Career Uncertainty in Canada: How to Find Your Energy and Get Hired

Career Uncertainty in Canada: How to Find Your Energy and Get Hired

There are moments in the economy when the ground beneath us moves. Right now is one of those moments.

I’m seeing it every day in my work. Conversations that used to start with “I’m thinking about what’s next” are now starting with “I didn’t expect to be here.” People who have been steady in their careers are suddenly facing uncertainty they haven’t had to navigate before.

Across Canada, some sectors are restructuring, hiring has become more selective, and conversations about job security have grown more common.

Let’s be honest. Career uncertainty isn’t just emotional, it’s financial. I’ve sat with clients doing the math in real time—looking at savings, timelines, and responsibilities—while trying to stay focused in interviews or conversations. Mortgage payments, bills, family obligations — these don’t pause. Stability matters. It does to me too.

From what I’m seeing, there isn’t one clear pattern to how this unfolds. Some people find new direction quickly. Others take more time. What I pay close attention to is the state someone is operating from, because it directly shapes our process together.

To make sense of this, I’ve been drawing on a framework I studied in 2025 through BeAbove Leadership, developed by Anne Betz and Ursula Pottinga: the Seven Levels of Effectiveness. I use it in my coaching work because it gives language to the internal state, or energy, someone is operating from—and how that shapes their outcomes.

The Lower Levels: What Gets in the Way

When clients first come into this work, they’re often carrying more than just a job search.

Hopelessness has real weight to it. It’s not quiet — it’s heavy, and it can feel consuming. It’s not just “nothing is working,” it’s a sense that nothing will work. Effort starts to feel pointless. The future gets harder to picture. Energy drops in a way that isn’t easily shaken off—even simple actions can feel like too much.

Fear is almost always present, especially when financial pressure is real. It’s not something to eliminate. It’s information. It tells you what matters and what needs to be protected. It also narrows focus—attention shifts to risk, to what could go wrong, to trying to avoid loss. That can make it harder to see options or take steps, even when they’re necessary.

Frustration often follows. “I don’t understand what they’re looking for.” This is where we slow things down—because underneath frustration is usually something specific that can be worked with.

These states can last longer than people expect. Movement comes through a shift, not by pushing through them.

The Turning Point

There’s a moment where something shifts.

It’s usually subtle. A decision gets made. Someone says, “Okay, I’ll reach out.”

That’s courage. Brene Brown describes it well in this video.

Courage shows up as movement, even when things aren’t clear. It’s the point where someone is no longer fully held back by fear or hopelessness, but they’re not yet steady. There’s effort here—sometimes a lot of it. Reaching out, applying, having conversations that feel uncomfortable. It can feel inconsistent, but it marks a shift: action is happening again.

The Upper Levels: What Changes

At Engagement, attention shifts beyond the immediate problem and into meaningful involvement. There’s sustained presence, clearer thinking, and a deeper connection to the work itself. People are not just taking action—they’re invested in what they’re doing, with more consistency and focus.

AtInnovation, energy is more active and generative. There’s openness, movement, and a willingness to try different approaches. People see options more quickly and act on them. Setbacks still happen, but recovery is consistent—they regroup and re-engage without losing momentum.

At Synchronicity, there’s a baseline calm that isn’t dependent on circumstances. There’s steady awareness of others—their perspectives and needs—while staying grounded. Less reactivity. More stability.

Moving Through the Levels

This isn’t about choosing a level.

These are patterns shaped over time. What makes change possible is neuroplasticity.

As you notice how you respond—where your attention goes, when your energy drops—you create space to shift. Not all at once, but gradually.

Small actions matter. Reaching out instead of withdrawing. Following through on one step. Returning attention to what’s within your control.

Over time, that repetition changes how you recover, how you interpret what’s happening, and how you engage.

You’re not forcing a shift. You’re building capacity.

What this often comes back to is awareness.

Not in a forced or analytical way, but in noticing.

Where your energy is.
What feels heavy.
What feels available.

The work isn’t only in the job search itself. It’s also in how you’re experiencing it—and how that experience begins to shift over time.

I talk about it more here.