How could such a young man accomplish so much? The answer is simple -- one week at a time.
On February 12, the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park served as the setting for Aiken's obsession. There he walked trails, did trail maintenance, learned about the history of the islands and the park. He went on tours of the park, interacted with visitors and enjoyed Hawai`i's natural beauty.
On February 4, he worked at the Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawai`i. Unfortunately, for Aiken, he arrived at a time when Hawai`i Island wasn't looking like the sun filled paradise of dreams and television shows. Cloudy skies, the bane of astronomers, held for much of his duration.
What drives his novel approach to career building is self-serving on one hand and a matter of charity on the other, a creative solution to a common conundrum -- what to do with one's life.
The concept was formalized over the family dinner table. Aiken had returned from a year of travel after graduating in 2005. It was time to become financially independent but he had no idea what he wanted to do. "I made a promise to myself that I would not settle for a career that I am not truly passionate about. Not realizing where these passions lie, I came up with the idea for One Week Job."
In the past year, the lanky dreadlocked blonde has run the vocational gamut.
"It's funny, every week I'm doing something completely new and, most times, it's something I've never done before."
While five days is not enough time to fully explore any job, Aiken is satisfied meeting new people and "getting a taste of many different positions . . . to take something away from each one, and in turn gain a better understanding of the type of situation I need to have in order to be happy."
This is how one week, one job plays out: Anyone, anywhere in the world can contact him and offer him work for a week. Aiken will fly to the location, find his own accommodations and do the job for free. This industrious idealist has some of his expenses defrayed with financial support from http://www.Nicejob.ca -- they give him approximately $1,000 a month, a stipend easily spent on travel and food. In the process, Aiken has become quite resourceful learning to stretch his dollars any way he can. "I've never had to pay for accommodations yet," he said as he explained that he often gets hosted, rides public transportation where it is available, hitches rides, and otherwise prevails upon his temporary employers to help with larger travel expenses.
In exchange for his services, Aiken asks his employer to make a donation to the Make Poverty History/One Campaign. This charity's main platform is dedicated to ending child poverty in Canada and, to date, Aiken has raised $17,881.60 on their behalf.
In the process, he has also lifted the spirits of many facing difficult choices, either on their way into or out of the workforce. From the front-lines of the collective daily grind come E-mails and letters offering thanks, encouragement, wisdom and warnings. The words are a litany of struggles, wishes and hopes, often asking for Aiken's advice. To those embroiled in unhappy career choices he says "make a change." For the newly minted graduates he says, "Take the time to learn about yourself. Figure out what you need in a career to make you happy and don't focus on the title of a job."
Aiken related that he has seen people struggle to achieve the status of a doctor or lawyer, then, once they get there, the realities of what they believed was their dream job provide little satisfaction. His grand experiment has been illuminating for many people, creating a community united in its pursuit of a purpose, passion and self.
While on Hawai`i Island, Aiken made quick stops to visit island youth. One student named Chelsea at Hilo High, extended a gracious thank you, after he spoke at her school. He talked of his experiences so far, his continual pursuit of self-knowledge and of course finding passion in life.
Ian MacKenzie, is one of those caught up in Aiken's wanderlust. He is a friend who got persuaded to join the mission (after the 19th week) as videographer. MacKenzie also works with Aiken to produce the content that ends up on the One Week Job website/blog, including a weekly Internet television show. The production quality is good, and interviews with the affable employers complement the intimate account of Aiken's experiences. Viewers are exposed to the job, the people and their advice.
From the Hawaiian Islands, Aiken takes with him the experience of working as a park ranger and an astronomer, eating "amazing" sweet bread, drinking Mehana beer, trying a loco moco, and tasting guava juice. His next stop is Maui for a friendly visit and breather before the hustle of L.A.
In March, MacKenzie and Aiken will work on set with Rachael Ray, host of Food Network's 30 Minute Meals and travel show. The best friends are also shopping their production around in Los Angeles for the possibility of turning it into a reality show. Aiken hopes to stick with the concept for the next three years or so, and include other people in his self-discovery process. One thing he knows he will be doing for sure, is working on a book with Random House; he has already signed that deal and will see his account of the past year published some time in 2009.
What Aiken has learned so far is that his dream job would include "meeting new people, change, flexibility, and a contribution to a cause." He needs to feel that he is working for something greater than himself. "I don't see myself doing the same things for generally, I'll say five years. I think I'll continually be doing different things."
This year of discovery ends in his hometown in Port Moody, Canada. Aiken said he is looking forward to settling back in one place again for more than a week, and having "drawers to put my clothes into." There he will work alongside the mayor exploring this governmental office.
For more information visit http://www.oneweekjob.com, or E-mail Aiken at oneweekjob@gmail.com.
