Contract work is more common, and when a full-time gig finally comes around, the benefits can vary significantly. Even when permanent work with decent benefits is available, many young Canadians are now choosing to be self-employed or are more willing to switch careers or take extended breaks to pursue other interests. As a result, retirement planning requires a bit more work. One popular option involves buying dividend-growth stocks inside an RRSP and reinvesting the distributions in new shares. The strategy takes advantage of the power of compounding and can turn modest initial investments into a nice retirement fund over time. Let's take a look at two stocks that might be interesting picks to get the ball rolling. Bank of Nova Scotia ( TSX:BNS )( NYSE:BNS ) Bank of Nova Scotia has invested heavily in building a strong international business, with most of the focus on Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile.