Step 1.7

Step 1.7: Entrepreneurism as a Career Option

Over the past decade an increasing number of individuals have chosen self-employment or entrepreneurship as a career option. Those who are self employed or entrepreneurs are people who create a new product or provide a service and then proceed to put form to their dream by opening a small business. Consider the following questions:

Do you welcome challenges?
Is achievement important to you?
Are you confident about your abilities?
Do you like to be in control?
Do you consider yourself a realistic planner?

Are you persistent?
Can you cope with uncertainty?
Do you usually complete any task you start?
Are you willing to take moderate risks?
Do you consider yourself to be organized?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, you have some of the characteristics of people who are self employed. Additionally, in the previous section (1.5) that used the Holland types, if you identified the Enterprising type as your first, second or third preference, you may find it helpful to review this career option further.

The following sites include self-employment resources

Self Assessment: How to find out if self employment is for you

Western Economic Diversification Canada offers an assessment that allows you to compare yourself with successful business people on key traits and characteristics. Completing it will give you insight into your own style: http://www.wd.gc.ca/eng/tools/xindex.asp
Bizmove.com is a small business knowledge base that provides an on-line entrepreneurship quiz: http://www.liraz.com/webquiz.htm

Comprehensive Sites: Find out what you need to know

This Business Service Centre offers a workshop format for developing your idea, starting a new venture and improving your existing small business: http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca
A complete listing of Canada Business Services Centres is available at: http://www.cbsc.org
Industry Canada sponsors Strategis, a Canadian business and consumer site at: http://www.strategis.ic.gc.ca

Sites or Organizations Designed Specifically for Youth and Students

Young Entrepreneurs Association is a forum for young entrepreneurs where members improve their chances of business success by sharing in the knowledge and experience of their peers who are also entrepreneurs: http://www.yea.ca
Canadian Youth Business Foundation is a national organization that enables young entrepreneurs to pursue their aspirations of building successful enterprises by providing business assistance: http://www.cybf.ca

Continue to Section 1.8 on Integrating Your Self Assessment, click here.