Employment can be a risky business, especially for recent university and college graduates with few job guarantees. The dynamics of how we communicate and function are changing, and while there are now plenty of platforms to help get your name out there, there is also incredible competition.

So what does that mean for the young workforce beginning their careers? For one, it means a smaller global community and increased transferability. It also means that with ample opportunity to research and explore different industries via the web, there's never been a better time to seek out jobs that incorporate their passions.

 Shirin Khamisa is founder of Careers by Design, a service dedicated to career counselling and coaching. The twenties can often be a time where people are trying on different things, she says. Sometimes really early on, people can get limited and not realize that in their course of study there are transferable skills, and with a little bit of bridging they can do things that suit them a little better.

Charting your course

Often, pinpointing a career that matches your interests can be a huge hurdle in itself. With so many different job possibilities, and many hidden industries, an interest in one area does not necessarily identify a career that will satisfy all of your strengths. But it is a good starting point.

Khamisa suggests seeking out very low-risk ways to try new things which can include going to industry events, building a network by reaching out to employees in your desired field, and getting involved with projects, both volunteer and consulting. She adds that while some people's first instinct upon discovering an interest is to go back to school, this is a higher risk investment, and workshops or shorter courses can be safer alternatives.

After working for two years at investment banking firm Goldman Sachs, Matt Bodnar knew his interests were located outside of the cubicle. I wanted to go into something physical where you're creating a tangible product, helping people out in the world, he explains. Joining his family's startup company Fresh Hospitality, which invests in and helps expand small, promising restaurants, he now frequently travels and works with both finances and real estate.

While you may have a natural interest in a specific field, psychometric tests like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator can help to identify your personality type and professions that might mesh well with your strengths. Once you've narrowed it down, you can find careers online that relate to your area of interest, or reach out to employees in associated sectors. For example, if you're interested in health sciences and your neighbour is a nurse, why not setup a brief meeting to discuss their career path and experiences at work?

This career reflection can take place while still a student or for years after graduation. For some people, it's during school that they realize this'maybe they get some experience talking to someone. For other people, it can be in an internship, or even after they've worked in a field for a few years, says Khamisa. There are some things that satisfy what they're looking for, but there are other things that maybe just don't fit.

Taking a leap

A realization that the path you've been working towards is not right for you can be extremely unsettling. After all, many of us spend years building an identity based on our interests and career choice, and questioning these decisions requires a lot of honesty and courage. Uncertainty can be even more prevalent for those hoping to pursue professions in unstable industries like the arts or food services.

Molly McGlynn is a freelance film professional that works from her own schedule. I was working at a very consistent job for the past two years, and the past few months have been a transition to freelance, she explains. Understanding the importance of discipline and taking initiative without direction are key. She says that, to be successful, you have to take yourself seriously; you have to look at yourself as a business.

To build the confidence required to chase your passions, Bodnar recommends engaging in extra-curricular pursuits such as starting small side projects, blogs, or websites. During his time at Goldman Sachs, for example, he self-published a book entitled Location-based Marketing for Restaurants that incorporated his own expertise and interests.

If I was a college student and wanted to build a strong resum├®, I would go out and start a company doing anything I was interested in, he says. Even if it fails, even if you never make a dime, having that on your resum├® will be really impressive compared to the vanilla experience on the average resum├®.

Another reason to launch your own venture? The Government of Canada provides grants and loans that help fund small businesses, which includes financial assistance towards projects in the arts.

While a change in your path of employment may be risky, it doesn't mean that it should be avoided. As Khamisa says, most people have decades of employment ahead of them, but so easily fall into the trap of thinking that because they studied or worked in a certain area for a period of time, it must define the rest of their career. When you wake up in the morning, you want to have things that pull you forward, so whether or not you use that word ÔÇÿgoals', (for some people it can be a four-letter word), having something to look forward to, that's what sustains our contentment and our happiness.

Moving from India to complete her master of engineering at the University of Western Ontario, Preeti Sharma knew there was no assurance she'd land a job upon graduation. Still, she took her chances. If you don't want to take that step forward then you will always be in a comfort zone, she says. Once you're settled into your comfort zone that's when your development suffers.  

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Step by step

After you arrive in your desired field, it's important to continue to network and engage in projects that keep you motivated. Working with your boss or other managers can be intimidating but it's crucial to your development that you make connections.

