omar Ha-Redeye, Michael Geist, the Court and others)
• Two Twitter account feeds, @IvanMerrow and @CanadianLawGuy (that may one day be integrated)
• RSS feeds of the hottest legal news/issues blogs
• A fairly comprehensive disclaimer in case my site becomes wildly popular or controversial
• Streamlined the resume section so it’s easier to load, read, and navigate.

IvanMerrow.com remains an ongoing web development project as its goals change.  For now I’d like to see IvanMerrow.com originated blog content show up via links in Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn feeds to drive traffic.  To gain exposure, I’d also like to start generating content worthy of contribution to some top Canadian legal blogs over the next two years.  Check back soon — you might be surprised at how much things have changed.

For many students at the University of Waterloo, the third weekend of class is spent applying to co-op jobs for their next 4-month semester.  Thousands of students polish up their resumes and log onto JobMine (our campus co-op job posting server) to look for opportunities that resonate with them.  This past weekend I did the same thing, but this semester is a little different.  Fall 2010 will be my last co-op term before I graduate.

Looking back at my experiences with co-op, I sometimes wonder what my degree might have been like without it.  It’s hard to imagine, because co-op has been such a huge part of my university experience.  Here are a few reasons why I think co-op is so essential – and why I can’t imagine having an education without it.

Interview IQ

Some of the greatest opportunities available to us in life require an interview – but how often does the average person get to practice interview skills in real life?  Answering questions appropriately, dressing to impress, and preparing intelligent questions are all difficult skills to master by studying theory alone.

Co-op students may have up anywhere from 5-15 interviews every academic semester, both in person and on the phone.  Completing a battery of three interviews in one day between classes, projects and presentations isn’t rare.  Interviews have taught me how to present myself professionally to not only potential employers, but also clients and business partners – an important skill I’ll use for the rest of my life.

Learning How to Hit the Ground Running

In just 4 months, co-op students have to learn a new job quickly so we can become productive as soon as possible.  Unless employers have a strong co-op orientation program, it’s usually left up to us to learn on the job.  In a new environment, we need to quickly integrate into a new work culture and master new skills depending on what is expected of us.

One thing every student learns at university is how to learn.  Each academic semester and work term builds a portfolio of professional skills we can draw on, and we always keep learning new things.  The Microsoft Office suite quickly becomes second nature to most co-ops.  Programming languages are practiced and picked up, as are soft skills like writing effective emails and telephone etiquette.

It’s often said that most 21^st century professionals can expect to change their career at least once in their lives.  Knowing how to quickly adapt to new environments allows co-op students to embrace these changes and succeed no matter where they go.

Clarifying Career Goals and Objectives

Entering university, every student has lots of ideas about what they might be one day.  Co-op work terms help clarify those goals with each 4 month experiment.  Trying different industries, work cultures, and company sizes helps university students discover their passions before they graduate and commit to a full time job.  If they are lucky, a co-op may stumble on their dream job half way through their degree and return once they graduate.  The diverse group of people we meet in each workplace helps us find both role models and people we never want to be.

In essence, co-op helps define our ideal career by letting us try up to six different ones.  And that has helped me define my own career path, starting April 2011.

1. Starting with a plan is a good idea.

A stack of wood without a plan is just another pile of wood.  Mine needed to be tall and straight, and located in a key spot next to the fire pit, because that’s what I wanted.  We begin a lot of tasks by determining what we want and tracing the steps we need to take to get there.  So why don’t we approach life that way?

Determining what we want out of life can be challenging, but it’s not impossible.  Visualize what you want your life to look like.  Then map out the steps you need to take to get there.

2. Optimism and confidence can only take you so far.

I’m a big believer in optimism.  Keeping an open mind allows you to take chances other people might not.  You can’t drown in what-ifs when you’re optimistic – you start things – you learn and grow from everything new you try.

However, when you’re building up a stack of wood, optimism doesn’t keep the stack from falling down.  You still need to place each piece in a stable position if you expect it to stand up for long.  Life is like that.  Optimism helps you get started and get over those unavoidable mistakes.   It doesn’t keep your life from falling apart, it helps you pick up the pieces when it does.  Laying down a strong foundation is what supports your stack, so take the time to do it right.

3. One bad log can’t take down the whole pile.

In my final stack of logs there was more than one that was a little unsteady.  But if my pile collapsed it wasn’t because of any one log, it was usually because it wasn’t supported from below.

Work, relationships, health, finances and spirituality– these are all things that play a role in our lives in one way or another.  Keeping a balance helps us deal with the odd log that starts to roll out from under us.

4. Things don’t always fit together the way you think they will.

Sometimes it’s tough to tell where to put a piece of wood.  You can tell by the shape if it’s going to fit on top of the others, but you never really know until you slap it on to see if it wobbles.

Relationships, jobs and many other parts of your life are like that.  You think you have an idea of what’s perfect for you, but you really have no idea until you try it out.

The student start-up dream has been immortalized by wild success stories.  Legends abound of university drop-outs like Mike Lazaridis (creator of the BlackBerry) and Bill Gates, as well as graduates like Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Mark Zuckerburg – all students who left university to pursue technology start-ups that changed the world.

Intelligent and creative students across the country are faced with a choice when they graduate.  They may have innovative and ambitious ideas for new businesses, but are inundated with offers from businesses that need the best and brightest new graduates to survive. When faced with the choice between working for an established enterprise like Research In Motion (RIM), Google or Facebook, and starting their own venture, how should a student decide?

The price of failure – risk – is often the largest deterrent for anyone considering an entrepreneurial venture.  Students who finance their education with student loans (about 26% of Canadian students according to StatsCan – I think it’s closer to 50%) might have no choice but to accept an offer of steady income that helps pay down their debt.  Even for those rare few students that manage to graduate debt-free, sometimes a steady paycheque is too tempting to resist.  When you graduated university/college, wasn’t money your largest concern?

Students might also be concerned about missing the opportunities for networking, training and resume building that a large enterprise might offer them.  There’s no doubt about it, yesterday’s start-ups are now large firms with fixed budgets that have attractive perks for new hires.  The trade-offs are similar to the differences between working for a small company vs. big company – only with added risk and potential reward. So what’s stopping young entrepreneurs from getting hired?

A new wave of student organizations have started promoting youth entrepreneurship, encouraging students in high school, college and university to pursue their innovative ideas. Impact, UBC’s Enterprize Canada and EPIC Tech are three examples of student run not for profit organizations that are fostering a new community of student entrepreneurs that aren’t afraid to innovate.  These organizations are supported by venture capital and consulting firms looking to foster a new generation of clientele, as well as government agencies that (like the rest of us) would like to see more jobs created on Canadian soil.

Universities are catching on.

The University of Waterloo has created an entrepreneurship-based student residence called VeloCity, where students form teams that develop actual mobile media businesses over the course of the academic year.   This business community holds seminars and information sessions about starting a successful venture, and acts as a gateway into venture support networks in the wider community, like the Accelerator Centre.  This is a trend that is sure to continue.

Now when asked the question, “start up or join up” what would you do?

Lesson from Centennial: Reputation Comes First

Centennial College’s new advertisement campaign along the Toronto subway lines sends a strong message: we do not care about our image.  Although the new images and messages are bold, daring and provocative (arguably all qualities that make for an outstanding 21st century college in Canada), they are repulsive.  The disturbing images are subtitled with the message, “Be Great. Start here.” indicating that if you enroll at Centennial, you may be sloppy, but that doesn’t matter.

While there may be a host of things wrong with this ad campaign, the primary lesson we can draw from it is this: when it comes to post-secondary institutions, reputation matters.  And image is the embodiment of that reputation.  Regardless of the vision, modernity and liberalism a great institution like Centennial (voted best college in Toronto for 2009) may instill in their programs, the image of the institution is what stays with their graduates and alumni.  Final message: Institutions that push their image over the edge risk hurting their reputation.

Lesson from Waterloo: Ask your Alumni

Educational institutions will always struggle to appear both progressive and reputable.  The two images are naturally at odds: how do you reconcile the conflicting images of cutting-edge technology and ivy covered walls of tradition and wisdom?  My home university, the University of Waterloo tried to accomplish this last year, which backfired and set off the Laser re-branding scandal of 2009 (covered by the Financial Post here).

