Look Before You Leap: Self-Employment Survival Strategies

Client: Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC)

The "Leap" project, a partnership between CERIC and Life Strategies Ltd., includes a 2-week (20 hour) facilitated e-learning course focused on self-employment. To supplement this training and provide ongoing support, the project also includes a book useful for those considering self-employment and those supporting self-employed persons. To support in-person delivery, a facilitator's guide and a PowerPoint have been developed (contact us for details). The dedicated "Look Before You Leap" website (www.lookbeforeyouleap.ca) includes annotated links to relevant resources for the self-employed and those supporting the self-employed, as well as a Blog that shares relevant self-employment tips/strategies and stories. You can follow this project as it develops and contribute ideas at the project blog or via Twitter at @lookb4leaping.

Project Components

• 2-Week Course
  Although self-employment is a growing trend in a variety of sectors, most career practitioners have little understanding of self-employment or work as an independent contractor. This course will equip career practitioners to better support clients interested in self-employment, and to explore the pros and cons of becoming self-employed themselves. The course is also designed to directly support individuals considering self-employment, as well as the newly self-employed.
• Book (available in PDF or for purchase in print)
  Self-employment can be exhilarating, challenging, rewarding, and exhausting . . . all at the same moment! Whether you're building a business with aspirations of a public offering; opening a restaurant, store, or shop of some kind; becoming a home-based consultant; or any of a myriad of other self-employment possibilities, this book is designed to help you examine your beliefs about self-employment, evaluate your readiness, identify the supports you might need, and put logistics in place to ensure you succeed.
  Based on their experience in a wide range of self-employment endeavours, the authors share 10 self-employment survival strategies combined with inspirational quotes, reflective activities, and worksheets. Their goal is to help readers understand the realities of self-employment, both the good and the bad – to look before leaping.
• Website (http://lookbeforeyouleap.ca/)
  Self-Employment is a growing trend in a variety of sectors; it's also increasingly an option for career practitioners / career counsellors. Yet, most career practitioners have little understanding of self-employment or work as an independent contractor. Stay connected and up to date with our news feed with Leap project happenings and other important self-employment news and/or check out helpful resources for exploring self-employment or supporting the self-employed.
• Blog (http://lookbeforeyouleap-selfemployment.blogspot.ca/)
  Read about new resources and tips for successful self-employment as well as profiles of successful entrepreneurs.
• Twitter Feed (http://twitter.com/lookb4leaping)
  Stay connected and learn more about self-employment with our Twitter feed.