One of the things I suggest is to take a cue from the culture in the company you're working for, says Khamisa, adding there are many unwritten rules and just that step of saying ÔÇÿlet me get a sense of how people are operating here' [is important]. She also suggests that new employees attend social events and activities that are open to the company to build relationships across all departments. It gives a really low risk way of engaging socially.

Like any work environment, dealing with large responsibilities for the first time can be another hurdle. While you may finally be in your dream job, you may also have an apprehension that you won't be able to manage the workload.

McGlynn recalls being overwhelmed when she worked as an intern for the Toronto International Film Festival. In communicating with filmmakers, sales agents, and distributors, she discovered some of her own strengths and weaknesses, and how to implement strategies to best suit her working style. I'm not naturally a type-A person, so when I start a job, I need to set myself up: what is my email inbox system, what is my filing system. It's not natural to me, but it does make me more efficient, she says.

Experiencing a similarly demanding work transition, Sharma says that because of a desire to prove herself in her first engineering position, she struggled with the fear of things not working out. She concluded that you can't finish ten things at once and that adding panic to the mix does nothing to make things better. ...You have to not question yourself saying ÔÇÿoh I don't know if I'm being judged' and not let it channel in your work or your actions. Let them reject you'you still have to take a step forward. You have to take a risk.

In terms of dealing with difficult co-workers, it's important to try and not take things personally. Someone said to me ÔÇÿyour job is to respond, not to react' and I think that is such a good tip. When people are being difficult, cut through all the BS, says McGlynn. If you don't know what the problem is and they're on a rant, find out the problem and say ÔÇÿI think the problem seems to be here. If so, this is what we need to do.' Be polite, be efficient, and try not to take it personally.

Proper communication between managers and employees is also extremely significant in preventing burn outs. I have a client who was working in HR and every time she would go into a meeting with her manager, there would be more and more things that were added to her to-do list, and she thought those were all things she had to get done in the week before she met her manager again, says Khamisa. It was that miscommunication and she actually got very burnt out and her manager didn't realize that she was working all of these extra hours.

Have faith in your own abilities

While finding your place can be a struggle, once you've found it, keeping faith that you will one day fulfil your goals can also be a challenge.

I think you have to approach any new idea with ÔÇÿfailure is an acceptable option,' says Bodnar. Nine out of the ten new ideas I have are probably going to fail, but the 10th one makes up for all the ones that fail. If you're afraid to try a new idea because you're afraid it's going to fail, I think you're probably worse off than if you had tried [and failed at] five ideas.

With so many stories of entrepreneurs that faced multiple rejections before finally becoming successful, (including Walt Disney and Winston Churchill), it can be both inspiring and comforting to know the smaller steps are stepping stones to reaching the finish line.

Even if you've been somewhere for some time and you have a sense of what's important, when you're taking initiative it's always good to really challenge your assumptions and your thinking, and get a sense of what's important to your boss, says Khamisa. What are the directives? What are the high profile projects? What are the things that your boss would be really grateful for if you were able to move that agenda forward? ... Once you get clear on that and you understand, you can get a sense of where your initiative and your hard work will be most appreciated.

By gauging where your efforts will reap the most appreciation, you will also be able to both network and make a positive impression. It will also help to build your confidence.

Taking risks is uncomfortable, and while very few people enjoy being outside of their comfort zone, taking these chances can eventually lead to greater overall satisfaction. ...If you work hard and you try and you're a kind person, no one's going to fault you for a few bombs or if maybe it was your best thing, says McGlynn.

So, what are you waiting for? Identifying your dream and the path to achieving it begins by taking a single chance. You can do it.

Facts and figures

A 2012 survey conducted by Right Management found that 86% of approximately 700 employees polled planned to actively seek new jobs in 2013.

According to a Statistics Canada report, the top three fields of study with the most graduates are: business, management, and public administration (99,003 graduates), social and behavioural sciences and law (65,760 graduates), and health, parks, and recreation and fitness (61,119 graduates).

The HRSDC reports that part-time employment amongst youth aged 15-24 has increased from 21.1% in 1976 to just under half at 47.3% in 2012. This means people are beginning their careers younger, and able to explore their interests at an earlier stage.

A Kenexa Research Institute study found that companies in the top 25 per cent of gross annual income were also the companies with the highest levels of employee engagement. This engagement includes: leaders who inspire confidence in the future, managers who respect and recognize employees, exciting work employees how to do, and organizations that demonstrate a genuine responsibility to their employees and communities.