The main problem: students did not think a proposed new logo presented a professional image for their university.  A Facebook group was started that opposed the new design, and havoc ensued.  People were worried their diplomas would have the new “Laser Logo” stamped on, and that employers would laugh at the new design.  The image they subscribed to was changing and they were not involved in the decision making process.

The solution: ask the students what they want!  Soon after alumni became concerned, the administration acknowledged public concerns about the new logo, and issued a survey that proposed several new alternative designs.  The result was inconclusive — no alternative design was liked more than the controversial laser W that sparked all the debate.  However, once consulted about the design people quickly calmed down.

More than any industry, brand or organization, educational institutions have lifelong relationships with their clients.  This relationship needs to be respected when considering big changes.  Social media has only intensified the need for schools to stay loyal to an image their alumni want to remain a part of — or else they risk facing the online backlash that Waterloo did last year.

Keep Innovating, but Mind the Image

Universities and Colleges in Canada remain some of the finest in the world, and it is good they are innovating — even if that means making some mistakes along the way.  Reconciling the conflicting images of age old tradition and distinctive modernity will always be a challenge.  But for your alumni and current students’ sake, try to project the right image.

Social Media as a Cellphone

At one time not many people had cellphones.  The argument against them was that they were not only ugly, but that nobody needed to be available by phone in their car if they had voicemail at the office and at home.  Clearly the trend rolled right on past the objections — cellphones are now so popular that they are beginning to crowd out residential landlines.  The power of connecting to the telecom grid from anywhere empowered people to stay more informed and socially available than they ever were before.   As our method of communication changed, so did we.   Today we have similar skeptics doubting the viability of social media as a long-term change in the way we communicate.  The trend however, suggests just the opposite.

The big change that social media brings is more far-reaching than society’s gradual adoption of wireless telecom.  That was still centered around talking to another person over the phone.  Social media has changed our entire internet experience.  Before it was all about Search n’ Surf: you were either so specific that you could find what you needed with the right search query or bookmark, or you surfed links exhaustively until finding something interesting.  Today web browsing is more of a team effort: social media provides a river of information, recommendations and shared links that are likely to interest you, because other people found them interesting.

How it Works

Getting started with social media means you have to start participating in the conversation streams that are important to you.  Each type of social media is a tool, just like a cellphone, although there are many different purposes you might use them for.  Here is a brief summary of the basics.

Blogs (web logs) allow you to start public conversations about interesting subjects online, usually in the form of short articles posted in a series.  A blog is like an editorial, where a perspective is illustrated with references to relevant events and images.  Readers can then respond by posting comments.  If a blog is particularly influential, it has many return visitors and is mentioned on many other websites to improve their credibility.

• Main point: blogs are a rich form of self expression in multimedia format that anyone on the web can see.
• When well done: blogs can improve credibility, demonstrate expertise, and are widely shared and talked about.

Micro blogs like Twitter are a bare-bones version of a full blog, where your “articles” will be no more than 140 characters long.  These short messages are ideal for identifying worthy information sources on the web.  Credible and influential microbloggers tend to have very relevant, interesting information to share.  The short nature of micro blogs makes them a faster, leaner space to rapidly communicate information.  There is little room for discussion however, so links are used ubiquitously to direct people to sites that have adequate space to explore the issues introduced in a micro-blog.

• Main point: micro blogs are short messages that act as previews of how larger issues and ideas are developing.
• When done well: micro blogs are paid attention to by many people, and describe cutting edge developments.

Social Networks are online communities (like Facebook and MySpace) users join to connect and share information with people they know, or would like to know better.  This community revolves around shared content, whether in the form of media, relationships, messages or events.  The interactive element is the flow of your network members’ responses to the shared information.  Popular social network users are more in touch with what is “going on” in their network.  Networks can be friendship based (Facebook), romantically oriented, or strictly professional (like LinkedIn).

• Main point: social networks make you more available and connected to a particular group of people.
• When well done: social networks strengthen your connections to people, and make it easier for people to communicate with you.

Many other forms of social media exist, like ladder-format sites (Reddit, Digg) that rank content based on popularity, and the increasingly popular Wiki that lets many people collaborate and author one document.  If you are uninitiated, the key to social media is to try it out and see for yourself.  For the experts out there, keep inventing new ways to connect and communicate!

