Networking will often lead to your next career opportunity

Challenging, interesting and ever-changing are words that best describe the past two decades of my work experience on ‘career #3’, including the past 11 plus years as a federal public servant with the Communications team at the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). Prior to joining ACOA, I also had the opportunity to work in Communications and client service positions for 10 plus years with two federal Crown Corporations.

While that is what you might expect from someone from Ottawa whose parents were both career public servants, I definitely did not set out for a career in the Public Service. Even though I had enjoyed two summer positions working with the Canadian Government Office of Tourism and the Department of Health and Welfare, a career in the public service simply was not on my radar screen in the mid-1980’s.

Armed with a journalism degree from Carleton University, I set out on ‘career #1’ in broadcast journalism in Moncton, New Brunswick thanks in part to networking contacts I had cultivated during my last summer position with the Ottawa International Animation Film Festival. While very interesting and stimulating, private radio broadcasting did not provide me with any comfort level when it came to regularly ‘paying the bills’ and future plans that included starting a family. After two-and-a-half years of toiling in my first chosen career path, my lay-off notice came as somewhat of a shock but a blessing in disguise, as my father is fond of recalling.

After a few interviews for general reporter positions with other broadcasters, I came to the realization that it might be more stimulating and challenging to be on the other side of the microphone in Public Relations. My goal was to get some first-hand knowledge of my next employer’s customer base and eventually move into their Public Relations / Communications division. That’s how I started ‘career #2’ as a member of VIA Rail Canada’s on-board service team riding the rails between Moncton and Montreal. Two-and-a-half years of supervising all aspects of on-board service, dealing with irate customers, washing dishes and waiting tables has a way of providing you with exactly that kind of experience.

The combination of my on-board service experience and journalism training are what brought me to ‘career #3’ which began as a six-month maternity leave replacement as a communications officer with VIA Rail in Toronto. The following seven years in both Toronto and Halifax provided me with a wealth of ‘baptism-by-fire’ experiences in special events planning and management, internal communications, community relations, media relations and crisis management.

The opportunity to join the federal public service and ACOA came once again through some tourism industry networking I had developed at VIA Rail. My next and current career stop brought me back to Moncton as a communications officer with ACOA working primarily in the parliamentary affairs and media relations side of the Agency’s Communications team. As my wife is originally from the Moncton area, this new opportunity also fit in nicely with our plans to put down roots in a community in which we could renew both family and business relationships.

Over the past number of years, I have had to pleasure of working with seasoned Communications professionals on issues management, media relations and parliamentary affairs. I have also had the opportunity to work side-by-side with a number of aspiring Communication professionals from ‘the Mount’ through the co-op student program who have gone on to careers in both the public and private sectors. I look forward to sharing some of my experiences during the upcoming Student Networking Café on October 12th.

Richard Gauthier
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Richard Gauthier works for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency in Moncton. He has also worked for VIA Rail Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and as a radio and television broadcast journalist.