The whole thing about not having a certain career path in mind, I've decided to wait 5 years and then make my final decision, I've even got it down to a particular date the 3rd June which is also my 75th birthday 🤔😁

Yaaay I requested this and am struggling with this right now 🥲

Hi Alanna ! Just to say you are an inspiration to not only ex-pats but young people in general. You've proved you don't need qualifications to get where you are but determination, self-learning, practice and basically keep going. Well done! But for me, well I'm winding down in my working career at my age, but if people need inspiration, they should view your vlogs.

"Use your hobby skills for work" 60 million Brits at the job centre tomorrow "have you anything that involves drinking?"

I've never defined myself by what I do for money. It's just a job. It's not who I am!

You are a fantastic spokesperson! The costume change and all that made your message irresistible! Passion or not, it's your calling!

Apart from a brief stint as a push bike courier I have always been a teacher. One of the most important things I tell young teachers, make sure you have a good relationship with the admin staff. There are times when you need them. I really think Alanna is becoming a mentor with a degree from the University of Life.

I’ve started listening to your videos as if they were podcasts at work and I totally love it! You are great!

This is good advice, as a software engineering manager, I look at candidate home projects. One thing that that will pretty much stop me make an offer is when a Candidate has lied on their CV. If its on your CV, be ready for detailed questions about what you did, how you did it and why.

Hey Alanna, excellent video on a great topic. Hope you are well. I can't imagine starting from nothing and as a foreigner to the country, it can't be easy. You hit on a very important point with whatever you do, even if it's a job purely for the paycheck, make sure you enjoy it. There's nothing worse than being in a job you hate, and if you can't just quit/leave (for obvious reasons), always be looking. Put the effort in, don't settle.

Thank you so much for making a video about this! This is so helpful! I've been so stressed out and worried about trying to choose a job and a degree, but this was really helpful! It's also really nice to know that I can always change direction in a career like you did! This video is genuinely so helpful, thank you so much for making it, i really appreciate it!

I've watched you for sometime now ,and I'm so pleased, to watch you develope your channel, and grow as a person, I'm of the older Generation so I like and respect Canadian people anyway never met a Canadian who wasn't nice .I also a great believer in Canzuk as well .Free travel between Canada ,Australia, New Zealand, UK .

My wife and I believe in financial independence, she is financially independent and I just beg!

Your first job includes one of my most favourite of your videos - where you spill all your cheese and biscuits all over the place! 😆 My other most favourite of your videos was your Amazon pumpkin pie recipe - which starts with a journey to a supermarket to buy a can opener😆

What an inspiring and 100% helpful talk!!! I'm sure many viewers will benefit from your experience and your presentation!

I've been trying to change careers for years but it's been nothing but an unsuccessful knightmare and I'm from the UK, I can't imagine the stress it is if you're trying to do the same thing when you're not from here.

Your videos are informative and funny. I learnt a lot about British culture from your videos. And please don't take this in the wrong way but you're simply gorgeous. Please take it as a compliment. I'm not a creep.

I really admire your work ethic

Great video, Alanna, and I love the new set-up. Maybe you could do a bookshelf tour one day?

I found your videos sometime ago and found them highly entertaining. But I have just binged a bunch of them and really enjoyed your approach to life. I think you are far more British than you realise you have British sarcasm down pat, I don't think you know how funny you are? I watched your 52 assumptions of me video, it was very interesting and funny. I love the video about your visa application and opening the letter for someone who is shy and introverted you do put yourself out there good for you. Please carry on making these wonderful morsels of British life as you have said we Brits do like to know how we are percieved as we are led to believe we are hated by most countries around the world because of our past history. I think your videos are wonderfully entertaining and you are a lovely person, I wish you all the best in life.

All this KZfaq stuff is great as long as a prospective employer doesn’t see your cooking videos.Or the cheese taste test one

I think it's interesting about how some employers don't always look for degrees. Admittedly, I did have qualifications that allowed me to teach in adult learning for five years and for three years working as an EFL teacher on a Greek island. However, on my return, personal stuff and ratification of education at the time drove me to find work in retail at three well-known outlets. After nine years, I was deeply unhappy, and then I saw an advertisement for a post within the county library service and applied. The interview didn't touch on my teaching experience, but focused on how I worked within a social setting with the public. I got the job and worked for a wonderful ten years in libraries until early retirement. In short, everything you learn has a value. Robert, UK.

Very good tips. I am in UK too as a foreigner and same situation.Thank you.

Some useful info here Alanna not only for expats but also for those just thinking of changing career direction too, especially the way the job market is at the moment. Also another good way to advance your knowledge is to do one of the many distant learning courses available with the Open university. 🙂

While I am in a job that cause me a great deal of stress, the thought of courses is something I've never thought about. I enjoyed the video as always

I love how you were reading the sponsors message out of a book 😂

Alana I’ve so much enjoyed watching this. I love how you describe all the things you are doing. I can almost taste the fish and chips with you. Thanks and keep up the good work. Cheers and God bless you x

My daughter is taking a temp position as Reporting Data Analyst working from home. Hopefully they will extend it when it concludes in a year's time.

