Career Discovery Chapter 3: Bridging the Gap
Written By: Nicole
🎶 Welcome back, welcome back, welcome baaaack 🎶
(Yes, we are beginning with a Blast From The Past, what else is new)
Look at you - three chapters in, your rosy cheeks blooming with that viral Tik Tok jelly blush and pride. You’ve made it to the finale. The coda. The final rose ceremony.
Let’s do a lightning round review of your work so far:
You’ve crafted your WISH / WANT / WALK list.
You searched by skills, not titles.
You’ve uncovered some job titles that sparked curiosity - much like The Mummy did and continues to do for the elders and the youths.
You have a short list of relevant skills and responsibilities.
Good. Great. Excellent. Take my hand as we journey to…
The Gap (No, not the store)
Start by choosing 2–3 of the job titles that felt the most promising from Chapter 2.
Pull up our BFF LinkedIn job boards. Or whatever job board you love - loyalty is dead anyways.
Find at least three additional job listings for the same or similar role.
Skim through those and start noting any patterns.
❓ Is there anything that the job descriptions are mentioning that you don’t have yet? ❓
Is it a specific certification? A software you haven’t used? Something you fibbed about doing to get your mandatory high school volunteer hours approved by your mom who managed The Polish Hall in your small Canadian town?
Make a new list of those gaps.
If you’ll indulge me - want you to actually think of these gaps as gifts. Shhshh, I know I sound like The Secret. But hear me out - these gaps are actually opportunities for building new avenues in your career journey.
The Gift of The Gap
Now it’s time to brainstorm a few ways you might start closing those gaps or building
Classes or certifications: Is it something you can learn through an online course? (Hello, Coursera/Udemy/YouTube University.)
Volunteer or freelance work: Could you offer to help a friend, nonprofit, or local org with a short-term project to build experience?
Practice projects: Start a side project that lets you test-drive the skill. Design a mock marketing plan. Build a sample portfolio. Create a project brief.
Learn on the job: Some gaps are things you could learn once you’re hired—just be honest and enthusiastic about your willingness to grow.
Mentorship or networking: Is there someone you could talk to who’s already in the role? (Spoiler: people love talking about their jobs.)
Many roads lead to the same destination - just ask Google Maps. Find the best route for you right now. That may or may not include tolls, but that’s a whole different question and a whole different list.
We’ve Come To The End Of The Road
While Boyz II Men sings on, we have come to the end of your Career Discovery exercise.
Let’s just pause for one second here :
👏 Well 👏 Done 👏
This level of self-honesty is no small feat. You were curious enough to start, fearless enough to keep going, and now you’re strategic enough to plan your next chapters.
The job market can feel like unchartered territory - but now you’ve got a map. And snacks. And Emotional Support Beverages in your portable Yeti cooler.
Where Do We Go Now?
Oh, sweet child o’mine - we go forward with fresh intention! Whether that’s rewriting your resume, exploring further education, or just being more confident in your next interview, you’ve got clarity.
As for us at Colorful Futures? We’ll always be here slo-mo fist-pumping and beaming with pride for you. And we’ll also be in your inbox if you’ve opted for us to keep you in our little loop
So we ask you…do you accept this rose? 🌹