Several years ago there was a flurry of positive rhetoric in the media about the value of a liberal arts degree, but the voices died down in the shadow of the sub-prime recession.  Just like everyone else, BA holders continue to graduate into less than ideal hiring conditions, and have to work harder than the average applicant to convince people of the value of their degree.  Part of the challenge is a negative perception of arts majors, and sizable number of arts graduates competing for the same positions.  For these reasons and more, the humanities and social sciences are as unappealing as ever — so how do the lucky few overcome the negativity?

It’s about Passion – Period.

In the wide world of university, arguments abound about the merits of a particular degree.  It used to be that a university diploma was your rolled up ticket into a job, and in some limited spheres it still is.  So when in doubt, people are cajoled into signing up for a degree that will “guarantee” them a job.   There are many reasons for going to university, and I think getting a job is as valid a reason as any other.  However, spending 4 years of time and potential income on any subject you’re not passionate about isn’t guaranteeing anything but misery.

The question is, is there still a place for the world’s oldest degree in a digital age?

If liberal arts has one strength, it tends to be the passion that people have for it over other disciplines.  If you are passionate about what you study, the information tends to stay with you.  Too many people spend their undergraduate degrees dispassionately passing courses just to get by… And what good is that?  If you graduate from the most elite job-guaranteeing program in the country, and you hated every minute of it, do you think you’ll enjoy the job waiting for you?  I’m not saying that living on a cloud for 4 years and graduating into poverty is ideal.  I believe that pursuit of passion naturally makes you more successful because you’re personally invested in the outcome.  If your passion is Actuarial Science, all the better for you.  For the rest of us, we should study something we enjoy!

Career Development Happens Between Classes

When you graduate, degree in hand, many other people will too.  If all that sets you apart are the letters on your degree, it may be difficult to prove you’re the best person for the job.  So how do you differentiate yourself?

The fact is that real career development happens between classes. In most cases, it’s true that students in professional programs like accounting and engineering are given crippling workloads that far exceeds the demands of your typical essay writing arts student.  When it comes to career development, however, this can be a blessing in disguise.

With the additional free time that a flexible arts degree provides, an enterprising student has time to work part time, network, get involved in academic life and still come out with great marks.  Is this a substitution for a degree in software engineering?  Absolutely not.  But there is enough room outside the academic demands of a typical arts degree to get immersed in what you love doing.  Outside class is a perfect place to practice networking, traveling, and upgrading your technical skills.  There is nothing stopping an ambitious political science student from becoming a PhotoShop wizard or web designer.  Don’t wait until you have your degree to develop your interests; in any discipline the best career skills are learned outside the classroom.

What you Learn becomes Irrelevant; How you Learn Never Does

Quickly after you graduate from university studies, the specific tidbits of knowledge you learned will fade away, becoming less and less important as “real life” experience takes over.  The details become obscured, but the core skills you learned stay with you for a long time.  How to research, attack a problem, meet new people, do a presentation, and write coherently are all skills you can come away from university with — or not.  It’s up to you.  The more varied your experiences are, the more of these foundational skills you’ll come away with.  Combined with passion and personal initiative, a liberal arts degree allows you the freedom to develop transferable skills that set you apart.

Now and in the future, the latest greatest most specialized university program will always be in demand.  Amid the vast selection of  “real world” degrees and their promise of a 98% employment rate, remember that you are paying for an experience, so make sure it’s a good one.  Liberal arts have stayed relevant for centuries, and will continue to do so despite what the critics say.  Above all, study what you love, develop your skills outside the classroom and the rest will come naturally.

I created this site to help prospective employers and new contacts learn a little bit more about me beyond what I can list on my standard resume. Soon I hope to have posted videos, pictures, and multimedia examples of the work I’ve done in both academic and work settings. At the very least, I hope this site provides a realistic preview of what I’m all about. At the most, I hope you enjoy exploring the site, and get in touch with me about an exciting opportunity that matches my skills and interests.

If you have any questions for me, or would like to contact me about an opportunity you have available, please drop me a line at ivan.mail.address@gmail.com. I’m always interested to hear from new contacts, so even if you are looking for a referral, let me know and I might know another young professional that fits the profile you’re looking for.

Thanks for stopping by; I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Ivan