That marketing job sounds just perfect for you! 😀 👏

Nothing wrong with an HR career. But your examination of KZfaq experience, maybe other “hobbies,” was an excellent way to identifying possible careers.

Yes good on you very brave and a smart decision a pleasure to watch thanks 😊

It often turns out that temps get paid more than the permanent staff.

Very good point about the fact not everyone has a calling. We don't all have grand plans, or a big career thing we just know we want to do. I fell into my currently role by accident but I've been doing it for the best part of 14 years now at a couple of different companies because I'd found a specific role that played to my strengths. The point where I could acknowledge that I'm very good at what I do was a liberating feeling, but I didn't get that till my late 30s. Not everything happens right away and that's ok.

Thanks Alanna, being a bit more sensible today, good advice!

Hi Alanna, wonderful video, you always manage to keep your content interesting while being informative, as for the ad, you carry that off well because the content is worth watching, don't shy away from ads, you have a loyal base of viewers who won't mind, heck watching KZfaq ads are expected so don't worry. Stay well and keep safe :)

Very wise to have incentivised watching at least half of the advert.

This video is super relevant to me right now. Stressing about career decisions this week, so thanks for this!

Great advice, Alanna!! (This from an expat Canadian media professional now retired and living in coastal NW Washington state.)

Great video, very informative. Your dedication to bettering yourself and studying is very inspiring.👌👏👏👏👏

Very informative! You are very ambitious and online courses are a great way to go! I might look into it 🤔. My problem is getting panic attacks in interviews. 😭 But this video has made me think of learning something new. Cheers 🥂 👍

Hi,I learnt a lot of new information today .thank you.😀👍.Ps, today is the first time I have ever seen an AD.Interrupted by another AD.😂😂.Roly 🇬🇧.

If you loves trucking you can apply for HGV driver job ❤️

Very good advice! 🇨🇦

Very good sensible video Alanna, well done. Having the ad was fine. While it wasn't relevant to me, it could have been, so i'm happy to see it. Only thing is, i like your jokes and sense of humour and i missed that in this video! So please make the next one a jokey fun vid with Canadian humour, thanks x

Hi, Alanna, great video. If anyone switched off at the sponsor break they have missed some interesting and useful info. Very good.

Adventures and Updates! This is surely useful information for natives as well as for expats. It has to be said: that bookcase behind you looks as though it has some intriguing contents, Alanna! What chance have we that you might give us a brief tour in a future vlog?

Another very good video . You gave some very sound advice in this . A very good presentation . I can see how you were able to secure your latest position in marketing . All the hours of hard work and some tears enabled you to elevate yourself to another level . Here is hoping that your journey continues to future success .

Ever thought about putting this on paper, Alana, i.e. writing a book. Your relaxed style on screen would translate very well into written words.

Once again great tips.

Brilliant ideas and experiences, thank you Alanna 😊😊

It’s not boring, it’s good advice!!

It is incredibly difficult getting into the UK via the skilled worker visa. Literally doing that now. Thank you so much for this video, I needed the motivation to continue

Lots of good advice and basic good sense here Alanna. Not just for ex pats but for all of us. Thanks for this.

How did you know I needed this video today?! Ps - Please take as many sponsors as you can. Life is expensive. I’ve never clicked off because of an ad x

Really interesting hearing about your ongoing career journey. I always find your videos interesting (and, as I've mentioned many times, I could watch you do advertisements all day!). Thanks for sharing.

Interesting you mention HR as we have a family member near your old ON hometown, who became the HR manager of the company, via an interesting route!

Another great video

Thanks for the video, I hope you’re having a good week.

I started as a temp and still at the same place 20 years later!. Most people I know started out as temps.

Great organizational skills and discipline are two great talents Alanna possess...

Lol about the various books with the notes on the sponsor 🤣. This video was very helpful. Thanks!

...and as if that wasn't enough, you've got edenbridge which I don't think you even mentioned!

Very informative and entertaining! Thank you for making and posting this video.

One of the best videos for information ever. Really useful advice for not just colonials over here, but anyone looking for a job or change of career. Very good indeed. Is that a new dog behind?

What a proper grafter you are, nice one, and how inspiring you are

Interesting potted career history there. As you say, it can still work out pretty well for us, no specific job, not driven career types. I left education with a string of quals I did cos i liked the topics, with no job/career in mind, hadn't given work a thought! Maybe not the way to go. But all worked out, drifted into admin, management etc office based career. Offices may not be for everyone, but to paraphrase Terry Pratchett, 'It's indoor work, with no heavy lifting'. Suited my sloth-like dynamism :) All the best to you in your career.

Great informative video. Thank you

Great to hear about your journey and kind of inspirational.. I once read you either live to work or work to live - I know which one relate to 😎

Hiya. I thought you were going to talk about Edenbridge but not even a mention. Are you planning to give that up? Stay safe. All the best to you.

am 30, my 1st job was part time temp for couple months, 2nd job was walkers crisps for 2yrs then quit that cause supervisor h8ed me then had yr off work

Wonderful to know. I am also coming over on ancestral visa n

Really interesting video... been a bit stuck with what to do since being made redundant but these are some great tips & ideas! 🙂👍

Glad your getting a few sponsors you've worked hard to get them so don't be bothered about what the internet clowns say 👍

How ironic, the ad at the end of your video was for Master Class. You are proving how obsolete our current educational system has become. Congratulations on your success. 🇨🇦

Sending my love from Frankfurt 🇩🇪 where I'm stuck soliving my Devorce and custody issues also planning my life all over again and figuring out whether i want to go back to Toronto or continue my destiny in Frankfurt or start all over in my dream Country Uk 🇬🇧 I'm exactly like you hobby less have passion for nothing apart from self studying may favorite language korean so i can understand and enjoy my k dramas eaven more 🇰🇷

Your new place has much better lighting and much less bin lorries! And the Canadian flag is back! What more can you ask for?

Still figuring out what I wanna do with my life so this has defo been helpful, defo gonna use some of those tips, thank you!

In an alternative universe where Adventures and Naps never took off, HR manager Alanna ends every sentence of her staff appraisal with, "Innit, bruv?" as she swigs Irn Bru and eats marmite sandwiches.

Love the Dachshund!

My wife was a career person (Hotel interior design) I’ve just meandered from job to job but for the past 30 years it’s been designing/building car wiring harnesses, started at Aston Martin in 1989 and now I’m working with Nissan ?? Not sure that is going in the right direction:-)

Thanks for a really interesting video, you should be very proud of what you’ve achieved. Also respect to the Wodehouse reader in your household! 🎩

Thanks for this week's video. .Very interesting. .

🇨🇦 I’m curious if your “North America” experience helped at all looking for a Marketing position? Are UK companies looking to sell into the Canadian or the American markets these days? Really enjoyed this episode. 💚

I always realise how lucky I was to *know* what I wanted to do, at age 13/14 (software development) - and almost 40 years later, that’s still the line of work I’m in… Different roles and responsibilities, but still pursuing the same ends…

Some interesting books in the background. What's I'll Sleep When In Dead like? I'm a fan of WZ and keep nearly buying that book.

i learned to work hard, the british dream and reap the rewards later, u lean by your mistakes, its not the certificate that doe's the job it's the person, be seeing you nr 6

Have you ever made a list of the lists you need to make? I questioned a lot of things that day 😂 great video as always - see you next week

Interesting Alanna ✅ Keep updating your ‘pork-pie-folio’… it’s essential to future success 😉!

Great video Alanna, I found it very inspiring thank you.🙂

Canadian qualifications are recognised as UK equivalent as are the qualifications from most European countries, Australia and New Zealand.

Alanna, I'm assuming you got promoted pretty quickly as I remember you having your own office! On that topic, will you continue working from home 100% of the time, even after Covid?

KZfaq playing adverts during your advert = mind blown

OMG! Are you a Canadian that’s been living and making lists in the UK for five years? 🤣🤣😜 I watched and enjoyed every second 🤓 Nice top 👍🏻

From the history you gave it sounds like Canadians can get a visa to move to the UK and just look for work once there. I'm in the early stages of researching the different visas available to us as I'll hopefully be moving to the U.K. for graduate school soon, but U.S. citizens aren't able to do that. We have several different visa options open to us, mine would be a student visa that allows you to stay for the length of the program and once you graduate you can apply to convert the visa into a graduate visa, allowing you to stay and work unsponsored for up to two years. While on the student visa you're limited to 20 hours of work it seems and aren't allowed to have your own business, which includes things like monetized KZfaq channels unfortunately. This seems to not be an issue for Canadians. There seems to be some sort of entrepreneur visa that allows you to run a business but doesn't then allow working as an employee at the same time from what I can tell. Finally, I've found something called a global talent visa which seems to allow for working as an employee or running a business or both but is apparently quite hard to qualify for.

Brilliant and very interesting video 👍

New video yayy!

Wise words. I enjoyed the ad - think it was the instant change of clothes.

stay in the happy zone as much as possible my Canadianado friend! big love to all people :)

My chief learning focus is learning how to cook. To do this I rely on Alanna's KZfaq videos.

Hi Alanna, great video!!! I'm on the freedom 95 path. With the price of everything in the motherland going up another 30 percentish, give or take, the end is not in sight. Can you do another cooking video one day, please. I do quite like those. Have a great week!!! Cheers from back home 🇨🇦🥂🥂🍹🍹